Discuss your understanding of essential features of the field of study known as “the Social Sciences”
Social Science and Its Methods
Chapter 1
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What is Social Science?
Scientific study of social, cultural, psychological, economic, political forces
Relatively new
Knowledge about nature, growth, functioning of human societies
Essential for learning about human condition and improving it
Copyright © 2014, 2011 Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved
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Anthropology
Physical
Cultural
Sociology
History
Geography
Economics
Political Science
Psychology
Types of Social Science
Applying the Scientific Method to Social Science
Observe
Define the problem
Review the literature
Observe some more
Develop theoretical framework, formulate hypothesis
Choose research design
Collect necessary data
Analyze results
Draw conclusions
….. FEEDBACK Loop
The Social Scientist should always be ready to go back to recalibrate and re-test based upon feedback
Nature of Scientific Knowledge
Systematically
gathered
classified
related
interpreted
Learning and applying concepts
Copyright © 2014, 2011 Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved
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The History of (Scientific) Knowledge
Copyright © 2014, 2011 Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved
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Methods of Social Scientists
Utilize scientific method
More complex than physical sciences –due to the “human dimension”
Controlled experiments difficult
Instead, social scientists:
Use careful observation
Use abstractions
Calculate effects
Copyright © 2014, 2011 Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved
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Social Science vs. Natural Science
Primary difference:
Testing the hypothesis is a unique feature of the Social Sciences
This means that Social Scientists recognize that humans make choices that are not always rational, hence we test under various (controlled) scenarios, specifying parameters and assumptions
Natural Science deals with immutable “laws”. They test, but there is a limit to the potential for change – while humans change their decisions and resulting actions frequently
Copyright © 2014, 2011 Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved
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Alternate Methods Used by Social Scientists
Historical
Tracing and analyzing historical events
Case
Detailed examination/analysis of single issue
Can be limiting
Comparative/Cross cultural
Detailed studies of cultural patterns
Sometimes difficult to define terms
Copyright © 2014, 2011 Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved
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Defining Common Sense
Common sense
What we “know” to be true …
Educated common sense
Rational thought based on observation and best information available
Does the earth circle the sun, or does the sun circle the earth?
How has the answer to this question changed?
Prior to The Enlightenment Age, it was thought and reinforced by religious institutions on pain of death that “The Earth is the center of the universe, therefore the Sun revolved around the Earth”. This was proven wrong by Copernicus in 1540 and others with their “three humiliations of human beings”
Can you identify the other 2? – They are:
we are all creatures of nature like other animals,
our reasoning ability is subject to passions and subconscious desires.
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Best Practices
Social scientists should rely on:
Educated common sense
Quantitative data
Delphic method – modifying interpretations of QUALITATIVE data in response to feedback or transforming the data into quantitative “proxies”
Statistical analysis
Do not confuse correlation with causation
Use interdisciplinary approach
Copyright © 2014, 2011 Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved
10
Social Science and Society
Social sciences are:
Evolving
Interactive
Fluid
Social scientists must always be open to new ways of looking at issues.
Modified from textbook.
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Discussion Questions:
Discuss your understanding of essential features of the field of study known as the Social sciences
Highlight the key basic assumptions that are the foundation for the use of the Scientific Method?
Maximum: 500 words (excluding references)
Copyright © 2014, 2011 Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved
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