D. Propst11/23/20151 Class 2. Soc. Science/Disciplines D. Propst 1/19/98

D. Propst11/23/20152 Introduction l Personal info. forms for the new folks l Questions about syllabus l Reading Team assignments l Introduce Nicole Higgason l Purpose Today: »Understand social science & disciplinary perspectives of leisure behavior »3 “Tools” of social science

D. Propst11/23/20153 Topics of Discussion l What is “social”? l What is “science”? l How do social scientists think? l What are the various disciplinary perspectives of recreation behavior? l What are the 3 tools of social science? l How to use course website?

D. Propst11/23/20154 Topic One: Review l Shoe overhead (outcome or behavior? P? E?) l Questions from readings

D. Propst11/23/20155 Topic two: “Social” l Mannell reading critical -- Person/”Environment” Interactions (S-O-R, pp in Mannell) l Recreation Experience = people participating in activities in particular environments l “People” part -- demographics, individual states/traits, group, culture, economic, geographic/spatial l Interdisciplinary

D. Propst11/23/20156 Topic Three: “Science” l Mannell reading: scientific method (steps), cause & effect, dependent & independent variables (is there a relationship?) l 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 l Pink handout assignment--answer questions at bottom

D. Propst11/23/20157 Other ways to understand the world l Faith and reason (common sense) l Tradition and authority l Inherent human biases to create order where none exists (Gilovich) l Science »conscious and careful »based on logic and observation »apply judgments after the facts are known, not before »not value free, but …..

D. Propst11/23/20158 Social scientists: l are curious l avoid jumping to conclusions, over-generalizing, reasoning illogically l use logic and observation via the scientific method l apply knowledge to solve social problems l much of how we think depends on our disciplinary background (handout)

D. Propst11/23/20159 Disciplinary Perspectives of Rec. Behavior l Behavior a function of -- »Psychology--individual traits + the “situation”: B=f(P, E) »Economics--market forces »Geography--space, mobility »Sociology--groups & institutions »Anthropology--culture

D. Propst11/23/ Psychology-- individual traits l overt behavior, cognition & affect (feelings/emotions) l 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)

D. Propst11/23/ Economics--market forces l 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?

D. Propst11/23/ Geography--space, mobility l Systematic study of patterns & processes on the landscape l People are here; resources there--people move through space to the resources »accessibility »mobility »substitutes »distance

D. Propst11/23/ Sociology--groups & institutions l Understanding society in a systematic way l Social=interactions between people in environments l 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?

D. Propst11/23/ Anthropology-- culture l Focus on entire cultures l 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?

D. Propst11/23/ “Tools” of Soc. Science l Models (e.g., course model) l Theories l Observation

D. Propst11/23/ Next Steps l Wednesday »sit with your reading group »exchange & read someone else’s »make comment, initial & date l Logbook entries due at beginning of class only l Pink handout exercise due