NOTE: To change the image on this slide, select the picture and delete it. Then click the Pictures icon in the placeholder to insert your own image. AN INTRODUCTION TO THE SOCIAL SCIENCES The Human Way Chapter 1

We will learn:  How to identify the Social Sciences  Techniques used by social scientists  Why the Social Sciences are important

Let’s think first, what comes to mind when you hear:  Social?  Science?

In General:  Social Sciences (Social Studies) are disciplines that use research and analysis to examine human behaviour.  Examples include:  Anthropology  Economics  Geography  History  Politics  Psychology  Sociology

Techniques used:  Collecting and analyzing statistics  Conducting experiments  Examining what people have written and created Purpose: to try to understand why people act as they do.

Social Sciences and The Humanities (they are related…) Humanities  Study the products of human culture  Focus: the creative side of being human  E.g., literature, art, music; English, Drama, Philosophy… Social Sciences  Use research & analysis to explain human behaviour  Want to understand the ways we act as individuals and in/as groups  E.g., Anthropology, Psychology, Sociology

Psychology  Systematic study of one’s thoughts, feelings & behaviour  Largely determined by one’s personality  i.e., relatively unchanging personality characteristics  ASSUMPTION: your personality is moulded by biology and prior experiences.  KEY QUESTION: Why is this person acting this way?

Sociology  Study of the development, structure & functioning of human society  How groups of people who share common characteristic(s) function  ASSUMPTION: a person’s acts can only be understood when compared to the acts of similar individuals.  QUESTION: What common factors are there in the lives of people…? Why do people in this group act this way?

Anthropology  Focus on humans in general, their customs and cultures  Interested in humanity as a whole  ASSUMPTION: there are factors in general (e.g., Canadian) culture, & in the “sub-culture” (e.g., workplace)  QUESTIONS: Why do humans behave as they do? What were/are the values of the culture in which…?