Theoretical Perspectives THE SOCIAL SCIENCES

THEORETICAL PERSPECTIVES Disciplines are specific branches of learning. Identifies a point of view based on specific theory. A theory is a framework for organizing and explaining observable evidence A theory is credible when it is based on facts, information collected by observation.

THEORETICAL Detectives Social Scientists take a particular approach to understanding society and human behaviours. They ask: What happens? How does it happen? Why does it happen? How can people change what happens?

The Social Sciences The three main branches of Social Sciences are: Anthropology Sociology Psychology Each discipline focuses on human behaviour? Each discipline had methods which either focus on: Macro (large scale) study of society Micro (small-scale) study of individuals cases.

INTRO TO SOCIAL SCIENCES Focus of social sciences is on human behaviour. Common Approach What is normal or abnormal? What is the range of behaviours of individuals and groups? How do they influence or not influence each other? Anthropology, psychology and sociology use different methods to answer these questions. Social sciences are concerned with: What people think and how they act. Economics, political science, history, human geography, family studies, anthropology, psychology, and sociology.

ANTHROPOLOGY Anthropology examines the development of the human species and human cultures throughout the world. Human culture: The arts, beliefs, habits, institutions, and other endeavours that are characteristics of a specific society. Cultural Anthropologist live within a society to observe behaviour in a natural setting and to record observations.

Cultural Anthropology Cultural Anthropologists study contemporary societies to determine cultural patterns and regional or national variations. An understanding of the diversity within cultures is necessary to overcome Ethnocentrism. Ethnocentrism is the tendency to evaluate behaviour from the point of view of your own culture. Understanding will lead to the realization that all cultural behaviour is “invented.”

PSYCHOLOGY Psychology is the study of peoples feelings, thoughts and personality development. Psychology investigates the underlying triggers or causes of human behaviours. Psychology often focuses on the importance of incidents/events in individuals history and there relationship to individual mental processes.

Psychology Psychologists use an understanding of mental processes and the characteristic patterns of motivation (personality) to explain individual behaviour. They also examine how individuals interact and influence one another.

SOCIOLOGY Sociology looks at the development and structure of human society, and how it works. Examines and explains the behaviour of individuals in social groups, families and society. Sociologists use statistical analysis as a tool of basic research to explain human behaviour.

Sociology Sociologists focus on patterns of behaviour observed in large numbers of people or groups. Demographics: Determined patterns and rates of behaviour amongst specific groups.