Class 2. Soc. Science/Disciplines D. Propst 1/19/98

Introduction Personal info. forms for the new folks Questions about syllabus Reading Team assignments Introduce Nicole Higgason Purpose Today: Understand social science & disciplinary perspectives of leisure behavior 3 “Tools” of social science

Topics of Discussion What is “social”? What is “science”? How do social scientists think? What are the various disciplinary perspectives of recreation behavior? What are the 3 tools of social science? How to use course website?

Topic One: Review Shoe overhead (outcome or behavior? P? E?) Questions from readings

Topic two: “Social” Mannell reading critical -- Person/”Environment” Interactions (S-O-R, pp. 22-23 in Mannell) Recreation Experience = people participating in activities in particular environments “People” part -- demographics, individual states/traits, group, culture, economic, geographic/spatial Interdisciplinary

Topic Three: “Science” Mannell reading: scientific method (steps), cause & effect, dependent & independent variables (is there a relationship?) Steps in the scientific method Most important: statement of the problem To start: “what do I hope to learn or accomplish?” First part of leis. behavior observation plan due Feb. 18 Hypotheses as to cause of problem Experiments designed to test hypotheses Predicted results of experiments Observed results of experiments Conclusions from results of experiments Pink handout assignment--answer questions at bottom

Other ways to understand the world Faith and reason (common sense) Tradition and authority Inherent human biases to create order where none exists (Gilovich) Science conscious and careful based on logic and observation apply judgments after the facts are known, not before not value free, but …..

Social scientists: are curious avoid jumping to conclusions, over-generalizing, reasoning illogically use logic and observation via the scientific method apply knowledge to solve social problems much of how we think depends on our disciplinary background (handout)

Disciplinary Perspectives of Rec. Behavior Behavior a function of -- Psychology--individual traits + the “situation”: B=f(P, E) Economics--market forces Geography--space, mobility Sociology--groups & institutions Anthropology--culture

Psychology--individual traits overt behavior, cognition & affect (feelings/emotions) tries to explain observable behavior (overt) & its relation to unseen mental processes (covert) and external environmental events (the “situation”) situation-organism-response approach (S-O-R)

Economics--market forces Some Basic questions How should scarce resources be allocated? free market system & laws of supply & demand What are the costs & benefits of our choices? Who gains & who loses?

Geography--space, mobility Systematic study of patterns & processes on the landscape People are here; resources there--people move through space to the resources accessibility mobility substitutes distance

Sociology--groups & institutions Understanding society in a systematic way Social=interactions between people in environments Basic questions what are people doing with each other? what are their relationships with each other? what are their relationships to institutions? what are the collective ideas that motivate people & institutions?

Anthropology--culture Focus on entire cultures Two questions pertinent to this field what is the role of leisure & recreation in the development & maintenance of human culture? what impact does tourism have on cultures?

3 “Tools” of Soc. Science Models (e.g., course model) Theories Observation

Next Steps Wednesday Logbook entries due at beginning of class only sit with your reading group exchange & read someone else’s make comment, initial & date Logbook entries due at beginning of class only Pink handout exercise due