Below is a UPSC-ready, Notion-compatible, non-summarised explanation of the Multidisciplinary Method in Sociology exactly as you prefer:

Multidisciplinary Method in Sociology

1. Meaning

The multidisciplinary method in sociology refers to the practice of studying social reality by integrating concepts, theories, and methods from multiple academic disciplines—such as economics, psychology, anthropology, political science, geography, history, philosophy, linguistics, environmental studies, and data science.

It assumes that society is too complex to be understood through a single lens, and therefore sociological explanations must draw from diverse bodies of knowledge.

This method emerged strongly after the 1950s, especially with the rise of complex social problems—urbanization, migration, identity politics, globalization, environmental crises, technological change—none of which could be explained by sociology alone.

Thus, sociology became an interdisciplinary and multidisciplinary science, without losing its independent identity.

2. Why Multidisciplinary Method Is Needed

• Social phenomena are multi-dimensional — e.g., poverty has economic (low income), sociological (caste), psychological (learned helplessness), political (elite capture) and geographical (resource distribution) dimensions.
• Rigid disciplinary boundaries limit understanding; multidisciplinary view expands analytical depth.
• Modern societies are interconnected through markets, politics, technology, global flows—demanding cross-field tools.
• Sociology aims at holistic understanding, similar to anthropology’s “total social fact” approach (Mauss).
• Helps overcome ethnocentrism and enriches comparative perspectives.

3. How Multidisciplinarity Operates in Sociology

A. Borrowing Concepts

• From Economics → class, market, rational choice, development, human capital, inequality indices.
• From Psychology → attitude, perception, personality, motivation, socialization.