Philosophical Foundations of Social Sciences and Social Research PDF

Philosophical Foundations of Social Sciences and Social Research CSOCPOL/UCSP LESSON 1  Philosophical Foundations of Social Sciences and Social Research Science and Society Philosophies of Science Social Science Research Research...

Philosophical Foundations of Social Sciences and Social Research CSOCPOL/UCSP LESSON 1  Philosophical Foundations of Social Sciences and Social Research Science and Society Philosophies of Science Social Science Research Research Approaches Research Design  Module 1: Prepare Social Implications of Introducing New Technology  Science and Society Philosophical Foundations of Social Sciences and Social Research  Science and Society Philosophical Foundations of Social Sciences and Social Research Science refers to "a systematically organized body of knowledge." It also encompasses the numerous methodologies of inquiry that are used to compile that body.  Philosophical Foundations of Social Sciences and Social Research Science and Society To provide a logical justification for the world around us, scientists are constructing and expanding on bodies of knowledge.  Science and Society Philosophical Foundations of Social “Greek myths explained everything from religious rituals Sciences and Social Research to the weather, and gave meaning to the world that people saw around them” (History, 2023).  Philosophical Foundations of Social Sciences and Social Research Science and Society To provide a logical justification for the world around us, scientists are constructing and expanding on bodies of knowledge.  Science and Society CHARACTERISTICS EXPLANATION Philosophical Foundations of Social Empirical A phenomenon should be observable using different senses. Sciences and Social Research Proportional Things are explained in the form of statements or generalizations. Logical Employs the rule of logic to validate inferences. Ideas are communicated from one scientist to Public another. Problem-solving Presents rational explanations about unexplained observations. Continuous Knowledge is built upon previous and future research on the subject.  Philosophical Foundations of Social Sciences and Social Research Science and Society Science can also be used systematically to explore the complexities of human experiences including beliefs, values, norms, and more.  Science and Society Philosophical Foundations of Social Sciences and Social Research Social sciences: describe the world humans live in and how they interact and organize as a society are used to explain society and connections explore society and how individuals behave and impact the world  Science and Society Philosophical Foundations of Social Sciences and Social Research  Philosophies of Science Philosophical Foundations of Social Sciences and Social Research  Philosophical Foundations of Social Sciences and Social Research Philosophies of Science Philosophical worldview is defined as “a basic set of beliefs that guide action” (Creswell & Creswell, 2017).  Philosophies of Science Philosophy Definition Purpose on research Sample options Philosophical Foundations of Social The philosophical study To know the nature or Sciences and Social Research Ontology of being in general, or purpose of such Subjective, of what applies neutrally research Objective to everything real. The philosophical study To know the basis or Positivism, Epistemology of the nature, origin, framework of such Interpretative and limits of human research , Critical knowledge. Theory The explanation by Teleology reference to some To know the purpose or Prediction, purpose, end, goal, or goal of the research Meaning function. The study of human action To bridge the theory Rigid, Rule of is based on the notion and practice (usually scientific Praxeology that humans engage in for interpretation and method, purposeful behavior. presentation of data) Strict, Creative  Philosophical Foundations of Social Sciences and Social Research Philosophies of Science Ontological Positions: Realism Objectivism Constructivism  Philosophies of Science Philosophical Foundations of Social Ontological Positions Sciences and Social Research Realism: asserts that the social world has a reality that is separate from the social actors involved in it, that can be known through the senses as well as the effects of ‘hidden’ structures and mechanisms. Objectivism: asserts that the social phenomena that make up our social world have an existence of their own, apart from and independent of the social actors (humans) who are involved.  Philosophies of Science Philosophical Foundations of Social Sciences and Social Research “If there were no human beings, there might still be galaxies, trees, rocks, and so on—and doubtless there were, in those long stretches of time before the evolution of Homo sapiens or any other human species that may have existed on earth” (Macquarrie, 1973 in Crotty, 1998).  Philosophies of Science Philosophical Foundations of Social Sciences and Social Research “But what kind of a world is there before conscious beings engage with it? Not an intelligible world, many would want to say. Not a world of meaning. It becomes a world of meaning only when meaning-making beings make sense of it” (Crotty, 1998).  Philosophies of Science Philosophical Foundations of Social Ontological Positions Sciences and Social Research Constructivism: asserts that the social phenomena making up our social world are only real in the sense that they are constructed ideas that are continually being reviewed and reworked by those involved in them through social interaction and reflection. Philosophies of Science Philosophical Foundations of Social Ontological Positions: Constructivism Sciences and Social Research Crotty, 1998  Philosophical Foundations of Social Sciences and Social Research Philosophies of Science Epistemological Positions: Positivism Interpretivism Critical Theory  Philosophies of Science Epistemological Positions Philosophical Foundations of Social Sciences and Social Research Positivism: asserts that knowledge of a social phenomenon is based on what can be observed and recorded rather than subjective understandings. A positivist approach to social research typically means: quantitative data are collected; aspects of the social world, social phenomena, are measured; causal relationships between different aspects of the social world are sought; large data sets and statistical analysis are often used.  Philosophies of Science Philosophical Foundations of Social Epistemological Positions Sciences and Social Research Interpretivism: prioritizes people’s subjective interpretations and understandings of social phenomena and their actions. An interpretive approach to social research typically means: qualitative (rich in detail and description) data is collected; uncovering and working with subjective meanings; interpretation of meaning within a specific context; empathetic understanding, “standing in the other’s shoes.”  Philosophies of Science Philosophical Foundations of Social Epistemological Positions Sciences and Social Research Critical Theory: asserts that knowledge of a social phenomenon is based on both what can be observed and recorded and ‘hidden’ structure sand mechanisms whose effects can be observed. A critical realist approach to social research typically means: revealing hidden structures and mechanisms; uncovering power relations and dominant ideologies; research that leads to action; collecting qualitative and/or quantitative data.  Social Science Research Philosophical Foundations of Social Sciences and Social Research  Philosophical Foundations of Social Social Science Research Sciences and Social Research Social science research involves discovering and learning new things by following a systematic plan of action and applying the principles of research.  Philosophical Foundations of Social Sciences and Social Research Social Science Research Most social science research findings lead to a more informed decision and provide helpful information. Bastos et al., 2009 Social Science Research Philosophical Foundations of Social Sciences and Social Research Mukaila et al., 2022 Social Science Research Philosophical Foundations of Social Sciences and Social Research Mukaila et al., 2022 Social Science Research Philosophical Foundations of Social Sciences and Social Research Mukaila et al., 2022 Social Science Research Philosophical Foundations of Social Sciences and Social Research  Philosophical Foundations of Social Social Science Research Sciences and Social Research Four characteristics of scientific research: The goal is inference. The procedures are public. The conclusions are uncertain. The content is the method.  Social Science Research Philosophical Foundations of Social Sciences and Social Research Four characteristics of scientific research: The goal is inference. The researcher should be able to draw inferences from the data collected.  Social Science Research Philosophical Foundations of Social Sciences and Social Research Four characteristics of scientific research: The procedures are public. It is a rule of thumb for researchers to render their research methods explicit and to allow the community of scholars to validate and assess the reliability and rigor of the study.  Philosophical Foundations of Social Social Science Research Sciences and Social Research Four characteristics of scientific research: The procedures are public.  Social Science Research Four characteristics of scientific research: The procedures are public. Philosophical Foundations of Social Sciences and Social Research Ramiro et al., 2019  Social Science Research Four characteristics of scientific research: The procedures are public. Philosophical Foundations of Social Sciences and Social Research Ramiro et al., 2019  Social Science Research Philosophical Foundations of Social Sciences and Social Research Four characteristics of scientific research: The conclusions are uncertain. “Yet even though certainty is unattainable, we can improve the reliability, validity, certainty, and honesty of our conclusions by paying attention to the rules of scientific inference” (King et al., 2021).  Philosophical Foundations of Social Social Science Research Sciences and Social Research Four characteristics of scientific research: The content is the method. The content of “science” is primarily the methods and rules, not the subject matter, since we can use these methods to study virtually anything (King et al., 2021).  Philosophical Foundations of Social Sciences and Social Research Social Science Research We deal with society as well as its patterns and the various processes that shape what people do.  Research Approaches Philosophical Foundations of Social Sciences and Social Research  Philosophical Foundations of Social Sciences and Social Research Research Approaches Research approaches are classified as qualitative and quantitative.  Philosophical Foundations of Social Sciences and Social Research Research Approaches Qualitative research is primarily concerned with stories and accounts including subjective understandings, feelings, opinions, and beliefs.  Philosophical Foundations of Social Sciences and Social Research Research Approaches Quantitative research is primarily concerned with gathering and working with data that is structured and can be represented numerically.  Research Approaches Philosophical Foundations of Social Sciences and Social Research  Philosophical Foundations of Social Research Design Sciences and Social Research Social research is about exploring, describing, understanding, explaining, predicting, changing, or evaluating some aspect of the social world... ‘what’, ‘why’ and ‘how’ questions (Blaikie, 1993).  Philosophical Foundations of Social Sciences and Social Research Research Design Descriptive Research Exploratory Research Explanatory Research Evaluation Research  Research Design Type of Description Example Research Philosophical Foundations of Social Used to describe characteristics of a Descriptive Who are the young men who Sciences and Social Research population or phenomenon being Research participate in gun crime? studied. Usually conducted to have a better Exploratory understanding of the existing problem, What is it like to be a member Research but usually does not lead to a of a gang? conclusive result. Usually intended to explain, rather Why do young men join gangs Explanatory than simply to describe, the phenomena that participate in gun-related Research studied. crimes? Concerned with the evaluation of such What changes in policy and Evaluation occurrences as social and practice would best help young Research organizational programs or men not to join such gangs? interventions.  Philosophical Foundations of Social Sciences and Social Research Science and Society Philosophies of Science Social Science Research Research Approaches Research Design  Additional References Bastos, A., Casaca, S. F., Nunes, F., & Pereirinha, J. (2009). Women and poverty: A gender- sensitive approach. The Journal of Socio-Economics, 38(5), 764-778. How society is organized Creswell, J. W., & Creswell, J. D. (2017). Research design: Qualitative, quantitative, and mixed methods approaches. SAGE Publications, Inc. Crotty, M. (1998). The foundations of social research: Meaning and perspective in the research process. SAGE Publications, Inc. History. (2023, August 15). Greek Mythology. https://www.history.com/topics/ancient-greece/greek- mythology King, G., Keohane, R. O., & Verba, S. (2021). Designing social inquiry: Scientific inference in qualitative research. Princeton university press. Mukaila, R., Falola, A., Akanbi, S.-U. O., Aboaba, K. O., & Obetta, A. E. (2022). Drivers of poverty among rural women in Nigeria: Implications for poverty alleviation and rural development. The Journal of Rural and Community Development, 17(1), 32–48. Ramiro, L. S., Martinez, A. B., Tan, J. R. D., Mariano, K., Miranda, G. M. J., & Bautista, G. (2019). Online child sexual exploitation and abuse: A community diagnosis using the social norms theory. Child Abuse & Neglect, 96, 104080. 10.1016/j.chiabu.2019.104080 Philosophical Foundations of Social Sciences and Social Research CSOCPOL/UCSP LESSON 1