DISCIPLINE AND IDEAS IN THE

APPLIED SOCIAL SCIENCE

MS. JULIEFE M. CUSI

At the end of the lesson, the students must
be able to:

1 Define social sciences and applied social

sciences;
2 Compare and contrast social sciences and
applied social sciences;
3 Identify the relationship between social
sciences and applied social sciences and;
4 appreciate the value of studying social
sciences and applied social sciences.
 DEFINITION OF SOCIAL SCIENCE

In the broadest sense, SOCIAL SCIENCE pertain to a major category

of academic discipline that deals with the study of particular
aspects of human society and organization, social relationships, and
individual human behavior and action.

Social Sciences are disciplines concerned with the systematic study

of social phenomena.

It originally referred to the specific field of SOCIOLOGY. ****

The term SOCIAL denotes that the discipline deals with people,
communities, and experiences that define human existence. ****
The term SCIENCE tells us that this process of human inquiry
is conducted in a systematic way (social science research)
and follows a process developed from the scientific tradition.

Disciplines that fall under social sciences:

*Economics *Political Science *Geography *Sociology
*History * Psychology *Demography *Linguistics
*Criminology

The goal of these disciplines is to explain human behavior in

its many cultural forms including the past and the present.
These disciplines are built around a keen familiarity with
Psychology and Sociology and require a deeper understanding of
individuals, communities, and society. (national/international)

The view that each disciplines is a distinct and totally independent

field of study is inaccurate because the disciplines of social
sciences rely on one another and routinely cross into another’s
stream or domain.

Once a phenomenon is understood clearly, the challenge that

social science theory leaves for people is to decide on the best
course of action that should be taken to address human problems.

Social sciences help us take the rhythm of human life and human
communities such as birth, infirmity, and death, our population
and activities.
 DEFINITION OF APPLIED SOCIAL SCIENCE
Applied social science is the application of social science theories,
concepts, methods, and findings to problems identified in the wider
society.

“there can be no social issue that is purely one-dimensional”

It aims at presenting a well-developed understanding of social systems,

social theory, and social policy.

It integrates theory, social research, skills and professional

experience, and critical thinking skills necessary to fully address
social phenomena.

Focus of Applied Social Science:

*Counseling *Social Work *Communication ***
RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN SOCIAL SCIENCES AND APPLIED SOCIAL
SCIENCE

Social sciences are more specific and focused on a distinct facet of

a social phenomenon,
while Applied social science attempts to focus on a distinct issue
but use insights arising from various social science disciplines.

While social science may explore broadly their distinct disciplines,

some of their input may easily become applied while others may
remain theoretical. ***
FUNCTIONS AND EFFECTS OF APPLIED SOCIAL SCIENCE

Social Sciences are described as generators of knowledge about the

social world to cause understanding.

1. They generate knowledge in an organic way for evidence-based

actions and solutions to social problems and issues. They provide
learning feedback by simultaneously engaging the experts and the
stakeholders that form a social world.

2. They cause social sciences to do things rather than just remain

source of factual knowledge with little or no utility at all.

3. They generate practical solutions to complex social problems.

4. The provision of knowledge by social science becomes the moral
basis for applied science to address the issues or problems of
society.

5. Communication provides accessibility to information and thereby

serves the rights of an individual and the public to be informed and
to be heard by the elders and communities.

6. Counseling provides healing, courage, and strength for an

individual to face his/her issues and take up the best possible
option in moments of life crises.

7. The social work promotes social change, problem solving in

human relationships and the empowerment and liberation of people
to enhance their holistic well-being.
 Public Perception of Social Sciences and Applied Social Sciences
Practitioners

In the post democratic era, social sciences are the myths of our
time and applied science practitioners have become mythmakers.
****
In general, the social sciences have played a key role in the
creation of opinionated persons and an opinionated society on
almost all issues of public interest.

In some areas, public has developed a skeptical attitude toward

social and applied social sciences practitioners largely due to their
inability to provide formidable solutions to social problems.

Other perceptions tend to be discipline-specific as how people

view counselors, social workers and media. ****
Rarely do people perceive social work as:

The social work profession promotes social change , problem

solving in human relationships and the empowerment and liberation
of people to enhance well-being. Utilizing theories of human
behavior and social systems, social work intervenes at points where
people interact with their environments . Principles of human rights
and social justice are fundamental to social work. (International
Federation of Social Workers)
Therefore, both positive and negative
perceptions do exist. Public perception also
changes sometimes depending on the issues
and sometimes on the outcomes.