Introduction to

Applied Social
Sciences
Larsson and Wieselgren sees the social sciences
as a kind of “Oxygen” in today’s globalized
society. As we need oxygen to breath, we also
need social sciences to understand and make
sense of the world we are living in that goes
beyond what the natural sciences can offer to us.
 The Fields of Social Science
Fields Definition
Anthropology Is broadly defined as the study of
humans.

Economics Is the study of the production,

distribution, and consumption
of resources, goods, and services.

History Is the study of the human past.

 The Fields of Social Science
Fields Definition
Psychology - Is the study of human
mind and behavior.
Political Science - Is the study of theories
and practice.
Geography - Is the study of the lands,
features, inhabitants.
Linguistics - Scientific study of human
languages.
Sociology - Study of human, social
behavior
 The Fields of Applied Social Science
Fields Definition
Accounting This field provides business principles and other
applied skills in the area of accounting. It
pro-
vides an understanding of an individual,
group,
or institutional finances.

Business Administration This specializes in the operations and manage-

ment of business institution.

Communication This field focuses on how use verbal and non

verbal messages to create meaning in
various
contexts(from two individuals to mass
 The Fields of Applied Social Science
Fields Definition
Criminology This focuses on the study of crime, crimi-
nal behavior, and the legal system.

Healthcare Management This field provides professionals in clinics,

hospitals, private practices, nursing
homes,
research facilities, and the like with
the
focused training required.
Marketing The fields includes promotion, creative
services, public relations,
communication, advertisement,
strategy, branding, and
much more.
 The Fields of Applied Social Science
Fields Definition
Policy Studies This fields is the combination of
policy
analysis and program
evaluation; it in-
volves the systematic study
of the
nature, causes, and effects of
alterna-
tive public policy.

Public Administration This fields is concerned with implemen-

tation of government policy.
 The Fields of Applied Social Science
Fields Definition
Social Work This field is both a professional and
acade-
mic discipline that seeks to
improve the
quality of life and wellbeing of
an individ ual
group, or community by
intervening
through research, policy,
community orga
nizing, and teaching on behalf
of those
afflicted with poverty or any
real or
The Clientele in Counselling
Characteristics and Needs of Counseling Clients

The clients of counseling , or counselees, are the active receivers of

counselling services. They enter the counseling relationship with the
counselor and together find ways on how to assist the clients with
their concerns.
Developmental Tasks
According to Havighurst (1953 as quoted in Schertzer and stone
1974) , a developmental task at a particular period in an individual’s
life which, if successfully accomplished, may lead to happiness and
success in later tasks. If an individual is unsuccessful in
accomplishing the task, however, this may lead to unhappiness and
difficulty in finishing later tasks.
Havighurst identified six major stages for accomplishing the different developmental task.
Each stage includes several developmental tasks which are physiological, psychological,
and sociocultural in nature:
I. INFANCY AND EARLY CHILDHOOD (0-6 YEARS)
• Learning to walk
• Learning to take solid foods
• Learning to talk
• Learning to control the elimination of body waste
• Learning sex differences and sexual modesty
• Forming concepts and learning language to describe
social and physical reality
• Getting ready to read
II. Middle Childhood ( 6-12 years)

- Learning physical skills necessary for ordinary games

- Building wholesome attitudes toward oneself as a growing organism
- Learning to get along with age-mates
- Learning an appropriate masculine or feminine social role
- Developing fundamental skills in reading, writing, and calculating
- Developing concept necessary for everyday living.
- Developing conscience, morality, and a scale of values
- Achieving personal independence
- Developing attitudes toward social groups and institution

III. Adolescence (13 – 18 years)

- Achieving new and more mature relations with age-mates of both sexes
- Achieving a masculine or feminine social role
- Accepting one’s physique and using the body effectively
- Achieving emotional independence from parents and other adults
- Preparing for marriage and family life
III. Adolescence (13 – 18 years)
- Preparing for an economic career
- Acquiring a set of values and an ethical system as a guide
to behavior, developing an ideology
- Desiring and achieving socially responsible behavior

IV. Early Adulthood (19-30 years)

- Selecting a mate
- Achieving a masculine or feminine social role
- Learning to live with a marriage partner
- Starting a Family
- Rearing children
- Managing a home
- Getting started in an occupation
- Taking on civic responsibility
- Finding a congenial social group
V. Middle Age (30-60)

- Achieving adult civic and social responsibility

- Establishing and maintaining an economic standard of living
- Assisting teenage children to become responsible and happy adults
- Developing adult leisure time activities
- Relating to one’s spouse as a person
- Accepting and adjusting to the physiological changes of middle age
- Adjusting to aging parents
VI. Late Maturity (60 years and above)
- Adjusting to decreasing physical strength and health
- Adjusting to retirement and reduced income
- Adjusting to death of a spouse
- Establishing an explicit affiliation with one’s age group
- Meeting social and civil obligation
- Establishing satisfactory living arrangements
 Psychosocial Stages

Erik Erikson’s psychosocial stages of development

provides an eight-stage framework illustrating how
healthy human beings pass through the stages of
infancy to late adulthood (Schertzer and Stone,
1974). In each stage, individuals encounter a crisis
which they must overcome. If they successfully
overcome the crisis, they learn a corresponding
virtue. If they do not, the challenge or crisis may
reaper again as a future problem since each stage is
built upon the successful completion of the earlier
stage 1 psychosocial conflict: basic trust vs
mistrust virtue: hope

During this stage, infants solely depend on their

parents or caregiver to satisfy their basic needs, such as
sustenance, attention, and affection. When the adults
around these infant are consistent in satisfying these
basic needs, the infants develop trust and thus learn the
virtue of hope.
Stage 2 psychosocial conflict: autonomy versus shame and doubt
virtue: will (2-3 years old)

These children begin to explore their surroundings as they gain

control over their motor abilities. They start to do things on their
own – walking, feeding themselves, cleaning and dressing
themselves, and going to the toilet, among others. When parents
and significant others are supportive of these attempts, the
children are encourage to develop a sense of independence and
self control – they feel confident doing things on their own. Thus
the virtue of will is learned.
Stage 3 psychosocial conflict: initiative versus guilt virtue:
purpose (3-5 years old)

As they learn new things, they begin to take initiative in doing

tasks. Whatever the outcome of these tasks , is when the adults
encourage the children’s efforts while assisting them in making
realistic goals that the children learn the virtue of purpose.
Stage 4- psychosocial conflict: industry versus inferiority
virtue: competence (6-11 years old)

At this stage, children are exposed to various social and school

activities that enables them to learn and eventually do complex
things. This is when children join groups which interest them,
such as sports, music, or cooking club.
When children are supported and commended in the
performance of their activities, they may become diligent in
completing tasks. Children who do and complete tasks may
develop a sense of confidence, thus learning virtue of
competence.
Stage 5-psychosocial conflict: identity versus role confusion
virtue: fidelity (12-18 years old)

Considered to be a transition between childhood and adulthood.

This is often described as a challenging time for adolescents
because they have to confront changes at different levels. They
undergo physiological changes brought about by puberty and are
faced with the evolving expectations of parents, significant
others and society.
 Common Counseling Problems
I. Middle Childhood ( 6-12 years old)
- Poor academic performance or underachievement
- Lack of motivation
- Social skills/Interpersonal relationship
-Health/physical challenges
-Home or family issues
-Emotional concerns
-Conduct-related concerns
-Financial concerns

II. Adolescence (13-18 years old)

- Body image
- Social/interpersonal relationship
- Intimate relationship
- Home or family issues
- Poor academic performance or underachievement
 Common Counseling Problems
- Health/physical challenges
- Conduct-related concerns
- Educational or vocational concerns in the future
- Financial concerns

III. Early Adulthood (19-30 years old)

- Intimate relationships
- Home or family issues
- Adjustment in family life
- Health/physical challenges
- Emotional concerns
- Social concerns
- Financial concerns
- Vocational/career concerns
 Common Counseling Problems
IV. Middle Age (30-60 years old) V. Late Maturity (60 years old and above)
- Intimate relationship - Health/physical challenges
- Home or family issues - Retirement issues
- Dealing with teenage children - Dealing with loss
- Relationship with partner - Social concerns
- Vocational/career concerns - Home/family issues
- Financial concerns
- Social concerns
- Emotional concerns
- Health/physical challenges
- Empty nest
Divide the class into four groups.each group is to role play the different possible
characteristics,needs, and concerns of particular client group in counseling.
Clients include children,adolescents,parents, and elderly. And discuss how the
group came up with the characteristics , needs and concerns of a particular
client group.
Identify the appropriate discipline applicable in the given situation.
Explain your answer.

1. Creating a research out of the most

commonly used language in Region 2
(Cagayan Valley).

2. An analysis of the consumption patterns

among housewives in a middle-income
community.

3. A description of the different cultural

practices in Region 2 (Cagayan Valley).

. An analysis of the voting behavior among

young adults.

5. An analysis on the causes of early marriage

and teenage pregnancies.
The Discipline
of Counseling
Ben is a senior high school student who is confused on what course to take in college. He wants to
take up computer Science because he is interested in computers and computer games. His parents
and relatives, however, want him to pursue a course that would lead him to medical degree. His
family’s fervent desire for him to be a doctor stems from the fact that his parents, sibling, and
relatives are mostly doctors. Ben is torn between his family’s wishes and his interests. He then
decided to see the school guidance counselor.
During the sessions, the counselor explored Ben’s motive in choosing what course to take in college.
The counselor then assisted him in determining his aptitude and interest for both medical and
computer science courses by taking test and career interest inventories. It was during Ben’s sessions
with the counselor that he decided to pursue a course in Computer Science. He was also helped into
devising a plan on how to explain his decision to his family.

Ben’s case is one of the many stories of clients who have decided to undergo counseling. If you
were in Ben’s position, would you have gone to a counselor, too?
Counseling –is a “ learning process in which individuals
learn about themselves and their interper-
sonal relationships, and enact behaviors that
advance their personal development”
Schertzer and Stone 1981, 168)

Counseling is defined by Burks and Steffre as “ a professional

relationship between a trained counselor and a client.

According to the Guidance and Counseling Act of 2004 (R.A No.

9258) counseling “is a face to face helping relationship.It is a
mission of service”.
Counseling vs Psychotherapy
 Counseling as an Art
No counseling session is alike and is approached in the same by
counselors. Counselors deal with different types of clients with different
types of counseling needs. They also need to constantly think of new
ways to address client’s concern.

In counseling , there is also the concept of giving of oneself. This

process is considered to be very delicate as this can be very challenging
and exhausting on the part of the counselor.
“put their selves in the client’s shoes”
 Counseling as a Science

As a science, counseling delves into the objective realm of the

counseling process. Counselors are encouraged to be “counselor-
scientists” where they are “required to have the skills to formulate
objective observations and inferences, test hypotheses, build theories,
use psychological tests, and use research methods .
 Counseling as an emerging profession

Counseling, as a helping profession, significantly flourished in the

20th century.

As professionals, counselors have the opportunity to assist their

client in making choices and solving their problems in various
settings, such as schools, communities, offices, and clinical
settings.
 Goals of Counseling
According to George and Cristiani(1986), counseling has five major
goals These goals are the following:

●Facilitating behavior change- One major goal in counseling

is to foster behavior change on the part of the client.
●Improving the client’s ability to establish and maintain
relationships- Counseling help clients overcome
difficulties in their interpersonal relationships
and improve how they relate people around them.
●Enhancing the client’s effectiveness and ability to cope.
Clients may turn to counseling to help them
learn how to cope and adopt to change.
●Promoting the decision-making process- Counseling helps
clients make decisions. Counselors assist client in
exploring the different aspects of the self( namely
physical, social, emotional, mental, moral, and spiritual
●Facilitating client potential and development- Counseling aims
to maximize client’s potentials and ensure clients
growth.
Life is like riding a bicycle, in order to keep
your balance, you must keep on moving.
 What makes the Guidance Counselling
important to the Society?
Professionals and
Practitioners in
Counselling
Counselors : Who are They? –Counselors are
professionally trained individuals who help clients experiencing
difficulties by engaging them in the counseling process. In the
Philippines, Counselors or Guidance Counselors, as they properly
known, are professionals who use an “integrated approach to the
development of a well functioning individual functioning primarily
by helping him/her maximize hi/her potentials to the fullest .
Roles of Counselors-Counselors’ roles and functions
vary depending on the setting where they work and the
clients they serve.

According to Shertzer and Stone(1947) there are nine counselor

roles.

COUNSELOR ROLE DESCRIPTION

1. Quasi- Administrator -As Quasi Administrator or
administrative handy person
counselors assume the role of
administrators when the school
head are not around
2. Generalist As generalist, counselors coordinate
and administer services and resour-
ces. They also maintain relationships
among the stakeholders of an insti-
tution.
3.Specialist As specialist, counselors give
their counseling duties priority
over other activities.
4. Agent for change As agents for change, counselors
initiate change within the clients
by helping them arrive at poss-
ibilities and and options and by
catalyzing change (providing
feedback regarding programs
clarifying the role of the institu-
tion within the setting).
5. Specialist in psychological education As specialists in
psychological education, counselor
create and implement activities and
program for facilitating self-develop-
ment. These activities focus on promo
ting personal, emotional, moral, and
social growth.
6. Applied behavioral scientist As applied behavioral
scientist, counselor provide experien-
ces and conditions which are based on
theories and researches on behavioral
sciences that aim to foster learning
among clients.
7. Contingency manager As contingency managers, counse
lors arrange consequences for
behavior if clients fail or succeed in
carrying out an action plan which
was agreed upon by both counse
lor and client. This is usually in the
form of rewards, tokens.

8. Consultant As consultants, counselor confer

with teachers, administrators,
parents, and others to help identi-
fied clients.
Helping professional As helping professionals, counse-
lors assist their clients achieve
their optimal development.

Function of Counselors
A. Counseling- is considered to be the core function of counselors.
Counseling focuses on the client’s growth, adjust
ment, problem solving, and decision-making needs
B. Assessment- is the process of systematically gathering informa-
tion about the clients. Counselors administer stan-
dardized test.
C. Career Assistance- is one unique function of counselors focused
on helping clients their career option.
D. Placement and Follow-up- Counselors work with students in
different types of placement: personal-
social, academics, and vocational-occupa
tional. Follow-up, on the other hand is done
by counselors to determine the effective-
ness of the delivery of services.
E. Referral- is usually done when counselors need to find and
transfer their clients to other experts or
counselors with special expertise who may
be able to help the clients more.
F. Consultation- is the process wherein counselors confer with a
third party to help clients in addressing their
needs.
G. Research- is one important role that counselors need to cultiva-
te because engaging in this process can yield data
which could then help in the advancement of the
counseling profession.
H. Evaluation and Accountability- Evaluation is assessing the
effectiveness of the activities and intervention and
efficiency of the personnel involved.
I. Prevention- It prevents problems by empowering students
with knowledge and awareness so that healthy
attitudes and habits are promoted while early signs
of problems are detected.
 Competencies of Counselors
Knowledge- Counselors undergo academic preparation and
trainings to build on their knowledge of counseling
techniques and theories.
Skills- Counselors- There are several competency areas which
McLeod (2003) identified.
a. Interpersonal skills-refer to the capacity and proficiency of coun-
selors to communicate or articulate well, listen
effectively, and observe nonverbal behaviors.
b. Conceptual ability- refers to the capacity of counselors to remember
client information, to understand and assess
clients’ problems, to think of possible conseque-
nces of actions.
 Competencies of Counselors

c. Ability to understand and work within social system-

refers to the counselors’ knowledge of the clients’
relationships with family members, coworkers, friends,
and others in their social circles and how these rela-
tioships affect clients.

Attitudes- Gladding (2009) cited the list of Foster (1996) and

Guy (1987) when it comes to personal qualities a
counselor should possess:
• Curiosity and inquisitiveness- natural concern for people and to know details about them.
• Ability to listen- actively listening to people.
• Comfort with conversation- at ease in conversing with people.
• Empathy and understanding- the ability to put one’s self in another’s shoes even if
the client’s circumstances are different from that of the
counselor’s.
• Emotional insightfulness- comfortable on dealing with a wide range of feelings.
• Introspection- the ability to look within the self and reflect.
• Capacity for self-denial- the ability to put inside personal concerns and feelings to
address clients’ needs to exhibit certain qualities and attitudes.
• Tolerance of intimacy- the ability to establish and maintain emotional closeness.
• Comfort with power- ability to hold power and maintain detachment
• Ability to laugh- the ability to inject humor when things go wrong.
Situation Analysis. Distinguish whether the counselor in the following situation exhibit
ethical or unethical behavior . Write E if the practice is ethical UE if the practice is
unethical. Explain your answer based on what you learned.

____1.A counselor reveals the result of a client’s personality test to a

colleague without asking for the client’s permission.
____2.A counselor regularly attends trainings for her professional
development.
____3.A counselor refuses to give counseling services to a homosexual
because she is against homosexuality.
____4.A counselor did not inform his client’s parents that his counselee is
threatening to harm himself.
____5.A counselor becomes romantically and sexually involved with a
client. He refuses to terminate counseling relationship because this might
also end the intimate relationship