Unit 1: Research in Social Sciences

Unit 1: Research

• Social Sciences: Interdisciplinary field studying human behavior, interactions, cultural development, and impact. Crucial for understanding and improving the world.
• Anthropology: Studies human origins, development, and societies, divided into physical (forensic, primatology, biological) and cultural (sociocultural, linguistic, applied).
• Psychology: Examines human thoughts, feelings and behaviours to understand and improve mental health, relationships, and decision-making.
• Sociology: Studies human interactions within social systems and groups to comprehend society's structure and function.
• Primary Source: Research data collected directly by the researcher in the field.
• Secondary Source: Summarized information from existing research (e.g., articles, journals).
• CRAAP Test: Method for evaluating sources based on currency, relevance, authority, accuracy, and purpose.
• Research Plan (SS inquiry): Identify the problem, develop a hypothesis, gather data, analyze data, and draw conclusions.
• Survey: Gathering data from a representative sample through a series of questions. Advantages - large sample sizes; Disadvantages - design complexities and validity issues.
• Interviews: One-on-one interactions where researchers ask questions. Advantages - qualitative and quantitative data possible; Disadvantages - time intensive and difficult participant recruitment.
• Observations: Direct observation of behaviours and situations with varied variables. Advantages - rich and detailed data; Disadvantages - potential for participant bias.
• Participant Observation: Researcher actively involved in the observed group. Advantages - multiple perspectives; Disadvantages - potential for bias and inaccuracies.
• Experiments: Investigating relationships between variables through manipulated situations. Advantages - results demonstrable; Disadvantages - prone to bias.
• Content Analysis: Examining and classifying communications (texts, films, etc.) to understand societal and historical contexts. Advantages - direct examination of data; Disadvantages - time-consuming.
• Secondary Analysis: Re-examining existing data for different research purposes. Advantages - cost and time effective; Disadvantages - limitations in data collection, variable categorization difficulties.
• Hypothesis Characteristics: Avoid vague and overly broad questions; keep it specific, testable and achievable.
• Survey Creation: Establish focus, combine open and closed questions, prioritize sensitivity, and construct neutral statements.
• Survey Pitfalls: Avoid bias, double-barreled questions, ambiguities, and irrelevant information.
• Citation Importance: To acknowledge sources and avoid plagiarism.
• APA Format: Standard citation format for academic papers.

Unit 2: Anthropology

• Archaeology: Studies past cultures based on physical remains, involving excavation and reconstruction.
• Applied Anthropology: Uses research to address practical problems in diverse cultures.
• Linguistics: Studies the structure and history of language and its social implications. (Includes historical, structural and sociolinguistics).
• Ethnology: Analysis of the origins and development of cultures.
• Ethnography: Detailed description of particular cultures through participant observation.
• Physical Anthropology: Examines human evolution, human biology, and primate studies, including human skeletal anatomy.
• Biological Anthropology: Investigates human diseases, evolution, and the influences of environmental and social conditions.
• Primatology: Specializes in the study of primates, including humans, apes, and monkeys.
• Forensic Anthropology: Applies skeletal analysis to identify unidentified remains in legal contexts.
• Ethnocentrism: Judging other cultures based on one's own cultural standards, often leading to bias.
• Cultural Materialism: Explains culture through the influence of the physical environment and resource needs.
• The Leakey Family: Renowned for anthropological discoveries in human evolution.

Unit 3: Sociology

• Macrosociology: Examines larger scale social systems and institutions.
• Microsociology: Studies interactions within small groups.
• Social Perspective: Individuals' thoughts and behaviors heavily influenced by social factors.
• Values: Shared beliefs considered acceptable and important in society or groups.
• Norms: Expected behaviours in specific contexts or situations.
• Role: Expected behaviour associated with a social position.
• Socialization: How individuals internalize social skills, goals, and roles.
• Primary Socialization: Learning basic skills for survival in society.
• Secondary Socialization: Learning social behaviours in groups.
• Hidden Curriculum: Societal values and beliefs subtly communicated in schools.
• Social Network: Individuals and organizations connected through social interactions.
• Collective Behavior: Group actions or behaviours that deviate from typical norms.
• Altruism: Selfless concern for the well-being of others.
• Prosocial Behaviour: Helping and caring for others without personal gain.
• Rational Decision Theory: Belief that collective behaviour is rational and purposeful.
• Threshold: Point where a behaviour becomes widespread or ceases.
• Smart Mob: Large group coordinating through electronic media for a surprise gathering.
• Mass Hysteria: Widespread fear or panic that is not necessarily justified.
• Conformity: Adjusting thoughts and actions to match group norms.
• Family (Vanier Institute): Groups bound by consent, birth, or placement, who contribute to physical needs, procreation, socialization, production, and emotional support.

Unit 4: Psychology

• Psychoanalysis/Psychodynamic: Focuses on early experiences and the unconscious mind to understand behaviour.
• ID, Ego, Superego: Basic drives (ID), rational thinking (Ego) and morality (Superego) in the mind.
• Defense Mechanisms: Unconscious strategies to deal with stress and anxiety.
• Repression, Denial, Displacement, Regression, Projection: Examples of defense mechanisms, dealing with anxieties about certain situations.
• Freudian Slip: Unintentional errors in speech revealing unconscious thoughts.
• Iceberg Model: Visual representation of the conscious and unconscious mind's components.
• Free Association: Psychological technique where a person says whatever comes to mind.
• Collective Unconscious (Jung): Shared repository of memories and experiences inherited from ancestors, including archetypes (e.g., hero, mother).
• Archetypes: Universal symbols and patterns found in myths and stories across cultures.
• Classical Conditioning (Pavlov): Learning through association of stimuli. (NS, US, UR, CS & CR).
• Operant Conditioning (Skinner): Learning through reinforcement and punishment.
• Extinction: Weakening of a learned behaviour due to lack of reinforcement.
• Logotherapy (Frankl): Therapy focusing on finding meaning in life.
• Nature vs. Nurture: Genetic factors vs. environmental influences on behaviour.
• Personality: Individual's consistent pattern of thoughts, feelings, and actions.
• Extroverts & Introverts: Individuals energized by interactions with the world, or by spending solitary time.
• Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs: Ordering of basic needs from essential physiological to self-fulfillment.
• Goals of Psychology:
• Describing behaviour.
• Explaining behaviour.
• Predicting behaviour.
• Controlling behaviour.
• Dreaming: Subconscious experience of images, sounds, ideas, or sensations during sleep, particularly REM. Explanations include fulfilling wishes, remembering, forgetting, rehearsing, problem-solving, healing.

Sleep

• Sleep: Periodic, natural, reversible, total loss of consciousness.
• Importance of Sleep: Recuperation, growth, improved mental function.
• Sleep Stages: REM (dreams), NREM-1 (light sleep), NREM-2 (sleep spindles), NREM-3 (deep sleep).

Psychologists:

• Key figures, like Freud (psychoanalysis), Pavlov (classical conditioning), Skinner (operant), Maslow (hierarchy), Frankl (logotherapy), Rogers (client-centered), Bandura (social-cognitive), Piaget (cognitive development & stages), Erikson (psychosocial development), and Jung (collective unconscious) and their significant contributions are included.