Digital forensic investigators need to be able to relate to social sciences because digital forensics falls under criminology, and therefore is an interdisciplinary study where sociology, psychology and even political science comes into play. This is because Digital forensic investigators like Davin Teo in his TedxHongKong talk below collect data from criminals. To successfully collect and interpret the data, digital forensic investigators need to understand why and how the crime happened, calling for sociological skills of analysis, research skills and collection of data from victims and criminals.
Teo needed these skills in order to succeed in his career. He had to not only need the cybersecurity skills to access logs, but he needed the sociological skills to infer where and which logs to obtain to trace the originator of the torrents in his investigation. Combining technical skill with understanding the human factor is key, such as when Teo was able to find bank accounts by decrypting attachments.
To be a successful digital forensic investigator, technical skills help the professional access the information, but social science knowledge lets them know where to look.
References:
TedxTalks. (2015, December 09). [Video]. Digital Forensics | Davin Teo | TEDxHongKongSalon. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pf-JnQfAEew