Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Lesson 1: Introduction To The Disciplines of Applied Social Sciences
Lesson 1: Introduction To The Disciplines of Applied Social Sciences
__________________________________________________________________________________
Social sciences are disciplines concerned with the systematic study of social
phenomena. Basically, the term ‘social sciences’ is defined as the study of human
society; that particular area of study that relates to human behavior and society. In a
broader sense, it is a branch of science that deals with the institutions, the functioning
of human society, and with the interpersonal relationships of individuals as a member
of society. There are distinct disciplines or branches dealing with a particular phase or
aspect of human society such as socio-cultural aspects of human behavior.
Social sciences are more specific and focused on a distinct facet of a social
phenomenon while applied social science attempts to focus on a distinct issue but use
insights arising from various social science disciplines. While social science may
explore broadly their distinct disciplines, some of their input may easily become applied
while others may remain theoretical. When social science theories, concepts, methods,
and findings gain application to problems identified in the wider society, then applied
social science is achieved.
The following may be considered functions and effects of applied social science.
They generate knowledge in an organic way for evidence-based actions and
solutions to social problems and issues. They provide learning feedback by
simultaneously engaging the experts and the stakeholders that form a social
world.
They cause social sciences to do things rather than just remain a source of
factual knowledge with little or no utility at all.
The provision of knowledge by social science becomes the moral basis for
applied science to address the issues or problems of society.
Communication provides accessibility to information and thereby serves the
rights of an individual and the public to be informed and to be heard by their
elders and communities.
Counseling provides healing, courage, and strength for an individual to face
his/her issues and take up the best possible option in moments of life crises.
The social work promotes social change, problem solving in human relationships,
and the empowerment and liberation of people to enhance their holistic well-
being.
1.6. Public Perception of Social Sciences and Applied Social Science
Practitioners
In the post-democratic era, social sciences are the myths of our time and
applied science practitioners have become the mythmakers. In general, the social
sciences have played a key role in the creation of opinionated persons and an
opinionated society on almost all issues of public interest. For example, thru
media communication and research, social sciences create phenomena that
result to an emergence of the sense of new ways of describing and acting that
have ended up producing all sorts of effects including such political renewals as
Arab spring, EDSA, Green Revolution, and so forth.
In some areas, however, the public has developed a skeptical attitude toward
social sciences and applied social sciences practitioners largely due to their
inability to provide formidable solutions to social problems. Other perceptions
tend to be discipline-specific as how people view counselors, social workers, and
media. In some societies like the Philippines, people rarely present themselves to
a counselor unless they are heavily compelled to do so, while in some countries,
it is very much part of a professional service that people would voluntarily seek
for their own health. Media tend to be perceived as biased and in certain
moments, confusing and therefore unreliable. Social work has been perceived
purely distributors of goods during calamities and social welfare. Rarely do
people perceive social work as:
“The social work profession promotes social change, problem solving in
human relationships and the empowerment and liberation of people to enhance
well-being. Utilizing theories of human behavior and social systems, social work
intervenes at the points where people interact with their environments. Principles
of human rights and social justice are fundamental to social work. (International
Federation of Social Workers)”
Evaluate:
B. Explain the relationship between the discipline of social sciences and the
discipline of applied social sciences.
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________
C. Using a T-Chart, make a list of social sciences and another list for applied
social sciences.
II. Check Your Understanding
2. Counselor
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________
B. Using a graphic organizer, write the functions of each of the applied social
sciences you have learned in this lesson and show how they affect
communities.