DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION

Republic of the Philippines

NORTHERN MINDANAO COLLEGES, INC.
Atega Street, Barangay 11 Poblacion, Cabadbaran City

Lesson Disciplines and Ideas in the Applied Social Sciences

1 (WEEK 1) (HUMSS_DIASS12-Ia-2)

SUBJECT DESCRIPTION:
This course introduces some Applied Social Sciences, namely counselling, social work, and
communication, which draw their foundation from the theories and principles of Psychology,
Sociology, Anthropology, and other Social Sciences. The course highlights the seamless
interconnectivity of the different applied social science disciplines while focusing on the processes
and applications of these applied disciplines in critical development areas.
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 explain the different disciplines of social sciences and the applied social sciences.
3. To differentiate social sciences and applied social sciences through compare and contrast 3-
2-1 activity.

Pre Test *
Multiple Choice.
Directions: Read the question carefully. Select the best answer and write the correct answer on the
blank provided.
_____1. Studies the allocation of natural c. Domestic politics
resources. d. Political history
a. Environmental economics _____4. Focuses on the study of political
b. Monetary economics relationship and interaction between and
c. Business economics among countries.
d. Labor economics a. Public law
_____2. The scientific study of language and its b. Medical sociology
structure. c. Public administration
a. Culture d. International relations
b. Linguistic _____5. The scientific study of humans and
c. Counseling human behavior and societies in the past and
d. Communication present.
_____3. Studies public opinion, elections, a. history
national and local governments. b. momentary
a. Public administration c. economics
b. Comparative politics d. anthropology

Social Science and applied Social Science are basically the same thing. Social Science is
about people how they interact with others in their society and how societies interact with each
other. It seeks to explain interactions forms hypothesis test them and suggest potential actions.
While, applied social science is about putting theories in to practice and interfacing directly with the
public. This doesn’t mean an applied social society practitioner i.e. a social worker is isolated from
the body of practice far from it they give feedback on the various strategies developed and identify
areas where further research could be focused (Jones (2018).

Activity 2: Data Retrieval *

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
Geography
Work
Psychology
Anthropology
Demography
Applied Pure Social
Sociology Social Sciences
History Sciences
Social Work
Archeology
Political science
Communication
Demography
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?

Defining Social Sciences

 is made of several disciplines and these include history, political science, sociology,
psychology, economics, geography, demography,
 The study of society and the manner in which people behave and influence the world
around us.
 It provides vital information for governments, nongovernmental organizations, and others.
 The uttermost goal of social science is to answer different questions and problems about
the society and human condition on how to improve it.
BASIC / PURE SOCIAL SCIENCE DISCIPLINES 
1. Anthropology
 The study of what makes us human.
 The scientific study of humans and human behavior and societies in the past and
present.
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.
2. History
 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.
 The discipline that studies the chronological record of events (as affecting a nation or
people), based on a critical examination of source materials and usually presenting an
explanation of their causes.
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
Branches of the Social Sciences
3. Economics
 Studies the allocation of scarce resources and the production and exchange of goods and
services in society.
 A social science concerned with the production, distribution, and consumption of goods
and services.
Economics has different subfields: 
3.1 Environmental economics- studies the allocation of natural resources  
3.2 Labor economics -focuses on the study of the decision- making and behaviors of
employees and the relationships between employers and their employees.
3.3 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.
3.4 Monetary economics -on the other hand, studies the nation’s production, inflation,
income, interest rates, and monetary policies.
4. Geography- The study of places and the relationships between people and their
environments.
5. Linguistics - The scientific study of language and its structure.
 It involves analyzing language form, language meaning and language in context.
6. Psychology - The scientific study of the mind and behavior. It is a multifaceted discipline
and includes many sub-fields of study such areas as human development, sports, health,
clinical, social behavior and cognitive processes.
7. Sociology - Sociology is the study of human social relationships and institutions. Sociology’s
subject matter is diverse, ranging from crime to religion, from the family to the state, from
the divisions of race and social class to the shared beliefs of a common culture, and from
social stability to radical change in whole societies.
8. Demography- According to the Max Planck Institute for Demographic Research (2016)
demography is the scientific study of human populations across time.
 The study of a population based on factors such as age, race and sex. Governments,
corporations and nongovernment organizations use demographics to learn more about a
population's characteristics for many purposes, including policy development and
economic market research.
9. Applied Social Science- The study that uses the knowledge based theories, principles, and
methods of interdisciplinary disciplines of basic social science to understand the society and
to help address or solve a social problem or practical problem in society.
10. Counseling- Empowers diverse individuals, families, and groups to accomplish mental
health, wellness, education, and career goals. It involves helping people make needed
changes in ways of thinking, feeling, and behaving.
11. Social Work- It focuses on social change, problem-solving in human relationships and the
empowerment and liberation of people to enhance social justice.
12. Communication- Focuses on how humans use verbal and nonverbal messages to create
meaning in various contexts across cultures using a variety of channels and media.
POLITICAL SCIENCES

Primarily studies human behavior in relation to political systems, governments, laws, and
international relations.
 Political has several fields of study:
1. Domestic politics - Studies public opinion, elections, national and local governments.
2. Comparative politics - Studies politics within countries and analyzes the similarities and
differences between among countries.
3. International Relations - Focuses on the study of political relationship and
interaction between and among countries.
4. Public administration - Studies national and local governance and bureaucracy.
5. Public law - examines legal systems, civil rights, and criminal justice
6. 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
7. 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
a. Sociology of education - analyzes how social forces and institutions like politics,
economic systems, and culture affects school and educational systems.
b. Political sociology - examines how social structure affects and influences politics.
c. 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
8. Geography - is the study of interaction between people and their environments
Geography subfields: 
a. Physical geography - studies the natural features of the earth, including land,
water, and atmosphere.
b. Human geography - studies how people create cultures in their natural
environments. 
9. Demography - according to the Max Planck Institute for Demographic Research (2016)
demography is the scientific study of human populations across time.
Major subfield:
a. Population studies or social demography
 Analyze demographic data to define, explain, and foresee social phenomena. It also
studies social.
 Status composition and population distribution.
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 is utilized to provide alternative solutions to the diverse
problem of the society.
Three main career tracks for applied social scientist:
1. 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 - practitioner 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 science.

Direction: This activity is called 3-2-1. Answer each question in a brief and concise way.

Write 3 differences between social sciences and applied

social sciences.
3 _________________________________________
_________________________________________
_________________________________________
Write 2 interesting ideas about the topic.
_________________________________________
2 _________________________________________
_________________________________________

Write 1 insight about yourself as a learner.

_________________________________________
1 _________________________________________
_________________________________________

*
DIRECTIONS: Read the statement carefully and identify what is being defined. Choose your answer
from the words inside the box. Write your answer on the space provided.

Public Administration Counselling Archeology International Relation Sociology Anthropology

Environmental Economics Social Science Linguistic Domestics Politics Demography

_______________1. Studies human life in the past through the examination of things left behind
by the people.
_______________2. Studies national and local governance and bureaucracy.
_______________3. The study of society and the manner in which people behave and influence the
world around us.
_______________4. Focuses on the study of political relationship and interaction between and among
countries.
_______________5. The scientific study of humans and human behavior and societies in the past and
present.
_______________6. It is a study of human social relationships and institutions.
_______________7. The scientific study of human populations across time.
_______________8. It involves helping people make needed changes in ways of thinking, feeling and
behaving.
_______________9. Studies the allocation of natural resources.
_______________10. The scientific study of language and its structure.

NOTE: WRITE YOUR ANSWER ON A CLEAN SEPARATE SHEET.

PREPARED BY JESSICA T. ANDONGA CHEKED BY: ALVIN T. HINAY Ph.D.

Subject Coordinator Basic Education Principal

DIASS WEEK 1 ANSWER KEY

WHAT I KNOW:
1. A
2. B
3. C
4. D
5. D

WHAT’S NEW:
(ANSWERS MAY VARY)

WHAT’S MORE:
(ANSWERS MAY VARY)

ASSESSMENT:

1. Archeology
2. Public administration
3. Social science
4. International relations
5. Anthropology
6. Sociology
7. Demography
8. Counseling
9. Environmental economics
10. Linguistic

REFERENCES
BOOKS

Eller, Jack David (2014). Social Science and Historical Perspective: Society, science, and ways of
knowing

Delanty, Gerard (2005). Social sciences philosophical and methodological foundation. Second
edition.

Strydom, Piet and Delanty, Gerard (2003). Philosophies of social science: The classic and
contemporary readings.

WEBSITE

https://www.academia.edu/37131995/
DISCIPLINES_AND_IDEAS_IN_THE_APPLIED_SOCIAL_SCIENCES

https://www.jyu.fi/hytk/fi/laitokset/yfi/en/disciplines/political-science

https://journals.whitingbirch.net/index.php/SWSSR

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NYEjqAJr3cQ