Unit 1: Lesson 2: The Three Social Sciences: Anthropology,

Psychology, and Sociology

When we study an issue like homelessness from the different viewpoints of
anthropology, psychology, and sociology, we can come up with different types of
information that might help us understand the issue.

Anthropologists study how humans live and interact with their social and physical
environments – both in the past and in the present. Physical anthropologists focus on
the origin, evolution and diversity of people, whereas cultural anthropologists study the
interplay between culture and human beings. Both use specific theories, perspectives
and methodologies to explain human behaviour and culture, and to distinguish patterns
of human socialization.

Psychologists study the human mind and mental states as a way of explaining the
behaviour of an individual or a group. They use psychological theories, perspectives,
and methodologies to explain how diverse factors influence and shape human mental
processes and behaviour. They also use these perspectives to analyze patterns of
socialization.

Sociologists study human social behaviour by examining the interactions of social

institutions, groups, and individuals, and how they influence each other. They use their
own specific theories, perspectives, and methodologies to examine how diverse factors
influence and shape social behaviour of groups and individuals.

Check for understanding…

When we think of the issue of homelessness, what kinds of questions or concepts
would pertain to each of the social sciences of anthropology, psychology, and
sociology? For each question, identify the appropriate social science: anthropology,
psychology, or sociology.

1. What fears drive someone to walk past a homeless person without making eye
contact? Psychology
2. How does the lack of affordable housing contribute to homelessness? Sociology
3. What is it about cities that helps explain why there are more homeless in the city
than in the country? Anthropology
4. How do the homeless adapt to their surroundings to survive? Anthropology
5. What one institution do you think could have the biggest impact on
homelessness? How? Sociology
6. What is going through a homeless person’s mind when he or she is alone on the
streets, that helps explain why they are there? Psychology

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 7. What role does mental illness play in the issue of homelessness? Psychology
8. What creative solutions have other cities in other countries offered that have
made a positive impact on the lives of homeless individuals? Sociology
9. What can we learn from other cultures that can help us understand
homelessness in our own country? Anthropology
10. Do homeless people share any group characteristics from which we can learn?
Anthropology

Inquiry Questions
A really good inquiry question for social scientists acts as a guide for research. It keeps
the researcher focused on what kinds of sources to use and helps shape the results of
an inquiry. It often inspires new questions that allows one to probe even more deeply
into a topic, once the inquiry has begun. As such, it should be neither too narrow nor too
broad, and provide the space necessary to go deeply into the topic.

As you begin to develop your own inquiry questions, ask yourself the following
questions:

Yes Questions

Is it an invitation to think beyond a simple answer?

Does it require me to go more deeply than a simple internet search?

Does it require support and justification, not just an answer?

Is it open-ended enough but not too big to tackle?

Does it come out of my real curiosity or confusion about the topic?

Does it make me think about the topic in a way I’ve never considered before?

Does it invite me to think and feel deeply about the topic?

Does it challenge my thinking about what is ethical (right or wrong) about the topic?

Could it lead me to ask more questions as I work with it?

You can use this checklist for future inquiry questions you are developing to help make
sure they will be effective guides for you for your investigations.

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Macro or Micro? Big picture or Small?
Social scientists can look at issues from a macro perspective and a micro perspective.
When we ask about how people in general respond to the issue of homelessness in our
society, we are looking at the issue from a macro, or broader, perspective. When we
study an issue from a micro perspective, we focus instead on one individual or small
group.

As we examine the story of Leah Denbok, a teenager who photographed homeless

people on the streets of Toronto, we are conducting a micro study. Read the following
article then watch the video to learn more about her work.

Action #1: Click on Link to View Article Humanizing The Homeless

Action #2: Click on Link to View Video Teen Photographs Homeless People

Action #3: Complete the following Assignment on Google Classroom labeled As

Lesson 2: Activity #3: Leah Denbok

Which questions would a social scientist ask when studying Leah’s responses to
homelessness? You can use this template posted with this assignment to help organize
your work. The rubric for this assignment is also shown below.

● Write at least two questions from the perspective of each of the three social
sciences, guided by the way in which Leah has responded to the issue of
homelessness.
● Make sure your questions use keywords or concepts that would make it clear you
understand the difference between the kinds of questions social scientists might
use to guide their inquiries in anthropology, psychology, and sociology.
● For each social science grouping, explain clearly in a sentence why you grouped
these ideas as belonging to that particular social science.

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