Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Diss Q1
Diss Q1
DISCIPLINES AND
IDEAS IN THE
SOCIAL SCIENCES
DISCIPLINES AND IDEAS IN
THE SOCIAL SCIENCES (DISS)
QUARTER 1
2
Week 1-2
What I need to know?
a. Course Description
The course introduces students to basic concepts, subjects, and methods of
inquiry in the disciplines that comprise the Social Sciences. It then discusses influential
thinkers and ideas in these disciplines, and relates these ideas to the Philippine setting
and current global trends.
b. Content Standard
The learners demonstrate an understanding of key concepts and approaches
in the Social Sciences and the different disciplines, as well as the role of Social Science
in the real world.
c. Performance Standard
The learners shall be able to connect the disciplines with their historical and
social foundations, interpret personal and social experiences using relevant
approaches in the social sciences, evaluate the strengths and weakness of the
different approaches, carry out an exploration of personal and social experiences using
indigenous concepts, illustrate situations and context in which social science can be
applied.
d. Learning Outcomes
K-W-L Chart, 4Pics 1Word Game, Show and Tell, Shout-Out, Reflection
What is new?
B. Introduction
Welcome to the course in the Disciplines and Ideas in the Social Sciences
(DISS)!
3
This subject might be new to you, but with diligence and eagerness, you’ll find
yourself learning about you and the society you live in. What could be more interesting
and exciting than the adventure of exploring human behaviors and their influence to
the society. We are all products of the community that raises us up. Without discrediting
the role of our biological makeup, the way we think, feel, and act is mostly influenced
by our exposure to the environment and experiences with our family and other people
around us. The society has an essential part in shaping our personhood, which
consequently affects the society. To have a deeper understanding about the world,
social science provides a scientific view of the interplay between human behavior and
society.
Upon completion of the lesson, you are expected to be able to:
MELC 1: Differentiate the nature and functions of Social Science disciplines from the
Natural Sciences and Humanities
What is it?
Instructions: Deliberate over the ideas or things that you know about social sciences,
and record this information in the K column. Then generate a list of questions about
what you want to know about the topic and put it in the W column of the chart. Continue
working on this during or after going through the learning material. Do this on a
separate sheet of paper.
Sample K-W-L Chart:
4
Read and study the following lecturette.
1 Mangal, S.K. & Mangal, Uma (2018) Pedagogy of Social Sciences, 2nd Edition. Delhi: PHI Learning Private Limited, p.1.
2 Bernardo, R. B. & Mallo, D. B. (2017) Disciplines and Ideas in the Social Sciences K-12 Compliant Textbook for Senior High School. Pasay City: JFS Publishing Services
3 https://pediaa.com/difference-between-natural-science-and-social-science/
4 NASCA Natural Sciences Curriculum, General Information
5 http://www.differencebetween.net/language/words-language/difference-between-humanities-and-social-sciences/
6 Mangal, S.K. & Mangal, Uma (2018) Pedagogy of Social Sciences, 2nd Edition. Delhi: PHI Learning Private Limited, p.1.
5
significantly towards the progress of the society and the promotion of national solidarity
and international understanding.7 Social science is considered to be a branch between
natural science and humanities.
Figure 1: Social Science, Natural Science, and Humanities
Natural Sciences Social Sciences Humanities
Deal with the Deal with all the Deal with the heritage
scientific study of the aspects of society and and the question of
physical, chemical, human beings like what makes us human
Key biological and their culture, lifestyle, Regarded as a loosely
Characteristics quantitative aspects thinking, and defined group of
of all the natural everything which cultural subject areas
phenomena present influences the society.
around the world. Social science is
Natural science is qualitative by nature. 9
more quantitative.8
Overview of Sciences
7 Ibid.
8 https://www.airtract.com/question/What-is-the-difference-between-natural-science-and-social-science
6 Ibid.
6
Natural Science --a major branch of science that tries to explain, and predict,
nature’s phenomena based on empirical evidence
Physical Science
Life Science
7
ü Classics or classical studies - the study of classical antiquity, and in the
Western world traditionally refers to the study of Classical Greek and Roman
literature in their original languages of Ancient Greek and Latin, respectively
ü Ethics - the branch of knowledge that deals with moral principles; involves
systematizing, defending, and recommending concepts of right and wrong
behavior
Social Sciences?
Ø deal with the activities of the individual as member of the group; embrace all
those subjects which deal with the relationship of man to the society (Seligman)
Ø refer to the application of scientific method to the study of the intricate and
complex network of human relationship and the form of organization designed to
enable people to live together in societies (Mitchell)
Ø a general term for all the sciences which are concerned with the human affairs
(Fairchild)
Ø provide a diverse set of lens that help us understand and explain the different
facets of human society
8
Focus of Social Sciences
• Change in human relationship and reinterpretation between the present and the
past event
• Relationship between individual and institutions, and among political, economic and
social institutions
Economics
• Studies the allocation of scarce resources and the production and exchange
of goods and services in society
• Deals with the ways in which men and societies seek to satisfy their material
needs and desires
• Understand and explain human activities in relation to the production,
distribution and consumption of goods and services
History
• Systematic study of human past events in order to understand the meaning,
dynamics and relationship of the causes and effects of events in the
development of the societies
• Focuses on the reconstruction and recreation of past events as they actually
happened through the use of primary sources and secondary sources
Political Science
• A social science concerned with the theory and practice of politics and the
description and analysis of political systems and political behavior
• Primarily studies human behavior in relation to political systems,
governments, laws and international relations
Sociology
• Study of society that uses various methods of empirical investigation and
critical analysis to develop and refine a body of knowledge about human
social activity
• Examines social structures, collective human actions, social relationships and
norms and its impact on individual behavior
Anthropology
• Scientific study of humans and their cultures in the past and present time
• Deals with the integration of different aspects of the Social Sciences,
Humanities, and Human Biology
• Application of knowledge to help solve problems through the study of culture
9
Geography
• Study of the Earth and its lands, features, inhabitants, and phenomena
• An all-encompassing discipline that foremost seeks to understand the earth
and all of its human and natural complexities--not merely where objects are,
but how they have changed and come to be
Psychology
• Study of human or animal mental functions and behaviors
• Analyzes how people and groups experience the world through various
emotions, ideas and in different conscious states
Demography
• Scientific study of human populations across time
• Examines the changes in population growth through the analysis of statistics
on birth, human movement, morbidity, agedness and mortality
Linguistics
• Discipline that looks at the cognitive and social aspects of human language
• Concerned with the nature of human language, how it is learned and what
part it plays in the life of the individual and the community
What is more?
Instructions: During or after you go through the learning materials, answer the
questions that are in the W column of the K-W-L chart. This new information that you
have learned is to be recorded in the L column. If the answer/s to your question/s in W
column is not evident in the learning materials, you may ask your teacher about it
during consultation period.
10
Activity 1.3: 4Pics 1Word Game
Instructions: Are you familiar with the free word association game, 4 pics 1 word? In
this game, you’ll be shown 4 pictures, all of which share a word in common. The goal
is to figure out the word based on the provided word length, and a selection of possible
letters. Play 4pics 1word. Write your answer on a separate sheet of paper.
1. 2.
3. 4.
11
5. 6.
7. 8.
9. 10.
12
11. 12.
Instructions: Compare and contrast social sciences, natural sciences, and humanities
through Venn diagram by writing the key terms or descriptions that pertain to each field
of study. Put your illustration on a separate sheet of short bond paper. Make it
substantial, presentable, and organized.
Instructions: Look or search for at least 5 things around you that show the concepts
embedded with the various disciplines within natural sciences, social sciences, and
humanities. Draw each object and write a brief discussion on its relatedness or
connection with the particular discipline. Do this in a separate sheet of short bond
paper.
13
What I have learned?
Guide Questions:
1. From the things that you have learned from the topic, what concept or idea in the
social sciences you appreciate the most? Why?
2. Do you think the study of social sciences is essential to the students of senior
high school? Why?
Week 3-4
What I need to know?
a. Course Description
The course introduces students to basic concepts, subjects, and methods of
inquiry in the disciplines that comprise the Social Sciences. It then discusses influential
thinkers and ideas in these disciplines, and relates these ideas to the Philippine setting
and current global trends.
14
b. Content Standard
The learners demonstrate an understanding of key concepts and approaches
in the Social Sciences and the different disciplines, as well as the role of Social Science
in the real world.
c. Performance Standard
The learners shall be able to connect the disciplines with their historical and
social foundations, interpret personal and social experiences using relevant
approaches in the social sciences, evaluate the strengths and weakness of the
different approaches, carry out an exploration of personal and social experiences using
indigenous concepts, illustrate situations and context in which social science can be
applied.
d. Learning Outcomes
Review Quiz, Active Learning, Anagram, Rebus, Interview Portion, Timeline,
Reflection
What is new?
B. Introduction
Social science encompassed a wide range of ideas that deal with human
society. As a major category of academic disciplines, it offers interesting fields of study
that constitute a reservoir of knowledge on the distinct aspects of human society. This
lesson will give you a glimpse of the background of the emergence of the social
sciences.
MELC 2: Explain the major events and its contribution that led to the emergence of the
Social Science Disciplines
15
Let’s have a review of what you have learned from the previous lesson. Take the
following quiz:
Instruction: Read and respond to the following items by choosing the letter
of the correct answer. Write your answers in a separate sheet of paper.
1. The study of society and how people behave and influence the world.
a. Humanities b. Natural Science c. Social Science
2. Academic disciplines that study human culture with methods that are primarily
analytical, critical or speculative.
a. Humanities b. Natural Science c. Social Science
3. The scientific study of the physical, chemical, biological, and quantitative aspects
of all the natural phenomena based on empirical evidence.
a. Humanities b. Natural Science c. Social Science
What is it?
No definitive date can be given for the birth of social science—its emergence is
in fact due to many circumstances spanning centuries and some of its fundamental
ideas can be traced to multiple origins, some dating as far back as Plato. It is generally
accepted that an important era in the development of contemporary social science
16
began with the Enlightenment and its emphasis on rationality, logic, and methodology
as applied to the empirical world. When social sciences began to advance, they were
inspired by the achievements of the natural sciences; they attempted to apply to
human sociality the new conceptions that the natural sciences had been successfully
using in the investigation of natural phenomena. The history of the social sciences has
generally been divided according to discipline, and there have been few attempts to
write a history of the social sciences as a whole other than to relate to a specific
historical context.
The term "social science" first appeared in the 1824 book An Inquiry into the
Principles of the Distribution of Wealth Most Conducive to Human Happiness by
William Thompson (1775–1833). But it was only until 19th century when the social
sciences began to be recognized as distinct disciplines. The scientific analysis of
human beings as social beings began most intentionally during this period with the
positivist philosophy of science. Social sciences came from the moral philosophy of
the time and were influenced by the Age of Revolutions, such as the Industrial
Revolution and the French Revolution. Yet, the origins of the basic ideas of these
social sciences are found much farther back in time, in philosophy and theology.
Nineteenth-century French thinker Auguste Comte (1798-1857) was the first to
apply the scientific method to the social world, he published his first book, A Plan for
the Scientific Works Necessary to Reorganize Society in 1822. He coined the word
"sociology" to characterize the new approach and believed that sociology could take
its place as a genuine science with empirically-based laws capable of predicting and
explaining human behavior. His own sociological scheme was based on the
philosophy he called positivism, which believes that every single reasonable
affirmation can be scientifically proven or tested by empirical sciences or is capable of
mathematical or logical evidence. It holds that for us to attain a certain scientific idea,
objectivity and practical investigation of evidence must be observed.
While there is some fluidity over which areas of study are included within social
sciences, anthropology, economics, linguistics, psychology, and sociology are
foundational. Traditionally, the study of history has been considered a part of the
humanities, alongside subjects such as literature, but increasingly it is being classified
as a social science.
Economics
It was economics that first attained the status of a single and separate science,
in ideal at least, among the social sciences. The autonomy and self-regulation that the
early economists had found, in the processes of wealth, in the operation of prices,
rents, interest, and wages, during the 18th century became the basis of separate and
distinctive economics—or, as it was often called, “political economy”—in the 19th.
Economics is a social science that seeks to analyze and describe the
production, distribution, and consumption of wealth. The word "economics" is from the
Greek oikos – “family, household, estate”, and nomos – “custom, law”, which means
"household management" or "management of the state."
17 | P a g e
The classic brief definition of economics, set out by Lionel Robbins in 1932, is
"the science which studies human behavior as a relation between scarce means
having alternative uses." Scarcity means that available resources are insufficient to
satisfy all wants and needs. Without scarcity and alternative uses of available
resources, there is no economic problem. Economics thus involves the study of
choices as they are affected by incentives and resources. Economics has two broad
branches: microeconomics, where the unit of analysis is the individual agent, such as
a household or firm, and macroeconomics, where the unit of analysis is an economy
as a whole.
One of the uses of economics is to explain how economies, as economic
systems, work, and what the relations are between economic players (agents) in the
larger society. Methods of economic analysis have been increasingly applied to fields
that involve people making choices in a social context, such as crime, education, the
family, health, law, politics, religion, social institutions, and war.
Political Science
Political science deals with the theory and practice of politics and the
description and analysis of political systems and political behavior. Political scientists
study the allocation and transfer of power in decision-making, the roles, and systems
of governance including governments and international organizations, political
behavior, and public policies.
Plato wrote numerous dialogues about politics, asking about the nature of
justice, what constitutes good government, and what is truly best for humanity. His
student Aristotle worked more scientifically, observing and describing types of
governments systematically. At the start of the seventeenth century, people began to
apply the methods of the scientific revolution to politics. Thomas Hobbes employed
the methods of geometry to break the government down into its most basic parts to
understand it. In the nineteenth century, thinkers such as Karl Marx and Max Weber
used sociological methods to analyze politics. Herbert Baxter Adams is credited with
coining the phrase "political science" while teaching history at Johns Hopkins
University.
Contemporary political science started to take shape in the latter half of the 19th
century. At that time, it began to separate itself from political philosophy, which traces
its roots back to the works of Aristotle and Plato.
Sociology
Sociology comes from Latin: Socius, "companion," thus referring to people in
general; and the suffix -ology, "the study of," from Greek lógos, "knowledge”. It is a
social science involving the application of social theory and research methods to the
study of the social lives of people, groups, and societies. The term sociology was first
coined in 1780 by the French essayist Emmanuel-Joseph Sieyès in an unpublished
manuscript. In 1838, the term was reinvented by Auguste Comte. He used it to refer
to what he imagined would be a single, all-encompassing science of society that would
take its place at the top of the hierarchy of sciences. He believed that civilization as a
18 | P a g e
whole was the proper subject of sociology. Comte named the scientific study of social
patterns positivism. He contended that using scientific methods to reveal the laws by
which societies and individuals interact would usher in a new “positivist” age of history.
From its emergence in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, the sociological
field was dominated mostly by men. It was not until the late 1800s that a woman,
Harriet Martineau, emerged as the founding mother of sociology. Inspired by Auguste
Comte’s perspectives on positivism, Martineau advocated the use of scientific
methods and logic in sociological findings. She brought her sociological thought and
studies to the United States and added a feminist voice to the field.
Anthropology
In the 19th century, anthropology also attained a clear identity as a discipline.
Anthropology (from the Greek word ἄνθρωπος, "human" or "person") consists of the
study of humanity. It is a holistic discipline concerned with all humans, at all times, in
all humanity's dimensions—a study of the totality of human existence. In pursuit of this
holistic goal, anthropology is methodologically diverse, using both qualitative and
quantitative methods, such as firsthand case studies of living cultures, careful
excavations of material remains, and interpretations of both living and extinct linguistic
practices.
Anthropology consists of two major divisions: physical anthropology, which
deals with the human physical form from the past to the present, and cultural
anthropology (also known as social anthropology), which studies human culture in all
its aspects.
Geography
Geography is a discipline that studies the lands, the features, the inhabitants,
and the phenomena of the Earth. Geography has been called "the world discipline"
and "the bridge between the human and the physical sciences." The field of geography
is generally split into two distinct branches: physical and human. Physical geography
examines phenomena related to the natural environment: climate, oceans, soils, and
the measurement of earth. Human geography focuses largely on the built environment
and how space is created, viewed, and managed by humans as well as the influence
humans have on the space they occupy.
The first geographers focused on the science of mapmaking and finding ways
to precisely project the surface of the earth. In this sense, geography bridges some
gaps between the natural sciences and social sciences.
History
History traditionally refers to the study and interpretation of the written record of
past human activity, people, societies, and civilizations leading up to the present day.
It is the continuous, systematic narrative and research of past events as relating to the
human species; as well as the study of all events in time, in relation to humanity.
The term "history" comes from the Greek historia, "an account of one's
inquiries," and shares that etymology with the word "story". History can be seen as
19 | P a g e
the sum total of many things taken together and the spectrum of events occurring in
action following in order leading from the past to the present and into the future.
Linguistics
Linguistics is a discipline that looks at the cognitive and social aspects of human
language. The field is traditionally divided into areas that focus on particular aspects
of the linguistic signal: syntax - the study of the rules that govern the structure of
sentences, semantics -the study of meaning, phonetics -the study of speech sounds,
and phonology -the study of the abstract sound system of a particular language.
While certain areas of linguistics can thus be understood as clearly falling within
the social sciences, other areas, like acoustic phonetics and neurolinguistics, draw on
the natural sciences. Linguistics draws only secondarily on the humanities, which
played a rather greater role in linguistic inquiry in the nineteenth and early twentieth
centuries.
Psychology
Psychology is a field involving the study of behavior and mental processes; it
attempts to understand the role human behavior plays in social dynamics while
incorporating physiological and neurological processes into its conceptions of mental
functioning. The word psychology comes from the ancient Greek psyche ("soul,"
"mind") and logos (study). Psychology is generally classified within the social sciences,
although, since it overlaps with the natural sciences, it is also considered one of the
behavioral sciences—a broad field that spans the social and natural sciences.
Psychology was a branch of the domain of philosophy until the 1870s, when it
developed as an independent scientific discipline in Germany. Psychology as a self-
conscious field of experimental study began in 1879, in Leipzig Germany, when
Wilhelm Wundt founded the first laboratory dedicated exclusively to psychological
research in Germany. Wundt was also the first person to refer to himself as a
psychologist.
Demography
Demography is the science at the base of politics and economics, and its prime
necessity is an accurate census, repeated at regular intervals. Demography, from
Ancient Greek demos - "the people", and graphō, ies - "writing, description or
measurement”, is the study of a human population, a definable group of people, and
of additions to and subtractions from its number. Demographic analysis can cover
whole societies or groups defined by criteria such as education, nationality, religion,
and ethnicity. Formal demography limits its object of study to the measurement of
population processes, while the broader field of social demography or population
studies also analyses the relationships between economic, social, cultural, and
biological processes influencing a population.
Demographic thoughts traced back to antiquity, and were present in many
civilizations and cultures, like Ancient Greece, Ancient Rome, China, and India. The
Italian Renaissance and the era of European voyages and religious missions to distant
20 | P a g e
continents first stirred interest in estimating population size. The development of the
discipline of demography is usually traced to 17th century England, especially among
the founders of the Royal Society. The period 1860-1910 can be characterized as a
period of transition when demography emerged from statistics as a separate field of
interest.
For most of the 19th century, demographic studies continued to emphasize the
phenomenon of mortality; it was not until demographers noted that a considerable
decline of fertility had taken place in the industrialized countries during the second half
of the 19th century, that they began to study fertility and reproduction with as much
interest as they studied mortality. Contemporary demographic concerns include the
population explosion, the interplay between population and economic development,
the effects of birth control, urban congestion, illegal immigration, and labor
force statistics.
Instructions: Re-read the lecture material. Then, show how much you have learned
from it by creating a graphic organizer/concept map for each social science. Prepare
your output in a short bond paper.
After learning about the brief background of the various disciplines in social science,
it’s worth knowing who’s who in the field. Study the following presentation:
21 | P a g e
*Images Source: https://www.wikipedia.org
22 | P a g e
*Images Source: https://www.wikipedia.org
23 | P a g e
*Images Source: https://www.wikipedia.org
24 | P a g e
*Images Source: https://www.wikipedia.org
What is more?
Instructions: Try to guess the name of each personality shown in the picture.
Rearrange the given letters to form their names. Then identify which discipline in social
science they are associated with.
25 | P a g e
2. MADAM SITH - ____________________
Discipline: ________________________
26 | P a g e
6. WHILLE M TWUND - ____________________
Discipline: _____________________________
Instructions: Encrypt the following rebus puzzle. These pictures represent a word or
phrase related or connected somehow to the concepts in the various disciplines in
social science. Identify the word or phrase, and name the social science
concepts/disciplines to which it might be related.
1. 2.
27 | P a g e
3. 4.
5. 6.
7. 8.
28 | P a g e
9. 10.
Instructions: Look for a person who is working in the field of social science.
Interview him/her through an online meeting, phone call, or text messaging, and
gather information about the discipline he/she works in. Make documentation of your
interview in a short bond paper.
Guide Questions:
1. What discipline in social science you are most curious about? Why?
2. What are the things that you would like to know about that discipline in social
science? Make a list of your questions.
3. Who would be that person or professional whom you could interview to help you
learn more about that discipline?
29 | P a g e
Sample Timeline:
Week 5
What I need to know?
a. Course Description
The course introduces students to basic concepts, subjects, and methods of
inquiry in the disciplines that comprise the Social Sciences. It then discusses influential
thinkers and ideas in these disciplines, and relates these ideas to the Philippine setting
and current global trends.
b. Content Standard
The learners demonstrate an understanding of key concepts and approaches
in the Social Sciences and the different disciplines, as well as the role of Social Science
in the real world.
c. Performance Standard
The learners shall be able to connect the disciplines with their historical and
30 | P a g e
social foundations, interpret personal and social experiences using relevant
approaches in the social sciences, evaluate the strengths and weakness of the
different approaches, carry out an exploration of personal and social experiences using
indigenous concepts, illustrate situations and context in which social science can be
applied.
d. Learning Outcomes
Annotating, S-Quiz it!, Cartoon Analysis, Looking Back Self, Reflection
What is new?
B. Introduction
The works of social scientists particularly in the discipline of sociology had
paved the way for the theories and perspectives that explain social phenomena and
human social interaction. The three dominant sociological theories to this date are the
structural functional theory, social conflict theory and Marxism, and symbolic
interaction theory. In this lesson, the basic concepts and principles of these dominant
perspectives will be discussed.
MELC 3: Analyze the basic concepts and principles of the major Social Science
theories: Structural-Functionalism, Marxism, and Symbolic Interaction
31 | P a g e
What is it?
Sociological Theories
Structural Functionalism
32 | P a g e
§ Non-government Organization
§ Financial Institutions
Social Facts -- ways of thinking and acting form by the society (e.g. law, moral
regulations, religious faiths, social currents like suicide & birth rate)
What are the consequences of this social structure? Does it promote stability and
harmony?
Ø To maintain the equilibrium of the system, Parsons identified four imperatives for
societies to survive, which he called AGIL Model
AGIL Paradigm -- A systematic depiction of certain societal functions, that every
society must meet to be able to maintain stable social life.
Adaptation – acquiring and mobilizing sufficient resources so that the system can
survive
Goal Attainment – setting and implementing goals
Integration – maintaining solidarity or coordination among the sub-units of the
system
Latency – creating, preserving, and transmitting the system’s distinctive cultural and
values
33 | P a g e
SOCIAL-CONFLICT THEORY
n Focus on…
ü Change
ü Dissension and conflict
ü Forces that contribute to disintegration
ü Coercion that holds society together
Karl Marx -- credited with providing the sociological roots of the conflict perspective
Marxism: Theory of political and economic thought developed by Karl Marx
and Friedrich Engels
“The history of all hitherto existing society is the history of class struggle.”-
The Communist Manifesto
Labour Power - skills, knowledge, experience and other human faculties used in
the work
34 | P a g e
Communism: Belief in common ownership of all farms and factories
• Marxists also believed that organized religion was one of the tools that bourgeoisie
used to keep the proletariat from being aware that they were being exploited
SYMBOLIC INTERACTIONISM
Ø Micro-level perspective that focuses on patterns of individual interactions
“Society arises in social interaction; It continues through social interaction; It ends
without interaction.” (Charon, 2007, cited in Redmond, 2015)
Symbolic Interactionism
Ø Society and the larger social structures must be understood through studying
social interactions that are based on shared understandings, languages, and
symbols
Tenets of Symbolic Interactionism (Blumer 1969)
§ Humans interact with things based on meanings ascribed to those things;
§ The ascribed meaning of things comes from our interactions with others and
society;
§ The meanings of things are interpreted by a person when dealing with things
in specific circumstances
3 Core Principles in Symbolic Interactionism
> Meaning > Thinking
> Language
Human beings give meaning to symbols and they express these things by means of
language. Perspective thinking changes the interpretation of individuals pertaining
to symbols.
§ Symbolic interactionists argue that we are able to interact with others because
we create symbols and learn to interpret what those symbols mean in our
interactions.
Symbol -- something that stands for, represents, or signifies something else in a
particular culture
-- can be anything—gestures, words, objects, or events
-- can represent any number of other things, ideas, events, or emotions
Language
> The system of symbols used within a given group of people
> Collection of symbols that are organized according to rules to communicate
> No language-less tribe of humans has ever been found. This fact illustrates the
universality of symbols as a defining feature of human society.
George Herbert Mead assumes that symbols develop mind and they are used as
means for thinking and communication.
35 | P a g e
Ø A person’s sense of self emerges from interaction with others and that
societies emerge from interactions among people’s selves.
Self
Ø Reflects our ability to see ourselves as objects in the
same way that other people see us and attribute symbols
and meanings to their perceptions
Charles Cooley
Ø Introduced the concept, Looking-Glass Self: described
as our reflection of how we think we appear to others
36 | P a g e
What is more?
Instructions: Identify the sociological perspective and its specific ideas or concepts
reflected in the illustration below. (Editorial cartoon by Max Santiago for Manila Today)
37 | P a g e
Respond to the following questions. Write your answers on the letter-size bond
paper.
Instructions: Choose five concepts from the list below, and discuss the concepts by
providing examples that relate to your own experiences. Put your output in a short
bond paper. Consider the substance or content, coherency, and neatness of your
output.
1. Manifest Functions
2. Latent Functions
3. Dysfunctions
4. Symbols and Meanings
5. Looking-Glass Self
6. Social Structures
7. Conflict and Social Change
8. Social Interaction
9. Sense of Self
10. Social Facts
11. Institutions
12. Bourgeoisie and Proletariat
38 | P a g e
Activity 3.5: Reflection
Instructions: Think about the following: status symbols, social media, and human rights
violations. How do you perceive these constructs? Write your insights on the importance of
understanding the basic concepts and principles of the dominant sociological theories in
understanding yourself and society.
Week 6 -7
What I need to know?
a. Course Description
The course introduces students to basic concepts, subjects, and methods of inquiry in
the disciplines that comprise the Social Sciences. It then discusses influential thinkers and
ideas in these disciplines, and relates these ideas to the Philippine setting and current global
trends.
b. Content Standard
The learners demonstrate an understanding of key concepts and approaches in the
Social Sciences and the different disciplines, as well as the role of Social Science in the real
world.
c. Performance Standard
The learners shall be able to connect the disciplines with their historical and social
foundations, interpret personal and social experiences using relevant approaches in the social
sciences, evaluate the strengths and weakness of the different approaches, carry out an
exploration of personal and social experiences using indigenous concepts, illustrate situations
and context in which social science can be applied.
d. Learning Outcomes
Review Quiz, Self-Directed Essay, Entitled Artist, Share it, Sociological Imagination,
Reflection
39 | P a g e
What is new?
B. Introduction
Being acquainted with the basic concepts and principles of the dominant sociological
perspectives only makes sense if you will put your learnings into action. As Maya Angelou
articulated, “Nothing will work unless you do.” This lesson will provide some avenues for
going beyond knowing, and for proactive seeing and doing things around.
MELC 4: Apply the major Social Science theories and its importance in examining socio-
cultural, economic, and political conditions: Structural-Functionalism, Marxism, and
Symbolic Interaction
Instructions: Read each question carefully and choose the letter of the correct answer
based on the information covered on the topic in the previous lesson. Write your answers
on a separate sheet of paper.
40 | P a g e
c. Structural Functionalism d. Marxism
6. The system of the society that determines the rules for the society and the distribution of
power.
a. Economy c. Government
b. Family d. Religious system
7. The consequences of social structures that have positive effects on the stability of
society.
a. Functions c. Latency
b. Dysfunctions d. Integration
10. The manifest and latent functions/dysfunctions are concepts credited to which
sociologist?
a. Robert Merton c. Talcott Parsons
b. Karl Marx d. Herbert Blumer
12. Concept that is described as our reflection of how we think we appear to others.
a. Function c. Looking-glass self
b. Dysfunction d. AGIL model
13. Which of the following perspectives views society as comprised of social relations
characterized by inequality and change?
a. Structural Functionalism
b. Social-Conflict Theory
c. Symbolic Interactionism
d. None of the above
41 | P a g e
14. Something that stands for, represents or signifies something else in a particular
culture.
a. Language c. Function
b. Symbol d. Object
15. When you look at the particular social issue with an emphasis on the role of
individual interactions that come into play with that issue, then you can be
considered as ________.
a. Structural Functionalist c. Symbolic Interactionist
b. Social-Conflict Advocate d. Marxist
What is it?
42
a society to work, people must subscribe to a common set of beliefs and values.
Education serves as a means of socializing individuals and promoting social
integration. Another function of education is social placement. It prepares and qualifies
the individuals for work in the economy.
On the other hand, the latent functions of education also exist. Its latent
functions are by-products of going to school and receiving an education rather than a
direct effect of the education itself. One of these is child care. When a child starts
kindergarten or grade school, for several hours a day the child is taken care of for free.
The establishment of peer relationships is another latent function of schooling. Most
of us met many of our friends while we were in school at whatever grade level, and
some of those friendships endure the rest of our lives. A final latent function of
education is that it keeps millions of high school students out of the full-time labor
force. This fact keeps the unemployment rate lower than it would be if they were in the
labor force. Because education serves so many manifest and latent functions for
society, problems in schooling ultimately harm society. For education to serve its many
functions, various kinds of reforms are needed to make our schools and the process
of education as effective as possible.
Instructions: If you were the president of the Philippines, how would you handle the
issues involving the COVID-19 pandemic? What would be your priorities and why?
Justify your response by using any of the sociological perspectives that you have
learned. You may have an illustration of your contingency plan.
45
Activity 4.6: Reflection
Instructions: Have you ever thought of yourself as a good citizen? Share your
reflection on this question.
46
47
Answer Key:
4Pics 1Word Game
1. Politics 2. Culture 3. Lifestyle 4. Economics 5. Natural 6. Phenomenon
7. Interaction 8. Human 9. Physics 10. Humanities 11. Society 12. Science
2.1 Review Quiz
1.C 2.A 3.B 4.C 5.B
Anagram
1. Aristotle – Political Science 2. Adam Smith - Economics
3. Aguste Comte – Sociology 4. Harriet Martineau - Sociology
5. Herodotus – History 6. Wilhelm Wundt - Psychology
7. Edward Burnett Tylor – Anthropology
Rebus
1. every vote counts
2. center of gravity
3. live in peace
4. written down
5. death sentence
6. different strokes for different folks
7. freebies
8. time is money
9. checks and balances
10. split personality
4.1 Review Quiz
1. C 2. A 3. D 4. D 5. A 6. C 7. A 8. B 9. A 10. A 11. A 12. C 13. B 14. B 15. C
Key To Correction
References
Mangal, S.K. & Mangal, Uma (2018) Pedagogy of Social Sciences, 2nd Ed. Delhi:
PHI Learning Private Limited, p.1.
Bernardo, R. B. & Mallo, D. B. (2017) Disciplines and Ideas in the Social Sciences K-
12 Compliant Textbook for Senior High School. Pasay City: JFS Publishing
Services
Dudley, L. & Faricy, A. (1978) The Humanities. 6th ed. Philippines: JMC Press, Inc.
Aksan, N. et al. (2009) Symbolic Interaction Theory. Procedia Social and Behavioral
Sciences 1 902–904. www.sciencedirect.com
BookCaps Study Guide Staff (2011). Marxism in Plain and Simple English: The
Theory of Marxism in a Way Anyone can Understand. BookCapsTM.
Brinkerhoff, D. B., et al. (2008). Essentials of Sociology. 7th edition. USA: Thomson
Wadsworth.
https://pediaa.com/difference-between-natural-science-and-social-science/
http://www.differencebetween.net/language/words-language/difference-between-
humanities-and-social-sciences/
https://www.airtract.com/question/What-is-the-difference-between-natural-science-
and-social-science
https://shodhganga.inflibnet.ac.in/bitstream/10603/40587/8/10_chapter1.pdf
https://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/english/theology
https://www.newworldencyclopedia.org/entry/Social_sciences
48
https://www.britannica.com/topic/social-science
https://www.encyclopedia.com/social-sciences-and-law/sociology-and-social-
reform/sociology-general-terms-and-concepts/social-science
scribd.com/document/399241456/Approaches-in-the-Social-Sciences
https://courses.lumenlearning.com/alamo-sociology/chapter/reading-symbolic-
interactionist-theory/
https://www.khanacademy.org/test-prep/mcat/society-and-culture/social-
structures/v/functionalism
https://www.khanacademy.org/test-prep/mcat/society-and-culture/social-
structures/v/functionalism
https://courses.lumenlearning.com/suny-hccc-socialproblems/chapter/11-2-
sociological-perspectives-on-education/#barkansoc_1.0-ch11_s02_t01
49