Lub hauv paus chiv keeb ntawm cov khoom khaws cia tuaj yeem taug qab mus rau qhov yooj yim tib neeg xav tau rau kev faib thiab khaws cov khoom hauv tsev thaum ntxov. Hauv cov zej zog thaum ub, tib neeg tau siv cov khoom siv ntuj xws li rattan, tsiaj nkaum, lub thawv ntoo, lossis cov lauj kaub tais diav kom yooj yim khaws cov zaub mov thiab cov cuab yeej. Qhov theem ntawm kev cia khoom no feem ntau yog tsav los ntawm kev muaj sia nyob xav tau, thiab thaum nws cov ntaub ntawv tseem ceeb, nws twb tau qhia txog cov haujlwm tseem ceeb ntawm "categorized cia" thiab "tiv thaiv cov khoom."
Nrog lub advent ntawm industrialization thiab niaj hnub haiv neeg, txoj kev loj hlob ntawm cov khoom cia nkag mus rau ib theem ntawm kev loj hlob sai. Nrog rau kev siv dav hauv kev lag luam cov ntaub ntawv xws li hlau thiab yas, thiab kev loj hlob ntawm cov txheej txheem ntau lawm, cov khoom ntim tau pom kev txhim kho tseem ceeb hauv kev tsim qauv, kev faib ua haujlwm, thiab kev tsim khoom. Cov khoom ntim khoom niaj hnub no tau nthuav dav ntau dua rau kev siv qhov chaw, tsim qauv, thiab siv tau yooj yim, thiab tau maj mam nthuav mus rau ntau yam xwm txheej xws li chaw ua haujlwm, tsev, thiab kev lag luam. Tib lub sijhawm, nrog kev hloov pauv ntawm kev ua neej, tib neeg tau tso siab dua qhov xav tau ntawm kev zoo nkauj thiab tag nrho ib puag ncig kev sib haum xeeb ntawm cov khoom khaws cia, hloov lawv los ntawm cov cuab yeej siv yooj yim rau hauv cov khoom tseem ceeb rau ob qho tib si nyob thiab ua haujlwm uas sib xyaw ua haujlwm thiab tsim kev zoo nkauj.