Human ecology

Human ecology is an interdisciplinary and transdisciplinary study of the relationship between humans and their natural, social, and built environments. The philosophy and study of human ecology has a diffuse history with advancements in ecology, geography, sociology, psychology, anthropology, zoology, epidemiology, public health, and home economics, among others.

Overview

Human ecology may be defined: (1) from a bioecological perspective as the study of man as the ecological dominant in plant and animal communities and systems; (2) from a bioecological perspective as simply another animal affecting and being affected by his physical environment; and (3) as a human being, somehow different from animal life in general, interacting with physical and modified environments in a distinctive and creative way. A fourth perspective, political economy, began to receive attention in the 1970s and continues to be an important lens through which to view the field.

History

The term "human ecology" first appeared in a sociological study in 1921 and at times has been equated with geography. Later, it was a term used in architecture and urban planning to denote the study of the spatial distribution of human activity (under the influence of social and physical environment) and its processes. There are four main types of human ecology: sociology, geography, architecture, and mental health.

See also

• Ecology
• Environmental psychology
• Geography
• Sociology
• Anthropology
• Zoology
• Epidemiology
• Public health
• Home economics

External links

• Human Ecology on WikiMD

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