DISCIPLINE AND IDEAS IN THE SOCIAL SCIENCES

QUARTER 2 – MODULE 3
Lesson 1: ROLE OF SOCIAL SCIENCE IN
THE SOCIETY
Lesson 2: INTERDISCIPLINARY AND
MULTIDISCIPLINARY AS AN
APPROACH TO STUDY SOCIETY

INTRODUCTION (What I need to know)

As you are close to the final section of this subject Discipline and Ideas in Social Science, it is
important that you have fully understood the different Social Science disciplines and its contribution to the
social development.
In this module, you will analyze how you can make use of Social Sciences in addressing social
concerns and phenomenon.
(MELCS) Most Essential Learning Competency:
Analyze the practical use of Social Sciences in addressing social concerns and
phenomenon

At the end of the modules, you should be able to:

a. determine the role of social science in the society;
b. examine how social science can help address social issues;
c. analyze the multidisciplinary and interdisciplinary approach to resolve issues and
concerns in the society.

DISCUSSIONS AND ACTIVITIES (What is it)

Role of Social Science in our Society

Everyday we use social science in our lives. It is essential for us how we understand and interpret the
world around us. It can determine what career path you are going to choose in the future. In order to predict
where the human race might be heading, and taking the rest of the world with it, an understanding of the role
of social science is a must.

Social science offers an insight into society and the relationships between individuals within that
society. It is a broad field, encompassing sociology, history, geography, political science, psychology,
anthropology, and law.

In our previous lessons, we understood that Social Science focuses on the activities of the physical
and social environment. Basically, it deals with human behavior, community relations and utilization of
various resources. It provides vital information for governments and policymakers, local authorities, non-
governmental organizations and others.

Why Social Science is important?

The Social Sciences are those disciplines that use research and analysis to examine
human behavior. There are techniques as collecting and analyzing statistics, conducting experiments, and
examining what people have written and created, in an attempt to understand why people, act the way they
do.
It is important because its study helps us to gain knowledge of the society, we live in. Generally, Social
Science focus on the relationships among individuals in society. It is mixture of many subjects like History,

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 Geography, Political Science, Economics, Sociology, Social Psychology and many more. [ CITATION ope20 \l
13321 ].

It is important to study social sciences because they are about what it means to be human. When we
better understand ourselves, we can better understand how the world works. Once we understand that, we
are able to identify root causes of society's problems and find more effective solutions.

Social Science Disciplines in the society

Social Science Definition Focus The Basic question

relative to the
discipline
Sociology The study of the origins, organization, and Relationships among What are the
institutions, and development of human beings and humans and groups functions of the
how these findings apply to society today. living together in various groups in
societies society and what
factors do people in
these groups have
in common?
Anthropology The study of the origin and the physical, social, and The physical and What are the
cultural development cultural development cultural
and behavior of humans. This social Science deals of humans and their patterns that help
with the origins of societies define these
man & woman by studying the development and societies and the
customs of humans. people in them?
Psychology The study of the mind and the ways of thought in an The behavior and What is going on
attempt to explain the ways people think, act and thought processes of inside a person’s
feel. It is the science of mental process and behavior. the individual, and the mind that causes
The emotions are studied. ways in which an them to behave
individual act and this way?
reacts to other
humans and to
society.
Economics This subject of interest deals with the matters or The production, How have people
problems related to the optimal allocation of limited distribution and organized the
resources, which have alternative uses (decision- consumption of production and
making). In order to satisfy the infinite needs and resources, distribution of
desires of the people or to maximize the utilities or goods and services goods and
the pleasures that the consumers will obtain from among individuals and services?
goods, services, or experiences. groups within a
society.
Political Science This is the systematic analysis of various political The organizations How are people
institutions and processes, sources and limits of people have developed governed?
political power and its manifestations, types of to make rules and
legitimate authority or rule, and systems of laws for their society.
government.
Geography It is the field of study that serves as the bridge The distribution of the How has society
between the Social Sciences and the Natural features of the been
Sciences, particularly the Earth Sciences, as it physical environment shaped by the use
examines the people and their environments and and of the people who of the land and its
analyzes the geographical relationships between all use those features resources?
cultural and physical phenomena in the world.
[ CITATION ope20 \l 13321 ]
Interdisciplinary and Multidisciplinary as an Approach to Study Society
A discipline refers to a specific branch of learning or body of knowledge that has a different body of
concepts, theories, framework, subject matter, perspectives, world views, assumptions, and research
methodologies. Each of these disciplines or branches of knowledge are different from the other branches of
learnings.

There are four main clusters of traditional disciplines. These include the following:

Clusters of Traditional Disciplines

Clusters of Traditional Scope
Disciplines
Natural Sciences Include the life sciences and physical sciences

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 Social Sciences Include sociology, economics, political science, geography, anthropology,
history, and psychology
Applied profession Businesses, communications, criminal justice, education, engineering,
law, social work, nursing, and medicine
Humanities Include art and art history, literature, music, philosophy, and religious
studies
In the social sciences, each of the discipline studies human society, human behavior, and their culture
in a specific lens or approach that is unique to that particular discipline. This is often referred to as
disciplinarity because the focus of study and analysis is limited only to particular field of study or
specialization. Discipline – based studies and orientation of major branches of the social sciences started to
disappear with the emergence of interdisciplinary social science. Through this major development in social
science research, the various disciplines of the social sciences produced a vibrant interaction of diverse
scholarly researchers and teaching communities.
Interdisciplinary social science approach or interdisciplinarity involves the application of two or more
fields of study or disciplines to address and answer social problems and issues. In this approach, a problem
can be solved through the analysis, synthesis, and coordination between and among the different disciplines
to form a coherent research. Most of the researchers in the social sciences have shifted to the application of
interdisciplinary approaches in the study of the society. This new form of study provides a systematic way of
providing answers to questions, solving problems, and addressing very broad complex topics through the
application of the various social science perspectives and integrating data, information, techniques,
methodology, concepts, theories, and frameworks coming from two or more of its diverse disciplines (Replok
2008,) [ CITATION Del16 \l 13321 ][ CITATION Arl16 \l 13321 ]

What is Multidisciplinary Approach?

To fully understand and address a problem, a multidisciplinary approach can be utilized. The
multidisciplinary approach involves the application and collaboration of several separate branches or
disciplines of the social science to examine and solve present day problems that plague society from each
discipline’s perspective. Multidisciplinary researches are conducted in orders to fully grasp the nature, scope,
and magnitude of the social problem. Problems that deal with social and economic development require a
multidisciplinary perspective because a discipline – based approach to the problem will not provide a
complete analysis of the social problem.

Multidisciplinary approaches are important in understanding and addressing social problems because
in the real world, policy researchers or proposals drafted and implemented to solve social problems are not
crafted through the use of a single discipline.

Raymond C. Miller (1981), a professor of social science in San Francisco State University noted that a
discipline approach to address problems is a futile endeavor. According to Miller (1982, 6-7) this problem was
experienced by economist when they made several recommendations to less developed countries were
“irrelevant of erroneous due to their failure to consider the social and political context or the applicability of
their culture – bound models”.
In the Philippines, the different fields of the social sciences play important roles to help understand
and provide alternative solutions to the country’s present-day social problems. The use of the different
approaches introduced by the social sciences is important to understand the social problems because all our
current social problems are connected with the other problems. For example, poverty is a problem that can be
connected with unemployment, overpopulation, corruption, and underdevelopment. One field of the social
sciences will not be able to fully grasp the nature and extent of the problem nor can it provide an integrative
solution unless a multidisciplinary or a multifaceted approach is used to understand the problem and its
solution.

Below are the examples of the different Philippine social problems and the different social science
disciplines that can help examine the nature, scope, and solution to the problem.

Example Social Problems in the Philippines

and the Multidisciplinary Approaches to Address the Problem

Social Problem Multidisciplinary approaches to address the problem

Poverty Economic, Historical, Sociological, Anthropological, and Political
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 approaches

Unemployment Economic, Historical, Sociological, and Political approaches

Disasters Economic, Historical, Sociological, Psychological, Geographical,

Anthropological, and Political approaches

ASSESSMENT
I. Directions: Choose the letter of the correct answer and write it in your answer sheets.

1. People who live within a territory who share an identity and culture.
A. government B. politics C. economics D. Society
2. Systematic study of social and group behavior in society.
A. Anthropology B. Economics C. Psychology D. Sociology
3. Way of life of a people which includes their values, beliefs, and social practices.
A. culture B. freedom C. behavior D. society
4. Conditions that undermine the well-being of some or all members of society.
A. Social conflict B. Social justice C. Social welfare D. Social problems
5. A modern society that is organized around the unequal distribution of resources.
A. Conflict perspective B. poverty line C. social policy D. symbolic interaction

II. Directions: Identify what is stated in every item and write your answers in the answer sheet.

1. Focuses on relationships among humans and groups living together in societies.

2. Study of the activities of the physical and social environment.
3. Focuses on the distribution of features of the physical environment and the people.
4. Deals with the matters of problems related to the allocation of scarce resources.
5. Refers to branch of learning or body of knowledge that has a different body of concepts, theories,
framework, subject matter, perspective and among others.
6. Science of mental process and behavior.
7. Study of the origin and the physical, social, and cultural development and behavior of
humans.
8. Involves the application of two or more fields or discipline to address and answer social
problems.
9. Traditional discipline that includes art and art history, literature, music, philosophy, and
religious studies.
10. Problem that can be connected with unemployment, overpopulation, corruption and
underdevelopment.

Answer Key to Assessment

Activity 2:
Activity 1:
1. Sociology
1. D. Society
2. Social Science
2. D. Sociology
3. Geography
3. A. Culture
4. Economics
4. D. Social problems
5. Discipline
5. A. Conflict perspective
6. Psychology

7. Anthropology

8. Interdisciplinary social science

approach/interdisciplinarity

9. Humanities

10. Poverty

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