What is Social Science?

1
What is Social Science?
2
Everyone in this class is an observer and
predictor of human behaviour
3
Things to keep in mind...

• Everyone has the right to express an informed
  opinion
• Be mindful of your own bias
• Listen with respect
• Have an open mind
• We do not have to agree, but we are respectful
  when we disagree
• Offensive comments are never permitted
• Everyone in the class has a right to learn

4
Can you predict behaviour?

• A group of people are gathered in a room. A bar
  is opened and they are told to drink whatever
  they like a bartender will serve them. There is
  rum, rye, vodka, gin, beer, wine, etc....
• Two hours later, most people are showing distinct
  signs of intoxication. When asked to perform
  simple coordination tasks, they fail.
• How do we explain this?

5
Just one thing...

• There was really no alcohol content in the
  drinks...
• How do we explain THIS?

6
The Placebo Effect

• http//www.youtube.com/watch?vyfRVCaA5o18

7
There are many non-scientific ways of predicting
behaviour. People generalize in an effort to
understand each other and be able to anticipate
behaviours...

• Clichés
• Truisms
• Proverbs
• .

8
Cliché

• Figure of speech whose effectiveness has been
  worn out due to overuse
• E.g. Live and learn

9
Truism

• A claim so obvious or self-evident it is hardly
  worth mentioning
• E.g. a watched pot never boils

10
Proverbs

• Sayings popularly known and repeated which
  express a truth based on common sense or
  practical experience of humanity

11
Other non-scientific ways of looking at human
behaviour

• Talk shows
• Self-help books
• Self-proclaimed experts

12
What is social science?
Sociology
Biology
Political Science
Psychology
Anthropology
Economics
13
Anthropology

• The study of culture- the arts, beliefs, habits,
  institutions and other endeavors that are
  characteristic of a specific community, society
  or nation

14
Psychology

• The study of behaviour based on mental processes
• Psychologists use an understanding of mental
  processes and the characteristic patterns of
  motivation that they call personality to explain
  individual behaviour (micro studies)
• Also examine how individuals interact (macro
  studies)

15
Sociology

• The study that explains the behaviour of
  individuals in social groups, families and
  society
• Investigate social facts
• More concerned with patterns of behaviour
  observed in large numbers of people or groups
  rather than individuals

16
Demographics

• The analysis of statistical data of a population
• Age
• Marital status
• Average income

17
Ethnocentrism
18
Ethnocentrism

• combines "ethnic" and centre".
• to believe that your culture or ethnic group is
  superior to all other races or cultures, or to
  view alien groups or cultures from your own
  biased perspective.
• causes individuals or groups to judge other
  groups in how they relate to themselves.
• examples of how they relate themselves to other
  groups are language, behaviour, customs and
  religion.

19
Egocentrism

• The belief that you are the centre of the world
  that your own importance is valued over others
  the better him/her than me ideology.