What is a social construct?

A social construct is best defined as a concept or practice that is agreed upon by a group of people, regardless of its inherent value or objective reality. This means that the meanings and interpretations attached to social constructs can vary widely across different cultures and societies. Examples include ideas such as race, gender roles, and money, which exist because society collectively agrees on their significance and utility, rather than because they have an unavoidable intrinsic quality.

In contrast, the other options describe different concepts that do not fully encapsulate the nature of social constructs. A physical object created by society pertains to tangible items with functional value, which are not conceptual in the same way as constructs. A scientific theory is based on empirical evidence and observation, culminating in widely accepted explanations for natural phenomena, which is distinct from the subjective agreement needed for social constructs. Lastly, a psychological trend observed in human behavior may reflect patterns and tendencies, but it does not encompass the collective agreement aspect that defines social constructs.