Discipline and Ideas in Applied Social Science

Module 1

Last Name First Name M.I

STRAND: ______________________ Date: _____________________

ADRESS: ______________________ CONTACT #: __________________

What I Need to Know

This Module introduces some Applied Social Sciences, namely, Counseling, Social Work, and
Communication, which draw their foundation from the theories and principles of Psychology, Sociology,
Anthropology, and other Social Sciences. The course highlights the seamless interconnectivity of the
different applied social science disciplines while focusing on the processes and applications of these
applied disciplines in critical development areas. At the end of the course, students shall demonstrate
competencies in interacting and relating with other individuals, groups, and communities; apply social
sciences principles, practices, and tools in addressing the development areas identified by the class;
and analyze how processes in these applied disciplines work in specific life situations.

At the end of the module, the learners shall be able to:

1. Clarify the relationships and differences between social science and applied sciences.
2. Apply knowledge through activity.
3. Appreciate the lesson.

Lesson 1:Defining the Social Sciences and the Applied Social Sciences
WHAT I KNOW

Pre-Test
Graphic Organizer Completion

Directions: Using the bubble map below, classify whether the following the disciplines are Pure Social
Sciences or Applied Social Sciences.

Disciplines to be categorized: (APPLIED SOCIAL SCIENCES)

Economics Political Science

Counseling History

Geography Social Work

Psychology Anthropology

Sociology Political Science

Demography Communication

• Disciplines to Be Categorized: (PURE SOCIAL SCIENCES)

Economics Political Science

Counseling History

Geography Social Work

Psychology Anthropology

Sociology Demography

Communication

Applied Pure
Social Social
Science Science
s s
WHAT’S
NEW

Let’s Move
On!

Social
sciences are investigating human society and the different forces that operate within it. The
 different disciplines of the Social Sciences look at human societies and divest perspectives
and focus on an area of expertise for analysis. Economics, Political Science, Sociology,
Geography, Anthropology, Psychology, Demography and History are all branches of the Social
Sciences. Such areas provide social scientists with specific expertise, tools and skills that can
help them better understand social phenomena. The Applied Social Sciences, on the other
hand, focuses on the practical application of the various theories, frameworks, concepts, and
methodologies learned from the Social Sciences in real-life settings. The Module addresses
the key distinctions between social sciences and applied social sciences. This also explores
the concepts and fields of social sciences and applied social sciences

WHAT IS IT
What is Social Science?

Social sciences are vast fields of scientific study which investigate human societies and the different forces within them.
These diverse fields examine how people interact and develop their culture. Social sciences are comprised of several
disciplines, including history, political science, sociology, psychology, economics, geography, demography,
anthropology and linguistics. Through a body of empirical knowledge, the social sciences offer a complex collection of
lenses that allow us to understand and clarify the various aspects of human society. Varieties of lens that the social
sciences study refer to the various areas of the social sciences that research human society. That field of social science
uses a diverse collection of lenses made up of a body of ideas, theories, structures and methodologies that allow us to
understand and research the multi-faceted forces that make up and influence human society.
BRANCHES OF THE SOCIAL SCIENCES

Economics
Economics studies the allocation of scarce resources and the production and exchange of goods and
services within society. The two primary divisions of the economics are microeconomics, which focuses on the
actions of individual consumers and producers, and macro-economics, which explores the actions and output of
the aggregate economy.

Anthropology
Anthropology is a scientific study of human beings and their cultures in the past and present.
Anthropology 's systematic approach to human research, the importance of fieldwork and participant
observation, and its focus on cross-cultural comparison, make it special in the social sciences.

History
History is a systematic study of past human events in order to understand the meaning, dynamics and
relationship of the causes and effects of events in the development of societies. This is derived from the Greek
word past, which means "investigation" or "investigation." In a social science, history focuses on the
interpretation and analysis of historical events, as they have historically occurred with the use of primary and
secondary sources. Primary sources refer to eyewitness reports or historical accounts of the incident. They
often use secondary sources or facts that are not eye-witness accounts and are based on primary sources.

Political Science
Political science focuses on human actions in relation to political processes, states, rules and
international affairs. This explores the relationship between citizens and politics at all levels, from the citizen to
the national and international levels.

Psychology
Psychology is researching how the human mind functions in consonance with the body to generate
thoughts that contribute to individual actions. Psychology analyzes how individuals and communities view the
world through various feelings, thoughts and states of consciousness.

Sociology
Sociology is a systematic study of people’s behavior in groups. It is derived from the Latin word socio
which means “people together” and Greek word logos which means “the study of.” As a discipline of the social
science, it attempts to understand why and how people interact with each other and how the function as a
society or social subgroups. Applied sociology focus on the use and proper application of sociological theories,
methods and skills to examine data.

Geography
Geography is a study of the relationship between people and their environment. Geography was
derived from Greek words: geography means "world" and “graphos” means "charting or drawing." Geography
examines both the physical features of the Earth's surface and its interaction with human societies. This also
explores how human society communicates with the natural world and the effect of environments and places on
people.

Demography
Demography is a statistical study of human populations over time, according to the Max Planck Center
for Demographic Science (2016). This explores trends in population growth through the study of birth, human
activity, and morbidity, aging and mortality statistics. Population studies or social demography are an important
sub-field of sociology. Social demographers analyze demographic data to identify, describe and forecast social
phenomena. This also studies the composition of social class and population distribution.

DEFINING THE APPLIED SOCIAL SCIENCES

The applied social sciences were developed as a response to the highly segmented and compartmentalized
division of social science disciplines that dominated western research training in the late 1990s and until the end of the
twentieth century. Scholars from the social sciences argued that there is a need for more collaboration in the various
fields of the social sciences. This suggests that the various areas of social sciences need to work together effectively to
resolve problems. This multidisciplinary approach to the study of various social problems has become the focus and the
beginning of applied social sciences. Similar to social sciences, which concentrate on theoretical studies of society,
applied social sciences concentrate on the use and application of the various ideas, theoretical models and hypotheses
of social science disciplines to better explain society and the various challenges and issues it faces. The applied social
sciences were used to provide possible approaches to the complex problems of society (Gouldner, 1989).

Counseling
Counseling is one of the areas of social sciences applied to it. As an application of the social sciences,
counseling provides guidance, assistance and support to individuals who are distracted by a range of problems in their
lives. Professional guidance is provided to the individual through counseling, and this is done through the application of
psychological methods such as the collection of case history data, personal interviews and skills tests. Counseling may
be provided by psychologists, life coaches, job psychologists and personal development counselors.

Social Work
Social research is another technical practice in the social sciences related to it. Having been trained in social
sciences to interact and understand social realities, an applied social sciences practitioner has a good theoretical and
conceptual foundation for social work practice. Through social work, professionals are supporting people, families,
associations and neighborhoods to strengthen their individual and mutual well-being.

Communication Studies
Applied social sciences provide appropriate instruction for employment in the communications field. One example of
a career in the advertising industry is in the field of mass media. For example, in the news and current affairs
department of major television and radio networks, practitioners stress the importance of balance, objective, truthful
and creative reporting of news and other important events as they have happened. Practitioners in applied social
sciences have ample experience in this field as they are equipped with communication theories and principles that
allow them to understand and educate the public about the social, political, cultural, and economic realities.
Communication professionals have the skills to write, create and deliver news accurately and creatively to the public.

Let’s Remember this!

• The three distinct divisions of science include: natural science dealing with natural phenomena, social science
dealing with society and the complex relationship between individuals within society, and applied social sciences,
which are the practical application of social science expertise.

• Major fields of social science include anthropology, economics, history, psychology, political science,
geography, sociology and linguistics.

• Applied social science was a discipline founded on the reaction to the compartmentalization of knowledge in
the social sciences, the increasing feeling that most theories and ideas appear to generalize knowledge and are
only presented from a macro viewpoint, and as a way for theories to connect and contribute to real life problems.

WHAT’S MORE
Let’s Fill
Discipline Main Concern and Focus as a Discipline

Social Sciences

History

Anthropology

Economics

Sociology

Geography

Demography

Political Science

Direction: As you read the lesson, fill out the data retrieval chart. Data Retrieval Chart About the Main Concerns and Focus of the Social Sciences

WHAT I CAN DO

Let’s Do it
Directions: Analyze the photo and answer the questions below.

Guide Questions
1. Identify and analyze the symbols used and relate it to Social Science disciplines.
2. How does the photo explain the nature and significance of the Social Science
disciplines?
 ASSESSMENT
Directions: Multiple Choice. Choose the letter of the best answer. Write the chosen letter on a separate
sheet of paper.
1. Studies the optimum allocation of scarce resources and how individuals interact within the social
structure to address questions regarding the production and exchange of goods and services.
A. Political Science
B. Social Work
C. Geography
D. Economics
2. Which of the following is NOT a field of the social sciences?
A. Counseling
B. Political Science
C. Demography
D. Sociology
3. Studies changes in population growth through the analysis of statistics on birth, human movement,
morbidity, agedness, and mortality.
A. Geography
B. Demography
C. Economics
D. Statistics
4. Field of study that is focused on the use and application of the different concepts, theoretical models,
and theories of the social science disciplines to help understand society and the different problems and
issues it faces.
A. Social Sciences C. Applied Social Sciences
B. Natural Sciences D. Behavioral Sciences
5. Which of the following is a main discipline/professional track of the applied social science?
A. Political Science c. Demography Studies
B. Guidance Counseling d. Sociological Research]
6. A discipline that provides guidance, help and support to individuals through the application of
psychological methods that includes case history data, personal interviews, and aptitudes tests.
A. Social Work C. Demography
B. Counseling D. Statistics
7. Which career opportunity will mostly need an applied social science practitioner?
A. Journalism C. Computer Science
B. Engineering D. Architecture
8. Field of study where practitioners help individuals, families, groups and communities enhance
peoples’ skills and ability to use their own resources and that of the community to resolve social and
community problems.
A. Life Coach C. Communication Studies
B. Social Work D. Journalism
9. Studies the interaction between people and their environments and explore both the physical
properties of Earth’s surface and their relationship with human societies.
A. Demography C. Sociology
B. History D. Geography
10. Studies how people and groups experience the world through various emotions, ideas and in
different conscious states.
A. Sociology C. Psychology
B. Economics D. Political Science

WHAT I CAN SHOW

Which category in 21st Century skills do you think the core of our topic falls in? (Communication,
collaboration, creativity, critical thinking, productivity, leadership and technology literacy). Explain why.

Prepared by:

ANSWER SH
MRS. MICAH C. SY
SHS Teacher
**THIS PORTION OF THE MODULE SHOULD BE SUBMITTED BACK TO MA’AM MICAH FOR
CHECKING**
Name of Student: ________________________________________________
Present Address: ____________________________________ Contact no._______________
Subject Matter: DIASS
Topic: Defining the Social Sciences and the Applied Sciences (Module 1 – Quarter 1)

PRE-TEST (WHAT I KNOW)

WHAT’S MORE

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WHAT I CAN DO

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ASSESSMENT
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WHAT I CAN SHOW