1. The Social Sciences pages 94-123
By which we mean subjects such as:
Psychology
Economics
Psychiatry
Sociology
Anthropology
Politics

2. This presentation
Shows a few key terms used when discussing the Social Sciences
Demonstrates some of the “problems of knowing” in this area.

3. What do social scientists do, and what is “scientific” about it?
They attempt to explain or find patterns in human behaviour.
They might study individuals, families, communities or cultures in order to come to certain conclusions about how we operate
Like natural scientists, they attempt to develop a body of empirical evidence in order to draw conclusions
Unlike natural scientists, they are more likely to make a value judgment about their subject matter, or attempt to improve it.

4. Consider the similarities and differences Are there over-laps?
The study of cells
The study of depression

5. Gathering Data This is often problematic in the social sciences.
Take the most obvious way of gathering data: a survey or
questionnaire.
We soon encounter a problem of language. In some cases the
language may affect the way people respond. Look at the contradictory
results of the survey on p98
Questions might also be “loaded”. Identify the loaded aspect of the
following questions:
“What do you see as the benefits of large classes?”
“What did you like about the book?”
“Can you describe the unhappiness you felt at the breakdown of your marriage?”
How might the way these questions are worded affect the truth of
responses you receive
Is it possible to “neutralise” these questions?

6. Other problems which arise when value judgments come into play
Take the example of “school league tables”.
In England, each year, data is collected about the pass rates and
achievements of pupils in public exams or tests in every school in the
country.
The information is published in the form of a “league table”
with the school with the highest pass rates and the top, and
the school with the lowest pass rates at the bottom.
Great! If you are a new parent in the area, you can see the
best school to send your kid to, right? Because surely the best school,
is the one at the top of the league table? That must be where the best
Students and teachers are!

7. What could be wrong about making a value judgment on this basis?
Start by listing all the factors
which might influence a school’s
success. ?

8. So it’s not neutral…
In the UK, in England, school league tables are published in newspapers.
Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland do not publish school league tables.
English school league tables have attempted to address some of the problems of league tables by adding categories such as “value added” and “most improved”, but this in turn raises more questions about how we assess these qualities.

9. Causation
In both natural and social sciences, researchers try to understand the causes of an event or phenomena. To understand the differences, and problems of knowing in Social Sciences, let’s compare how this is done.
Take a phenomena which you may have studied in science (such as earthquakes, explosion, excretion) and make a time-line of events which show how it happens and what causes it
Now seek to explain a social phenomena in the same way.
Try this with, say, football hooliganism.
◄Oh dear. How did it happen????

10. Problems?
You probably found it pretty difficult to agree on a reliable
linear sequence for a social phenomena like football
hooliganism, but you may have come up with more than
one hypothesis as to why it happens. For the social
scientist, this then raises the following questions:
-How do I test my hypothesis?
-What solution might there be to this social problem?

11. Correlation Homer Well, there's not a bear in sight. The Bear
Patrol is sure doing its job.
Lisa That's specious reasoning, Dad.
Homer Thank you, sweetie.
Lisa Dad, what if I were to tell you that this rock keeps
away tigers.
Homer Uh-huh, and how does it work?
Lisa It doesn't work. It's just a stupid rock.
Homer I see.
Lisa But you don't see any tigers around, do you?
Homer Lisa, I'd like to buy your rock.

12. Always avoid specious reasoning in all areas of ToK
–adjective 1.apparently good or right though lacking real merit; superficially pleasing or plausible: specious arguments. 2.pleasing to the eye but deceptive. 3.Obsolete. pleasing to the eye; fair.
[Origin: 1350–1400; ME < L speciōsus fair, good-looking, beautiful, equiv. to speci(és) (see species) + -ōsus -ous ]
—Related forms
spe·cious·ly, adverb
spe·cious·ness, noun
—Synonyms 1. See plausible. 2. false, misleading.
—Antonyms 1, 2. genuine.
Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1) Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc

13. Two Famous Social Psychology Experiments
Asch conformity experiments:
The Stanford Prison experiment

14. Assignment
Go to the Stanford prison experiment site and watch the account of the experiment
Answer the following questions:
Describe the experiment, the participants and what was done
Explain what was discovered/ concluded
To what extent do you accept the conclusions drawn (comment on the validity of the experiment’s methods)?
If you had unlimited resources, could you make an improved version of this experiment? Describe it.

15. Sources
" Shanghiist. 20 Sept < [Hooligan child image]
" Dow Blog. 09 Aug The Simpson TV Show. 20 Sept < [Simpsons text extract]
20 Sept < [Homer image]
"specious." Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1). Random House, Inc. 09 Oct <Dictionary.com
Alchin, Nicholas. Theory of Knowledge. London: John Murray,