SHS

Disciplines and Ideas

in the Social Sciences
Quarter 1: Week 5 - Module 5
Disciplines and Ideas in the Social Sciences
Grade 11 Quarter 1: Week 5, Module 5
First Edition, 2020

Copyright © 2020
La Union Schools Division
Region I

All rights reserved. No part of this module may be reproduced in any form without
written permission from the copyright owners.

Development Team of the Module

Author: Bernadette A. Aspiras, T-I

Editor: SDO La Union, Learning Resource Quality Assurance Team
Illustrator: Ernesto F. Ramos Jr., P II / Jasmin D. Colcol, T-2

Management Team:

ATTY. Donato D. Balderas, Jr.

Schools Division Superintendent
Vivian Luz S. Pagatpatan, Ph.D
Assistant Schools Division Superintendent
German E. Flora, Ph.D, CID Chief
Virgilio C. Boado, Ph.D, EPS in Charge of LRMS
Mario B. Paneda, Ed.D, EPS in Charge of Araling Panlipunan
Michael Jason D. Morales, PDO II
Claire P. Toluyen, Librarian II
 Disciplines and Ideas
in the Social Sciences
Quarter 1: Week 5 - Module 5
 Target

Previously, we discussed the major phenomenon which

led to the emergence of social science as another area of study. Relative to
this, we have also tackled the different disciplines which comprise of the
social sciences.
Social science as a discipline gives as an overview of some social, as
well as socio-political principles or theories which would help us understand
or decipher and explain some phenomenon which we may be experiencing or
with which we can relate with regards our experiences or our daily
endeavors.
In this learning material, we shall be dealing with three of the social
science theories- Structuralism, Marxism and Symbolic Interactionism.
You will be able to situate your life experiences as we shall go along with the
discussions later on.
Once you are done with this learning material, you are expected to
attain the following:

Learning competency:
Analyze the Basic Concepts and Principles of the major Social
Science theories:
a. Structural Functionalism (HUMSS_DIS 11 -IIIe-f-1)
b. Marxism (HUMSS_DIS 11-IIIg-2)
c. Symbolic Interactionism (HUMSS_DIS 11-IIIh-3)

Learning Objectives:
1. To define the concepts Structural Functionalism, Marxism and
Symbolic Interactionism;
2. To discuss the features peculiar to each of the three concepts;
3. To creatively interpret Structural Functionalism, or Marxism, or
Symbolic Interactionism;
4. To conduct a case study about Structural Functionalism of any
institution of your choice.

Before we proceed with the discussion of the new topic,

will you please write once again in your notebook your understanding of
what social sciences is as a discipline.

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 Jumpstart

First, let us have a short information check How acquiesced are

you with the topic at hand? Perform the succeeding activities
and prove that you have had advanced reading already.

Activity 1. Fact or Bluff

Direction. Write fact on the space below each item if the question or
situation is true and bluff, if not true.
1. A ring given to another person usually symbolizes commitment.
Answer: _______________
2. Whenever you see someone wearing a facemask and a face shield, you
would never associate it with a certain phenomenon.
Answer: _______________
3. Marxism is an economic as well as an social system which talks about
the revolution of the elite class.
Answer: ________________
4. Marxism is associated with communism.
Answer: _______________
5. Our utterances have meanings which could be interpreted differently by
different people.
Answer: _______________

Activity 2. Song Analysis “(Fiddler on The Roof) Tradition”

Direction. Should you want to listen to the song, just key in the title written
above. Read and understand the lyrics of the song and translate your
analysis into a drawing with a one-liner caption, or in an essay form
consisting of 150 words, or through a two-stanza poem or spoken poetry
which when delivered would run for two minutes. Use the space on the next
page for your answer. This activity shall be evaluated using the following
rubrics:

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 Poem /Spoken poetry/ essay
Content (10) Mechanics (10) Originality (6) Neatness (4)
Relevant to the Use of Proper Statements or Minimal
topic. Language sentences are not erasures
Related or Use of correct copy-pasted. Use of one
connected spelling or color of ball
statements. vocabulary. pen ink.
Grammatically Use of proper or
correct sentences. correct
punctuation
marks.
Follow the
prescribed
number of
words/time.

Drawing
Relevance (10) Originality (8) Craftsmanship(6)
Relevant to the topic, Not a copy-pasted Exudes skill in
with a brief and drawing or illustration, drawing even in the
appropriate description but an original most basic manner.
concept.

Tradition, tradition, tradition, tradition, tradition, tradition……

(Because of our traditions, we’ve kept our balance for many, many years,
Here in Anatevka, we have traditions for everything. How to sleep, how to
eat. How to work. How to wear clothes. For instance, we always keep our
heads covered, and always wear a little prayer shawl This shows our
constant devotion to God.

Who, day and night, must scramble for a living,

Feed a wife and children, say his daily prayers?
And who has the right, as Master of the house,
To have the final word at home.

The Papa, the papa! Tradition.

The Papa, the papa! Tradition.
Who must know the way to make a proper home,
A quiet home, a kosher home?
Who must raise the family and run the home,
So papa’s free to read the Holy Book?

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 The Mama, the mama! Tradition.
The Mama, the mama! Tradition.

At three, I started Hebrew school! At ten, I learned a trade.

I hear they’ve picked a bride for me. I hope she’s pretty.

The Sons, the sons! Tradition.

The Sons, the sons! Tradition.

And who does mama teach to mend and tend and fix,
Preparing me to marry whoever Papa picks?

The Daughters, the daughters! Tradition.

The Daughters, the daughters! Tradition

That was done just to challenge whatever knowledge you may

have regarding the three concepts which we are about to tackle.
Brace up because we shall now have a thorough discussion of the
topic.

Discover

There are several social science theories which we shall be

discussing and these would help us understand and explain some
phenomenon which may have or may occur in our midst or which could
provide answers to life experiences which we may consider as extraordinary.

Lesson 1. Structural Functionalism

Nature of Structural Functionalism

First, what is meant by structural functionalism? Taking its
etymology, according to Encyclopedia Britannica, structural functionalism,
“is a school of thought according to which each of the institutions,
relationships, res, and norms that together constitute a society serves a
purpose, and each is indispensable for the continued existence of the others
and of society as a whole.”

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 Basing from such definition, we can say that the each institution in
a given society play a vital role for its functionality or success. On a micro-
perspective, each institution may only be functional when and if each of its
members performs the task required and expected of her/him. Reduce this
analysis to the family, where this most basic social institution may be
operational only when all the family members from the father through the
mother and the children contribute something in support of each other. The
family is not functional structurally when the father or the mother is the
only one working.
According to Study.com, Herbert Spencer, who was the primary
advocate of structural functionalism, ‘compared society to a human body
where each part of the body works in harmony with all the other parts.’

Principles Peculiar to Structural Functionalism

There are some concepts/principles which underpin Structural
Functionalism and they are as follows:
1. Collective Conscience
According to this principle of structural functionalism, the
members of a given society, or if seen from a micro perspective, a given
institution, must have a shared participation in every endeavor. Everything
has to be done collectively and individualism as an end has to be ruled out.
Each may work individually but each would have collective result as an end.
As each toils for the group, he/she must always be guided by shared values
like the goals, norms and roles. This obtains in both macro and micro
perspectives.
2. Social Order
There has to be established security, in terms of the basic needs,
among the people for social order to be in place. The lack or merely the
insufficiency for instance of food would render an institution not functional
already.
3. Education
Education comes in the form of a well-informed populace.
Education does not necessarily presuppose that everyone must be degree-
holders. Having the know-how about the role one has to take or the
knowledge about the functional norms is education sufficient enough
already for the structure or the institution to be functional.
4. Deviance and Crime
The principle of deviance and crime may sound negative but this is
just to show that the society involved to create a functional structure is also
responsible for socially-constructed behavior. The functionality of a
structure or of an institution which may be distracted by deviance and crime
would depend on the other three principles as discussed earlier.

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 Lesson 2. Marxism

Nature of Marxism
Marxism as a socio-economic theory was espoused by Karl Marx
(The Communist Manifesto) and Friedrich Engels during the nineteenth
century. Accordingly Marxism talks about the capitalist mode of production
which enables the bourgeoisie to exploit the proletariat and as a result, it
leads to the struggle of the proletariat. They strive to obtain freedom from
the end of the proletariat may end up to the overthrow of the bourgeoisie
through an armed struggle.

Principles of Marxism
Since Marxism is also a socio-economic system, it would be help in
analyzing the economic development of the different countries in the world.
Discussed below are the principles of Marxism which would guide us in
such analysis.
1. Exploitation and Alienation
This principle refers to the exploitation of the workers by the
employers who are the alter ego of the capitalists. This happens where and
when the workers could be made to render hours of work beyond what is
stipulated, or they could be required to work more than or even less than
their job description.
In the process, the workers experience alienation because they are
deprived of the right to be their own persons as they shall submit to the will
of the bourgeoisie.
2. Class consciousness
It is incumbent in the people to take cognizance of the existence of
stratification- be it according to the socio-economic status, or according to
gender, or to any indicator of distinction of segments of the population.
Relative to this, the people must be conscious of the probability of
inequalities or injustices and must act according to how they understand
their position in the society.
3. Emancipation of the workers
This principle presupposes that the members of the proletariat
themselves are held responsible for their liberation. They cannot depend on
any other social class because they are basically on their own from the very
beginning.

4. Historical Materialism
This principle requires of the members of the proletariat to be in
the know of the whereabouts of class struggle in the history of man to

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enable them understand their struggle and to capacitate them in the fight as
well.

Lesson 3. Symbolic Interactionism

Nature of Symbolic Interactionism

According to Blydenian (http://www.blydenian.net/the-nature-of-
symbolic-interactionism/ ) culled as excerpt from Herbert Blumer, “The
Nature of Symbolic Interactionism”, Chapter 1 in Symbolic Interactionism:
Perspective and Method (1969), symbolic interactionism rests in the last
analysis on three simple premises. The first premise says that human
beings act according to the meanings that they attach toward anything that
they perceive around them. The second premise refers to the conception
that such meanings come as a result of the social interaction between and
among men. And, the third premise says that these meanings are dealt with
and modified through an interpretative process by the person and this
serves as a guide to his/her encounters in life.
Simply put, symbolic interactionism, by nature, is the sum total of
the meaning of man’s interactions and how such become imperative to
anything that he/she encounters in his/her lifetime.

Core Principles of Symbolic Interactionism

As per the article Symbolic Interactionism Theory in Psychology,
Behavioral and Social Science, there are three core principles involved in
symbolic interactionism and they are as follows:
1. Meaning
This principle is the core of symbolic interactionism because all of
man’s actions are anchored from whatever meaning is attached to the other
person, or to a thing or even to an occurrence.
2. Language
The second principle talks about the naming or identification of
the thing or things or even the action or actions. Meanings would not be
created if there is no naming that will take place. The naming process is
done only with the use of language.
3. Thought
This third principle of symbolic interactionism speaks of how we
interpret the symbols and more often than not it involves imagination.

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Fig 1. Image depicting Symbolic Interactionism

Thank you for reading comprehensively the discussion

regarding the first three theories of the social science
discipline. Now, let us find out if you nourished every word
that you have read. Brace yourselves because you are going
to perform the enrichment activities.

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 Explore

Enrichment Activity 1. True or False

Direction. Write F for false or incorrect statement and T for a true or correct
statement on the space provided for before each number.

_____ 1. In Marxism, the bourgeoisie and the proletariat class support each
other economically speaking.
_____ 2. Emancipation of the so-called proletariats depends upon the
capitalists.
_____ 3. Symbolic interactionism is based from three premises, namely the
meaning of the thing, the naming of the thing and what one thinks about
the thing.
_____ 4. Herbert Blumer was responsible for the conceptualization of
symbolic interactionism.
_____ 5. Structural functionalism talks about individualism.
Enrichment Activity 2. Justify Me
Direction. Below are scenarios about the social science theories of
Structural Functionalism, Marxism and Symbolic Interactionism. Read
each carefully and understand the situations before answering. Write a
three-liner justification to support your answer to the questions.
1. At XYZ Corporation, the workers in the production area were required
to work even on weekends to cope with the high demand of their
product from local as well as foreign consumers. These workers
wanted to do otherwise as they wanted to have family time on
weekends. There is then a big possibility that these workers would in
no time find a way to emancipate themselves. What theory was
referred to in the scenario? Would the said workers be able to enjoy
their weekends? Why? Why not?
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________

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 2. Mr. P wrote and sent a love letter, following the traditional practice, to
Miss L. For the former, it was his way of expressing whatever he felt
because he was smitten by the beauty and kindness of the lady.
However, for the latter the letter was simply a manifestation of
appreciation and care for the opposite sex and not implying romantic
love. What social science theory was presented in this scenario?
What core principles were manifested? Why?
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________

Enrichment Activity 3. Draw Me

Direction. If you were to wrap up your relationship with your family, what
object or thing would symbolize it? Draw that object or thing and write a
one-liner caption why you chose that. Use a separate sheet of paper for the
drawing.

Deepen

So far, do you already understand what power is, its types and
dimension, and the consequences of the exercise of power? Here
is a more in depth activity where your newly-acquired knowledge
about structural functionalism, Marxism, and symbolic
interactionism would be put into practice.

Activity 5. Case Study

Directions. In your respective communities, select one social institution and
make it the subject of your case study. This study shall be anchored from
your learning about structural functionalism and symbolic interactionism.
Mechanics for the case study:
A. Technical requirements:
1. The case study must be composed of five (5) pages for the
discussion and presentation, exclusive of the cover page.

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 2. May be encoded and saved in a flash drive or hand-written on an
A4 bond paper or long pad paper.
3. If encoded, use Arial font style and 11font size.
4. Refer to APA standard for margin and spacing.
B. Content requirements:
1. Introduction.
2. Overview of the situation.
3. Analysis.
4. Recommendation/s.
5. Conclusion.

This activity shall be evaluated according to the rubric below:

Category Points assignment
Content Comprehensive Lacking in Not presented in
presentation presentation. logical manner.
Ideas as are logical Insufficiency of No evidences
and well-supported related ideas and presented.
by evidences lacks evidences. Unnecessary
Unnecessary ideas Unnecessary ideas ideas are
are excluded are excluded excluded
(10-15 pts.) (5-9pts.) (1-4pts.)
Originality Demonstrates Insufficiency of Copy pasted
sufficient personal personal
interpretation or interpretation or
insight insight
Demonstrates in Lacks in depth
depth critical critical thinking.
thinking.
(7-10pts.) (4-6 pts.) (1-3)
Mechanics Followed the Not all of the Not all of the
technical technical technical
requirements. requirements are requirements are
Grammatically- followed. followed.
correct sentence Minimal Grammatically-
structure and use grammatical errors erroneous
of appropriate and some words sentence
language. used are not construction and
appropriate. some words used
are not
appropriate.
(7-10pts.) (4-6 pts.) (1-3)

You are about to reach the end of the line of the learner material.
Congratulations! Please accomplish the last activity to complete
the requirements for this material.

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 Gauge

Activity 6. Essay
Direction. On a separate sheet of paper, please write a one-paragraph
reflective essay of your most significant learning about the topic, with
emphasis on your perspective about the probability of a proletarian struggle
in the face of the covid19 pandemic. Write your answers on a one-half piece
of paper, composed of not less than 130 words and not more than 150
words.

Rubrics for the activity:

Content (10) Mechanics (10) Originality (6) Neatness (4)
Relevant to the Use of Proper Statements or Minimal
topic. Language sentences are erasures.
Related or Use of correct not copy- Use of one
connected spelling or pasted. color of ball
statements. vocabulary. pen ink.
Grammatically Use of proper or
correct sentences. correct
punctuation
marks.
Follow the
prescribed
number of words.

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 Answer Key

References
Printed Materials
Tatel, Carlos Jr Peña. Disciplines and Ideas in the Social Sciences (2016).
Manila, Philippines. Rex Bookstore, Inc.
Websites

 Blydenian(http://www.blydenian.net/the-nature-of-symbolic-
interactionism/ )
 Symbolic Interactionism Theory in Psychology, Behavioural and Social
Science(https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S187704
280901 633
 Nigun Aksan, Buket Kisac, Mufit Aydin and Sumeyra Demirbuken.
Symbolic Interaction Theory.2009.
(https://core.ac.uk/download/pdf/82253077.pdf)
 Concepts of Functionalism. History Learning Site.
(https://www/.histrylearningsite.co.uk/sociology/theories-in-
sociology/concepts-offunctionaism/)
 John Hewitt, Self and Society, 9th edition, Allyn and Bacon, 2002.
(https://www.abebks.com/9780205373581/Society-Symbolic-
Interactionist-Social-Psychology-0205373585/plp)
 http://facultysites.vassar.edu/lenevare/archive/2009/soci151/symb
olicinteractionism.)
 https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marxism
 https://libcom.org/library/basic-principles-marxism-critique-sociale
 https://study.com/academy/lesson/structural-functional-theory-in-
sociology-definition...

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