DISCIPLINES AND IDEAS IN THE

APPLIED SOCIAL SCIENCES

( GRADE 12 First Semester)

MODULE 1
CHAPTER 1 Course Introduction (Applied Social Sciences)
1.1 Definition of social sciences
1.2 Definition of applied social sciences

Prepared by:
Ms.Erika D. General
 DISCIPLINES AND IDEAS IN THE APPLIED
SOCIAL SCIENCES
MODULE 1
CHAPTER 1 Course Introduction (Applied Social Sciences)
1.1 Definition of social sciences
1.2 Definition of applied social sciences

LESSON 1 Defining Social Sciences and the Applied Social Sciences

Objectives:
1. To explain the definition of social sciences and applied social sciences through
data retrieval chart
2. To differentiate social sciences and applied social sciences through compare and
contrast graphic organizer
3. To explain the different disciplines of social sciences and the applied social
sciences.
4. To explain clearly public perception about the work of social sciences and applied
social science practitioners through infomercial campaign.

Chapter Pre Test

Act.1
Anticipation Reaction Guide
Direction: Before the chapter study. Place a check mark (/) on the Before the
Chapter Study column if you agree with the statement and cross (X) if you do not
agree.
After the Chapter Study. Place a check mark (/) on the After the Chapter Study
column if you agree with the statement and a cross mark (X) if you do not agree.

Before the Chapter Study Statements After the Chapter Study

Social science is the study of society and the manner in which

people behave and affect the world.

Social sciences are only applicable in the academe and not in the
workplace.

Applied social scientist use and borrow different concepts,

theoretical models, and theories from social science and disciplines.

Guidance counselling is a profession that helps address a person’s

specific projects, business successes , general conditions and
transitions in life , relationships , or profession

Applied social sciences provide good theoretical and conceptual

 foundations for social work practice.

Psychology studies how human mind work in consonance with the

body to produce thoughts that lead to individual actions.

Act. 2 Data Retrieval Chart Completion

Direction: Complete the data retrieval chart. Classify the following disciplines and
categorize them if they belong to the Pure Social Sciences or to the Applied Social
Sciences.

Compare and Contrast with Bubble Map

Disciplines to be categorized:

Economics
Counselling History
Geography Social
Work
Psychology
Anthropology
Sociology Political
science
Demography
Communication

Applied Social
Sciences

Pure Social
Sciences
Guide Questions:
1. What are the disciplines under applied social sciences?
2. What are the disciplines under pure social sciences?
3. How do they differ from one another?

Definition of social sciences

Defining Social Sciences – is made of several disciplines and these include history,
political science, sociology, psychology, economics, geography, demography,
anthropology and linguistics. As a body of scientific knowledge, the social sciences
provide diverse set of lens that help us understand and explain the different facets of
human society. The varieties of lens that social sciences study refer to the different
fields of the social sciences that investigate human society.

Branches of the Social Sciences

 Economics studies the allocation of scarce resources and the production and exchange of
goods and services in society.
Economics has different subfields:
 Environmental economics- studies the allocation of natural resources
 Labor economics-focuses on the study of the decision- making and
behaviors of employees and the relationships between employers and their
employees.
 Business economics- examines the behavior of companies and firms by
studying the factors that result in profit maximization, price setting,
production goals, and the role of incentives.
 Monetary economics- on the other hand, studies the nation’s production,
inflation, income, interest rates, and monetary policies.

 Anthropology is the scientific study of humans and their cultures in the past and present
time.
Anthropologist are trained in the different areas:
 Cultural anthropology studies the development of human culture based on
ethnologic, linguistic, social, and psychological data analysis. It explains
 how people in other societies live and affects their environments to their
respective lives.
 Physical anthropology studies human biological nature, particularly its
beginning , evolution, and variation in prehistory
 Archeology studies human life in the past through the examination of
things left behind by the people.

 History is systematic study of human past events in order to understand the meaning,
dynamics, and relationship of the cause and effects of events in the development of
societies.
History has several subfields:
 Political history studies history of political institutions
 Economic history studies the development of economic institutions and
other economic factors.
 Social history studies the history of ordinary lives of people like women,
children, ethnic groups, and the different sectors of society from historical
point of view.
 Environmental history looks into the history of the interaction of humans
with the environment
 History of medicine and public health examines the history of public
health and human medicine
 Business history studies the history of the development of businesses,
companies, and industries
 Biographies studies the history of great persons in history
 Political Science primarily studies human behavior in relation to political systems,
governments, laws, and international relations.
Political has several fields of study:
 Domestic politics studies public opinion, elections, national and local
governments.
 Comparative politics studies politics within countries and analyzes the
similarities and differences between among countries
 International Relations focuses on the study of political relationship and
interaction between and among countries
 Public administration studies national and local governance and
bureaucracy
 Public law examines legal systems, civil rights , and criminal justice
 Psychology studies how the human mind works in consonance with the body to produce
thoughts that lead to individual actions.
Psychology subfields:
 Experimental psychology studies of humans and animals examines how
and why learning takes place
 Developmental psychology studies the ways people change and behave as
they go through their life
  Personality psychology studies human nature and differences among
people
 Environmental psychology studies the effects of surroundings on a
person’s attitude and behavior

 Sociology a systematic study of people’s behavior in groups

Sociology subfields:
 Applied sociology focus on the use and proper application of sociological
theories, methods and skills to examine data, solve problems and
communicate research to the public.
 Urban sociology studies societal life interactions in urban areas through the
application of sociological methods like statistical analysis and
ethnographies
 Cultural sociology analyzes the development of social institutions, norms
and practices.
 Rural sociology studies the social life of people in rural areas
 Medical sociology examines the societal aspects of health and medicine of
people
 Sociology of education analyzes how social forces and institutions like
politics, economic systems, and culture affects school and educational
systems.
 Political sociology examines how social structure affects and influences
politics.
 Military sociology is a sociological study of the military organization, the
different civilian and military relationships, war experiences, and the use
and control of force
 Geography is the study of interaction between people and their environments.
Geography subfields:
 Physical geography studies the natural features of the earth , including
land, water , and atmosphere
 Human geography studies how people create cultures in their natural
environments.
 Demography according to the Max Planck Institute for Demographic Research (2016)
demography is the scientific study of human populations across time.
Major subfield:
 Population studies or social demography analyze demographic data to
define, explain, and foresee social phenomena. It also studies social – status
composition and population distribution.

Definition of applied social sciences

Applied Social Sciences- branch of study that applies the different concepts, theoretical models,
and theories of the social science disciplines to help understand society and the different
problems and issues. The applied social sciences are utilized to provide alternative solutions to
the diverse problem of the society.

Three main career tracks for applied social scientist:

 Counseling is one of the fields of applied social sciences as an application of the social
sciences; counseling provides guidance, help, and support to individuals who are
distraught by a diverse set of problems in their lives.
 Counseling can be done by the following:
Guidance counselor and life coaching are applications of the social
sciences and these professions, expert help are given to individuals who
needed guidance or advice pertaining to their business successes, general
conditions and personal life transitions, relationships and career.
Life coach analyzes the present condition of the client, discovers different
obstacles or challenges that a client faces, and provides a certain course of
action to make the client’s life better.
Career counseling is needed by people who are in the process of entering
the job market, searching for possible career change, or those wanting
career advancements.
Personal growth counseling concentrates on the evaluation of different
aspects of a client’s life.
 Social work practitioners help individuals, families, and groups, communities to improve
their individual and collective well-being.
 Communication Studies- Applied social science provide adequate training for careers in
the field of journalism and mass communication because of multidisciplinary knowledge
and skills that graduates learn from social sciences.

Act. 3 Compare and Contrast Graphic Organizer

Applied Social
Social Science Science

How are they alike?

___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
 How are they different?

___________________ ___________________
Guide Questions:
___________________ ___________________
___________________ ___________________
1. What is the connection between social sciences and the applied social sciences?
_________________
_________________
2. How do they differ from one another?
3. What is the difference between counseling and social work?
4. Why do we consider journalism and communication studies as fields of the applied social
sciences?

Act.4
Produce a group infomercial that will promote awareness to the public about the important
work and functions of a social scientist an applied social science practitioner. The infomercial
must also explain the main differences of social scientist and an applied social science
practitioner.
An infomercial is a communication strategy that aims to inform the public about an issue /
topic. It serves as an information strategy and a promotional commercial. It is often referred
to as paid programming and are usually shown on televisions and the Internet.
Mechanics:
1. The class will divide into 2 groups.
2. Each group must brain storm and discuss the contents of their infomercial.

Guide Questions:

1. What is the difference between counseling and social work?

2. Why do we consider journalism and communication studies as fields of the applied social
sciences?
Rubric for an Infomercial Campaign
Criteria Excellent Very Good Good Poor
rade

Content Infomercial demonstrated Infomercial demonstrated Infomercial Infomercial did not

exceptional knowledge of the
important of work and functions of
a social scientist and an applied
social science practitioner.
excellent knowledge of the
important of work and
functions of a social
scientist and an applied
social science practitioner.
demonstrated some demonstrated
knowledge of the knowledge of the
important of work and important of work
functions of a social and functions of a
scientist and an applied social scientist and an
social science applied social science
practitioner. practitioner.

Supporting Multimedia or poster greatly
Presentation enhanced understanding of
important work and functions of a
social scientist and an applied
social science practitioner.
Multimedia or poster
somewhat
enhanced understanding of
important work and
functions of a social
scientist and an applied
social science practitioner.
Multimedia or poster Multimedia or poster
enhanced understanding does not enhance
of important work and presentation.
functions of a social
scientist and an applied
social science
practitioner
 Reasoning Presentation explained clearly the
important work and functions of a
social scientist and an applied
social science practitioner.
Numerous inferences were made.
Presentation provided few
explanations on the
important work and
functions of a social
scientist and an applied
social science practitioner.
A few inferences were
made.
Presentation provided Presentation did not
one explanation about provide any
the important work and information. No
functions of a social inferences were
scientist and an applied made.
social science
practitioner. Inaccurate
inferences were given.

Organization Entire presentation was well
organized. Information flowed in a
logical manner.
Most of the presentation
was well organized and
flowed in logical manner.
Some of the presentation Presentation did not
was well organized or flow and information
information was was presented in an
presented in an illogical illogical manner.
manner.

Oral Presentation Student presenting the infomercial
could be easily understood
throughout entire presentation.
Excellent posture and eye contact.
Student presenting the
infomercial could be
easily understood
throughout most of the
presentation. Good
posture and eye contact.
Student presenting the Student presenting
infomercial did not speak the infomercial could
clearly throughout the not be understood.
presentation. Student Student displayed
displayed poor posture poor posture and eye
and eye contact was not contact was not
established. established.

Guide Question
 What is the importance of knowing the difference of pure social science from
applied social science?
 How can you say that the applied social science is differ from pure social
science?

Act.5
Statements After the Chapter Study

Social science is the study of society and the manner in

which people behave and affect the world.

Social sciences are only applicable in the academe and not

in the workplace.

Applied social scientist use and borrow different concepts,

theoretical models, and theories from social science and
disciplines.

Guidance counselling is a profession that helps address a

person’s specific projects, business successes , general
conditions and transitions in life , relationships , or
profession

Applied social sciences provide good theoretical and

conceptual foundations for social work practice.

Psychology studies hoe human mind work in consonance

with the body to produce thoughts that lead to individual
actions.

Assignment
Research for the following topics:
- Counseling
- Roles ,functions and areas of counseling
- Clientele and audiences in counseling

References:
Repko, Allen F. (2008). Interdiciplinary Research: Process and Theory.
London, Los Angeles , New Delhi , Singapore: Sage.

Gouldner, Alvin W. ( 1989 ) “ Explorations in Applied Social Science”,

Sociological Practice: Vol. 7 : Iss. 1 , Article 5.Available at :
http//digitalcommons.wayne.edu/socprac/vol7/iss1/5.