DISCIPLINES AND

IDEAS IN THE SOCIAL

SCIENCES
LEONEL A. ENRIQUEZ, LPT
WHAT IS SOCIAL SCIENCE?

• Is a “Systematic study of Society”

• Social Sciences – referring to its various disciplines; emphasizing the Unity and Common
premise of ALL this modern social science disciplines.
• Social Science is meant to be a holistic study of the social phenomena, be it economic,
cultural, social, political, geographic, demographic, psychological and historical aspect of
people
WHAT IS SOCIAL SCIENCE?

• Social Science is a vast field that is concerned with the human society and the
relationships among individuals within it. This field also has a vast number of sub-fields
such as economics, sociology, anthropology, psychology, political science, geography,
history, demography, and linguistics
• Social science students can pursue professions such as lawyer, judge, social worker,
historian, archaeologist, journalist, writer, teacher, linguist, librarian, accountant, etc.
WHAT IS SOCIAL SCIENCE?

• The Social Science Disciplines

• The Social Sciences are those disciplines that use research and analysis to examine human behaviour.
• They use such techniques as collecting and analyzing statistics, conducting experiments, and
examining what people have written and created, in an attempt to understand why people act the way
they do.
• In some ways, the social sciences are related to the humanities, or subjects that focus on the creative
side of the human experience (art, music, literature, philosophy).
• Where the humanities are concerned more with human expression, the social sciences focus more on
human behaviour.
WHAT ARE SOCIAL SCIENCES?

• Is Psychology a Social Science?

• Most colleges classify psychology as a social science. Psychology deals with the human mind
and behavior, bridging the divide between social science and natural science. Psychology
majors study human development, social behaviors, and emotions, which draw on social
science methods.
• Certain subfields align more with the social sciences than others. Social psychology, for
instance, is more often considered a social science, whereas subfields like neuropsychology
and biological psychology require stronger training in the physical sciences, leading many to
categorize them as STEM subjects.
WHAT ARE SOCIAL SCIENCES?

• Is Economics a Social Science?

• Economics is a social science focused on the economy and economic activities. Students
majoring in economics study economic systems and how individuals and organizations
produce and exchange goods. Economists examine topics like the role of the government in
shaping the economy, individual economic behaviors, and the distribution of goods and
services.
• Both macroeconomics and microeconomics utilize social science tools to collect and analyze
data, create data-backed projections and predictions, and understand supply and demand.
WHAT ARE SOCIAL SCIENCES?

• Is History a Social Science?

• History falls somewhere between the social sciences and humanities. In the early 20th century,
most historians considered their discipline a social science because they used and still use
quantitative tools to understand the past.
• In recent decades, however, a growing number of historians have begun to refer to their field
as a humanities subject due to the fact that they study the history of culture and human values.
• While many colleges today group the history department with other social sciences, some
consider it a humanities field.
WHAT ARE SOCIAL SCIENCES?

• Is Sociology a Social Science?

• Sociology is a social science focused on society and social institutions. In many ways, sociology was
the first social science, since the discipline originally applied the scientific method to human society.
• Sociology majors study human societies to answer questions about social change, disorder in society,
and social stratification. Sociologists explore how social institutions shape individual behavior,
societal evolution, and how organizations interact with one another.
WHAT ARE SOCIAL SCIENCES?

• Is Philosophy a Social Science?

• Most colleges consider philosophy a humanities subject rather than a social science. Philosophy
emphasizes foundational questions about reality, human nature, and the relationship between
mind and matter. Philosophy majors use logic and critical theory to address topics such as
morality, the external world, art, and objectivity.
• Many social science disciplines look to the principles of philosophy to try to understand human
behavior, morality's impact on decision-making, and the development of social institutions.
WHAT ARE SOCIAL SCIENCES?

• Is Political Science a Social Science?

• Political science is a social science subject that involves the study of political institutions, government
systems, and political behavior. These scientists use qualitative and quantitative research to understand
political trends and decision-making.
• In a political science degree program, students learn about the rise of political institutions, the law-
making process, and the interactions between political powers. Some political scientists specialize in
political theory, whereas others study international relations, comparative politics, or American politics.
WHAT ARE SOCIAL SCIENCES?

Read pages 7-8 of Disciplines and Ideas in Social

Sciences Module.
NATURAL SCIENCE AND SOCIAL SCIENCE

• Science can be classified into two main branches known as natural science and social
science.
• Natural science is a branch of science that deals with the natural world whereas social
science is a branch of science that deals with human society and social relationships.
• Thus, the main difference between natural science and social science is that natural
science studies natural events whereas social science studies the human society.
NATURAL SCIENCE AND SOCIAL SCIENCE
WHAT IS NATURAL SCIENCE?

• Natural science deals with the natural world. It is concerned with the phenomena and objects of
nature and the physical world. Natural science involves comprehension, description, and prediction
of natural phenomena using empirical and observational evidence. Hypothesis formed in natural
sciences must be verified scientifically to be regarded as a scientific theory.
• Natural science can be divided into two main branches known as biological science (life science)
and physical science. Biological science is concerned with living organisms whereas physical
science is concerned with the physical world. Physical science is divided into sub-branches,
including chemistry, physics, astronomy and Earth science. These branches can be further divided
into more specialized fields.
WHAT IS SOCIETY?
WHAT IS SOCIETY?

• A society, or a human society, is a group of people involved with each other through
persistent relations, or a large social grouping sharing the same geographical or social
territory, typically subject to the same political authority and dominant cultural expectations.
• Human societies are characterized by patterns of relationships (social relations) between
individuals who share a distinctive culture and institutions; a given society may be described
as the sum total of such relationships among its constituent members.
• The word society may also refer to an organized voluntary association of people for
religious, benevolent, cultural, scientific, political, patriotic, or other purposes.
WHAT IS SOCIETY?

• See page 15 of our module

MODERNITY AND SOCIAL SCIENCE

• What is modernity?
• It is a concept that deals not only with the shift in the physical and material conditions of the
society but also with mental and behavioral shifts among people.
• Modernity is where there is a radical and rapid process of social and technological changes.
• It is characterized by the presence of urbanism and capitalism.
• Urbanism – characteristics way of life of city dwellers
• Capitalism – way of organizing an economy so that things that are used to make and transport
products (such as land, oil, factories, ships, etc.) are owned by individual people and companies
rather than by the govt.
MODERNITY AND SOCIAL SCIENCE

• DAVID EMILE DURKHEIM (1858-1917)

• 1. Capitalism
• Capitalism is extraordinarily productive
• Capitalism is liberating
• This economic system is doing something very peculiar to people’s minds.
• “SUICIDE”
MODERNITY AND SOCIAL SCIENCE

• “SUICIDE 1897”
• Suicide rates seem to shook up once a nation has become
industrialized
• Unhappiness and despair in society
• Suicide is the horrific tip of the iceberg of mental distress
created by modern capitalism.
MODERNITY AND SOCIAL SCIENCE

• Why people become unhappy in modern societies?

• 1. Individualism
• Individual begins to choose everything.
• If things go well the individual takes the credit, but if thing go
badly, there is no one else to blame but themselves.
• Failure becomes a terrible judgement upon individual.
MODERNITY AND SOCIAL SCIENCE

• 2. Excessive hope
• “Everyone with effort can become the boss”
• Advertisement of unlimited luxury
• Envy grows, it is easy to become dissatisfied with one’s lot, not because it is awful, but envy.
3. We have too much freedom
“Whatever works for you” sounds friendly, but also means that society doesn’t much care what you
do.
Society is diverse, people don’t have much common with one another anymore
MODERNITY AND SOCIAL SCIENCE

4. Atheism
Sense of community and consolation that religion offer are highly
important to people.
5. Weakening of the nation and the family
individualism
self made
How to keep society stable?
MODERNITY AND SOCIAL SCIENCE

• “Functionalism” suggests that cultural and social institutions are created to perform
certain functions that in the end contribute to the overall health of the society, thus,
preserving itself to posterity.
• “Community” Contrast to functionalism, traditional in character and smaller in scope.
• In Durkheim terms: Mechanical Solidarity – the basis of people’s cooperation and society’s
integration is due to similar experiences in work, life ways, values and worldviews.
• The reason why people feel connected with each other is because they do the same type of
activities, live in the same area and experience the same things.
MODERNITY AND SOCIAL SCIENCE

• “Positivism” a philosophy developed in Europe about a century before the Industrial

revolution, shaped scientific tradition from 19th century and beyond.
• Comes from the French word “postivisme” rootword ‘positif’ means something is arbitrarily imposed
on the mind by sensory experience.
• believes that scientific knowledge is superior to superstition, religion and achieved through an
objective and empirical analysis of a phenomenon.
• Auguste Comte, French Philosopher and a proponent of Positivism suggested that theology and
metaphysics are flawed since it cannot be proven empirically.
• He believed in the power of rational thought in uncovering hidden processes and structures in society.
DOMINANT APPROACHES AND IDEAS

• Structural-Functionalism
• Marxism
• Symbolic Interactionism
• Psychoanalysis
• Rational Choice
• Institutionalism
• Feminist Theory
• Hermeneutical Phenomenology
• Human-Environment Systems
DOMINANT APPROACHES AND IDEAS

• Structural-Functionalism
• Society is a complex system whose parts work together to promote solidarity and stability.
• Look at society in a macro level (Individuals do not have power)
• This theory has underpinnings in biological and ecological concepts. Early functionalists argued that society can be
studied the same way the human body can be studied - by analyzing what specific systems are working or not
working, diagnosing problems, and devising solutions to restore balance. (Herbert Spencer)
• You can see evidence of functional processes in everyday society. Examples include: socialization, religious
involvement, friendship, health care, economic recovery, peace, justice and injustice, population change, community,
romantic relationships, marriage and divorce, and normal and abnormal family experiences.
• Generally speaking, functions are the processes that occur in society that keeps it running smoothly.
DOMINANT APPROACHES AND IDEAS

• Functionalists look at two types of functions. (Robert Merton)

• Manifest Functions:
• Intended functions of institutions in society.
• Ex. Schools intended to teach the people
• Latent Functions:
• Less apparent, unintended, and often unrecognized functions in social institutions and processes.
• Ex. Build friendship, or joining groups that might interfere the intended purpose of teaching.(negative latent)
• Build friendship, or joining groups that might help you to be inspired to finish your studies.(positive latent)
DOMINANT APPROACHES AND IDEAS

• Functionalists institutions
• Structures that meet the needs of the society
• schools, media, government, hospitals, military, etc.

• Functionalist Social Facts

• These objects have persuasive effects over individuals, yet they can’t be influenced by individuals
• People do not notice social facts, unless they try to resist them
• Laws, birth rate, religious beliefs, customs

• Change is a challenge
DOMINANT APPROACHES AND IDEAS

• Marxism (Conflict Theory)

• Society is broken up into two groups, a controlling group and an oppressed group
• Conflict between groups is normal and happens because of scarcity.
• Look at society in a macro level
• Views the dominant group as blind (they are not aware/did not experience the same as the
oppress group)
DOMINANT APPROACHES AND IDEAS

• The cycle of conflict

1.Controlling group oppresses another group
2. The oppressed group becomes frustrated and conflict arises
3. A solution is reached
4. There is a new controlling order and oppressed group
5. Repeat steps 1 to 4 (no equilibrium)
DOMINANT APPROACHES AND IDEAS

• Symbolic Interactionism
• Symbolic interaction theory analyzes society by addressing the subjective meanings that
people impose on objects, events, and behaviors.
• Subjective meanings are given primacy because it is believed that people behave based on
what they believe and not just on what is objectively true.
• This perspective relies on the symbolic meaning that people develop and build upon in the
process of social interaction.
• Look at society in micro level
DOMINANT APPROACHES AND IDEAS

• Key Points
• Symbolic interactionism has roots in phenomenology, which emphasizes the subjective
meaning of reality.
• Symbolic interactionism proposes a social theory of the self, or a looking glass self
• Symbolic interactionists study meaning and communication; they tend to use qualitative
methods.
• Symbolic interactionism has been criticized for failing to take into account large-scale macro
social structures and forces
DOMINANT APPROACHES AND IDEAS

• Key Assumptions
• Human actions depend on the meaning of the object.
• We give meaning to things based on social interactions and
experiences.
• The meaning of symbols is not permanent and can change
overtime.
DOMINANT APPROACHES AND IDEAS

• Key Terms
• behaviorism: an approach to psychology focusing on behavior, denying any independent
significance for mind, and assuming that behavior is determined by the environment.
• phenomenology: A philosophy based on the intuitive experience of phenomena, and on the
premise that reality consists of objects and events as consciously perceived by conscious beings.
• role theory: assumes that people are primarily conformists who try to achieve the norms that
accompany their roles; group members check each individual’s performance to determine whether
it conforms with that individual’s assigned norms, and apply sanctions for misbehavior in an
attempt to ensure role performance.
DOMINANT APPROACHES AND IDEAS

• Psychoanalysis
• Presentation of PPT of Ms. Aubrey Quejado