Tukuran Technical – Vocational High School

San Carlos, Tukuran Zamboanga del Sur

DISCIPLINES AND IDEAS IN THE SOCIAL SCIENCES (DISS)

Learning Activity Sheets
Grade Level: Grade 12 Date: Quarter 2 – Week 1

MELC: Analyze the basic concepts and principles of the major social science ideas:
“Rational Choice”

I. Direction/Instruction: Answer the following activities. Write the answers on a separate sheet of
paper.
II. Background: Rational Choice Theory explains that human action and behavior are products of
choice. Individuals rationalize their situations by processing between the most beneficial choice and
the lesser individual cost. Cost – beneficial analysis is always performed in every given situation
and is considered an instinctual response of every human. Cost is something disadvantageous to or
what is lost by an individual, while benefit is that which is gained by or advantageous to the
individual after making the choice. Some of the questions commonly asked during a cost-benefit
analysis are the following:
 Will this benefit me?
 How will this benefit me?
 What will benefit me most?
 How far am I willing to negotiate?
 What will I have to sacrifice?
 How much will it cost me?
This example provides basic principle of rational choice theory wherein preference plays an
important role in decision – making, while the individual rationalizes the burdens and benefits of
the available choices. This example also highlights the basic assumptions of rational choice
theory which are the following:
1. Individuals act purely on self – interest.
2. Individuals understand their interest enough to rationally categorize them according to what
the enough to rationally categorize them according to what the most prefer.
3. Preferences are transitive in nature. This means that choices have a hierarchical order and
that the highest preference will always be favored.

III. Exercises/Activities:
A. VOCABULARY
1. INCARCERATED 6. RATIONALIZE 11. SCENARIO
2. BETRAYING 7. DISADVANTAGEOUS 12. GRAZING
3. INCENTIVE 8. ADVANTAGEOUS 13. EXPLOITATION
4. SCHEME 9. OUTCAST 14. PHILOSOPHIZED
5. INSTINCTUAL 10. PILLAGING 15. TRAGEDY

B. QUESTION AND ANSWER

1. What is rational choice theory?
2. How does preference affect decision – making?
3. How does incentive affect individual behavior?

Key Concepts in Rational Choice Theory

Social Consequences of Scarcity – based Decision Humanity’s unlimited wants and perpetual
desires drove civilizations either their prominence or destruction. Such is the structure of human
nature when being described in the context of rational choice theory. The tragedy of the commons
further elaborates this structure. The tragedy of the commons is a scenario wherein a common
piece of land is shared for grazing by a community. Plato discussed in his The Republic this very
notion of exploitation by the unchecked freedoms of people. Without justice, people would consume
as much as they like and would eventually deplete the resources common to all. Thomas Hobbes
philosophized that the only thing that could prevent the pillaging of public or common goods is the
absolute monarch, which he calls Leviathan.

C. BEYOND WALLS
1. What drove civilizations to their progress or demise?
2. What is the nature of humans?
3. What is the tragedy of the commons?
4. What is Plato’s argument on exploitation?
5. According to Hobbes, how can the exploitation of the commons be avoided?
Prepared by:
Kimberly Cler G. Suarez
 Tukuran Technical – Vocational High School
San Carlos, Tukuran Zamboanga del Sur

DISCIPLINES AND IDEAS IN THE SOCIAL SCIENCES (DISS)

Learning Activity Sheets
Grade Level: Grade 12 Date: Quarter 2 – Week 2

MELC: Analyze the basic concepts and principles of the major social science ideas:
“Institutionalism”

I. Direction/ Instruction: Answer the following activities. Write the answers on a separate sheet of
paper.
II. Background: In order to understand institutionalism, it is important to first define institutions in this
theoretical perspective. Institutions are patterns, routines, norms, rules, and schemes that govern
and direct social thought and action. Institutionalism, therefore, is an approach that aims to
understand and analyze how actions, thoughts, and meanings penetrate into the social
consciousness deeply enough to embed themselves into the social psyche. There are different
types of institutionalism, but their common concern is to find out the effects of these institutions and
determine how these affect the manner by which the society functions. Institutions provide social
legitimacy and survival through isomorphism. Isomorphism refers to the similarity in form, shape, or
structure. Institutions arise, change and persist due to their regulative, normative, and cognitive
functions. The regulative function operates through coercive isomorphism, which places value on
expediency as an effect of compliance. The normative function operates through normative
isomorphism, which places value on complying with social obligations. Finally, the cognitive
function operates through mimetic isomorphism, which places value on what is being complied with
by others. Institutional Actors refers to the people who make up society, whose actions are
controlled and regulated by institutions. Institutional actors can be an individual, a group, an
organization, or a government that creates or follows rules. However, it must be noted that the term
“institutional actors does not simply denote people or organizations in the perspective of
institutionalism.

III. Exercises/Activities:

A. VOCABULARY

1. Formal Institutions 6. Sanctions

2. Informal Institutions 7. Arguments
3. Individual 8. Clashing Interest
4. Function 9. Company
5. Borderlines 10. Criticism

B. REFLECT UPON

Discuss an events wherein informal rules are in conflict with formal rule. Draft a one-page essay
presenting your arguments. Your teacher will evaluate your essay based on clarity,
organization, and content.

C. BEYOND WALLS

1. What is isomorphism?
2. How does normative function operate?
3. What is institutionalism?
4. What are the reasons for the creation of institutions?
5. Why is institutional change costly?
6. What are institutional actors?
7. How can institutions constrain us?

Prepared by:
Kimberly Cler G. Suarez
 Tukuran Technical – Vocational High School
San Carlos, Tukuran Zamboanga del Sur

DISCIPLINES AND IDEAS IN THE SOCIAL SCIENCES (DISS)

Learning Activity Sheets
Grade Level: Grade 12 Date: Quarter 2 – Week 3

MELC: Analyze the basic concepts and principles of the major social science ideas:
“Feminist Theory”

I. Direction/ Instruction: Answer the following activities. Write the answers on a separate sheet of
paper.
II. Background: Feminism studies gender and its relation to power, and the dynamics these two
concepts play out in economics, politics, sexuality and nationality, among others. It is both a
sociological perspective and a philosophy that aims to promote gender equality, social justice, and
women’s rights. However, the primary concern that feminism tries to address is the oppression of
women in society and the patriarchal structure of most societies. Patriarchy, in its most basic sense,
is a social organization wherein the father or eldest male heads a society or government.
FEMINISM developed in three waves. Each movement addressed a particular issue, which women
struggled with at that time, thus:
1. The first wave of feminism took place during the 19 th and early 2oth centuries, which challenged
the legal issues concerning women. Women at that time surrendered their properties to their
husbands, were not allowed to hold public office, and were not given the rights of suffrage.
2. The second wave of feminism began during the 1960s up to the 1990s and was born out of the
civil rights’ movement. The primary issues that this movement tried to address was of sexual
equality and reproductive rights.
3. The third wave of feminism began in the late 1980s and continues until today. Feminists from
the third wave do not consider “feminine” objects as artifacts of male oppression, but as tools to
enrich their femininity.

III. Exercises/Activities:

A. Reflect Upon
List the most influential women in your life. Beside their names, identify traits that make you
believe that they are or were powerful women. Using three waves of feminism, identify where
these women fall under.

B. Beyond Walls

1. What issues addressed during the first wave of feminism?

2. How is the second wave of feminism different in scope from the first wave?
3. How does the third wave of feminism make sense of “feminism” products like makeup?
4. How does a patriarchal society affect gender relations within the household?
5. What is feminism?

C. Vocabulary
1. Gender
2. Gender performative
3. Gender Ideology
4. Gender inequality
5. Lesbian
6. Human Feminism
7. Female Feminism
8. Confinement
9. Masculinity
10. Objectivism
 Prepared by:
Kimberly Cler G. Suarez
Tukuran Technical – Vocational High School
San Carlos, Tukuran Zamboanga del Sur

DISCIPLINES AND IDEAS IN THE SOCIAL SCIENCES (DISS)

Learning Activity Sheets
Grade Level: Grade 12 Date: Quarter 2 – Week 4

MELC: Analyze the basic concepts and principles of the major social science ideas:
“Hermeneutical Phenomenology”

I. Direction/ Instruction: Answer the following activities. Write the answers on a separate sheet of
paper.

II. Background: Hermeneutical Phenomenology is a philosophy of and a method for interpreting

human experiences as a means to understand the question of what it is to be human. This
philosophy was developed by Martin Heidegger (1889-1976) as a continuation and divergence from
phenomenology, the philosophy developed by his mentor and colleagues, Edmund Husserl (1859-
1938). Hermeneutical Phenomenology, is sometimes referred to as interpretative phenomenology
or existential phenomenology, while the phenomenology developed by Husserl is sometimes
referred to as descriptive phenomenology or pure phenomenology. It is an inquiry on how to human
mind can grasp the true nature of things as experienced in the world. It is a question of how a
thorough examination of experiences of the world can provide a deeper insight and perception of
the world. Its perspective tells us to remove our preconceived ideas in order to arrive at a pure
description of our experiences.

III. Exercises/Activities:

A. Reflect Upon

Image consultants are tasked to make their client’s image more acceptable to the public. As an
image consultant, you are to create a program of activities that may involve coaching,
makeovers, and public appearances for a person who is currently facing public scrutiny and
wants to change the people’s perspective about him or her. This person could be a celebrity, a
politician, or any public figure. Your teacher will rate your program based on its feasibility and
overall coherence.

B. Vocabulary

1. Catalyst
2. Qualitative
3. Quantitative
4. Reflection
5. Interpretation
6. Benefits
7. Element
8. Fusion
9. Biblical Scholars
10. Tradition

C. Beyond Walls

1. What is hermeneutical phenomenology?

2. Why does phenomenology require the removal of preconceived ideas?
3. Why does hermeneutical phenomenology seek the truth?
4. How does hermeneutical phenomenology conduct research?
Prepared by:
Kimberly Cler G. Suarez