HSP3MI
Day 1: Course Outline, Social Bingo
 A man walked into a therapist's office looking very depressed.
 "Doc, you've got to help me. I can't go on like this."
"What's the matter?" the doctor inquired.
"Well, I'm 35 years old and I still have no luck with the ladies. No matter how hard
I try, I just seem to scare them away."
"My friend, this is not a serious problem. You just need to work on your selfesteem. Each morning, I want you to get up and run to the bathroom mirror. Tell
yourself that you are a good person, a fun person, and an attractive person. But
say it with real conviction. Within a week you'll have women buzzing all around
you."
The man seemed content with this advice and walked out of the office a bit
excited. Three weeks later he returned with the same downtrodden expression on
his face.
"Did my advice not work?" asked the doctor.
"It worked alright. For the past several weeks I've enjoyed some of the best
moments in my life with the most fabulous looking women."
"So, what's your problem?"
"I don't have a problem," the man replied. "My wife does.“
A man was walking in the street one day when
he was brutally beaten and robbed.
As he lay unconscious and bleeding, a
psychologist, who happened to be passing by,
rushed up to him and exclaimed:
"My God! Whoever did this really needs help!"
So, you’ve come to the right class!
PHS - History and Social Science Department
2014/ 2015
HSP 3MI - Introduction to Anthropology,
Psychology and Sociology
Teacher: Mr. R. Delsnyder
Course Description:
This course introduces the theories, questions and issues that are the major
concerns of anthropology, psychology and sociology. Students will develop
an understanding of the way social scientists approach the topics they study
and the research methods they employ. Students will be given opportunities
to explore theories from a variety of perspectives and to become familiar
with current thinking on a range of issues that have interested social scientists
in the three disciplines both in the past and present.
Units of Study
Each person is simultaneously like no other person,
Like some other people, and like all other people.
The first part of the course will introduce you to the three different
social sciences: Psychology, Sociology and Anthropology, and to
the ways they generate knowledge. The course will then move into
each of the social sciences in more depth.
• Introduction to Psychology, Anthropology and Sociology and
Social Sciences Research Skills
• Psychology: The Brain & Mental Illness
• Sociology: Socialization, Conformity and Deviance
• Anthropology: Culture and Cultures
Assessment & Attendance
Assessment and Evaluation:
70% Class work, partner and group work, assignments, tests
and quizzes, presentations etc.
30% Summative evaluation:
Final Exam -10%
Major Project -20%
Attendance Issues
When you are away, the onus is on you to find out what work you have missed,
complete the tasks, and come to class with any questions about the work. Tip:
find a partner in the class who will collect notes/materials for you and fill you
in about missed work. After doing your part, feel free to see your teacher for
clarification of anything missed or for extra help. If you miss a test or
assignment for a valid reason, you must initiate arrangements to write it.
Generally, assume that you will write the test the first day you are back.
Due Dates & Late Assignments
PHS policy for the late submission of assignments:
- No late penalties levied for any assignment
- NB: A cut-off date for submission can be set by the teacher
- No zeros are to be entered as a mark for missing work
- Instead, at mid-term and end-of-term, the student’s grade
will be adjusted to reflect the missing work
- Oral presentation dates (individual/group) that are missed will
be treated as missing work
- For school related absences, students must submit work
before they leave or arrange to have a friend or family
member hand in the assignment on the due date.
- In the case of unforeseen and valid absences or illness, the
assignment is due in full on the first day back
Plagiarism
Plagiarism is submitting another’s work, writing or ideas as your own.* This
occurs when you:
• fail to cite sources in an essay or paper carefully and adequately (you
will be taught how to avoid this);
• intentionally cut and paste an author’s writing from the internet or a
book without using quotation marks and citing the source;
• submit something written or created by another student or author
The student is responsible to be academically honest. Plagiarism is
treated as a serious academic offence at the university and college level
and beyond! The response here at PHS involves losing grade points and
participating in an academic honesty workshop.
Please clear up any questions or problems with citation
…before problems occur!
* See the results of the latest (American) National Youth Ethics Survey:
http://www2.wnct.com/nct/news/local/education/article/survey_shows_many_teens_lie_cheat_and_steal_their_
way_through_high_school/25233/
Speaking of Cheating…
The Josephson Institute in the U.S. has been tracking American youth in
regard to their practical ethics. Thousands of high school students are
surveyed (12,000 in 2002, 30,000 in 2008). Note the trends.
• Students who admitted they cheated on a test/exam in the past year.
1992
2000
2002
2006
2008
2010
2012
61%
71%
74%
60%
64%
59%
51%
• Students who admitted they used the Internet to plagiarize.
2006
2008
2010
2012
33%
36%
34%
32%
*In my 2009 Gr. 12 Summer School
class, 6 of the 15 plagiarized (40%).
• Students who admitted they lied to their parents about something significant.
1992
2000
2002
2008
2010
2012
83%
93%
93%
83%
80%
76%
More recently…
In 2010, 59 percent of students admitted they had cheated on an exam in
the past year; in 2012 that rate dropped to 51 percent.
Students who copied an Internet document for a classroom assignment
dropped 2 percent, from 34 percent in 2010 to 32 percent this year.
Students who said they lied to a teacher in the past year about something
significant dropped from 61 percent in 2010 to 55 percent in 2012.
Those who lied to their parents about something significant also
dropped from 80 percent to 76 percent
See more at: http://charactercounts.org/programs/reportcard/2012/installment_report-card_honestyintegrity.html#sthash.DC0ErDHm.dpuf - See more at:
http://charactercounts.org/programs/reportcard/2012/installment_report-card_honestyintegrity.html#sthash.DC0ErDHm.dpuf
- See more at: http://charactercounts.org/programs/reportcard/2012/installment_report-card_honestyintegrity.html#sthash.DC0ErDHm.dpuf
What Does it Mean?
A few interesting stats (from 2008):
• 26% admitted confessed they lied on at least one or two questions on the
survey (Experts agree that dishonesty on surveys usually is an attempt to
conceal misconduct)
• 93% said they were satisfied with their personal ethics and character
• 77% said that when it comes to doing what is right, I am better than most
people I know (81% in 2012)
Why do our teens lie, cheat and steal – yet think that they are satisfied with
their moral character?
Some experts believe today’s teens “are reacting to intense pressures to achieve
and that causes them to cut corners.” Others say the increase in these numbers is
more likely “the reflection of a cynical society.” Does the decrease in recent
years indicate less cynicism?
What do you think? Which explanation is ‘psychological,’
and which is more ‘sociological’?
Our Classroom
Seating Plan
- You choose initially – but the teacher reserves the right to change it up
- While I am leading the class, I find the class can easily be less focused if
too many students are interacting with their neighbours.
What Works
Be PREPARED – Come organized for class, with the expectation that
you’ll learn something.
PARTICIPATE – Class activities work better when people participate
with a positive attitude.
Be POLITE – Challenge ideas, don’t attack people. Give those who
don’t talk a lot a chance.
Our Classroom
About Note-Taking
- There will be a PowerPoint for most/all lessons
- Key material in bold font
- Note-taking template provided (not for full notes!)
- I’ll copy PPT files to your student folders:
- IF the class does not use their availability to justify
disengagement in class
- BTW: You can use myfiles.wrdsb to access your desktop
(https://myfiles.wrdsb.ca/)
Your Notebook
Topic(s):
I suggest you set up the pages in
your notebooks like this. I don’t
expect you to record all the info.
Main Points
Supporting Details
• Look for headings
• Look for the raw
information
• You don’t have to write
every word
Questions/Thoughts
* If students make a good
effort to keep notes, or to
be engaged, I will make my
PowerPoints available.
Activity 1 – Fairness: A Social Construct
 Partners – You are assigned a partner on the other half
of the classroom
 Groups A & B – Class divided into 2 groups – in Row 1+
2 by the door and Rows 4 + 5 by the register
 The first person in Row 1 and the first in Row 4 are
partners etc… The first person in Row 2 and the first in
Row 5 are partners etc…
 Have vs. Have-Nots – Group A members get a cookie,
while Group B members have a writing assignment
 Begin…
Social Science Experiments
 Experiments often misdirect as to their purpose, to
protect the integrity of the observations
 This experiment was not about social notions of
fairness – it was about HOW people eat their Oreos ( a
cookie enjoyed in over 100 countries)
 Report! How did your subjects consume their Oreo?
Test Results – How Did You Eat Your Cookie?
A Personality Indicator:
*Psych experiments often
misdirect!
1. The whole thing.
This means you consume life with abandon, you are fun to
be with, exciting, carefree with some hint of recklessness. You are totally
irresponsible. No one should trust you with their children.
2. One bite at a time.
You are lucky to be one of the 5.4 billion other people who eat their Oreos this very
same way. Just like them, you lack imagination, but that's okay, not to worry, you're
normal.
3. Slow and Methodical.
You follow the rules. You're very tidy and orderly. You're very meticulous in every
detail with every thing you do to the point of being anal retentive and irritating to
others. Stay out of the fast lane if you're only going to go the speed limit.
4. Feverous Nibbles.
Your boss likes you because you get your work done quickly. You always have a
million things to do and never enough time to do them. Mental breakdowns and
suicides run in your family. Valium and Ritalin would do you good.
Test Results
5. Dunked.
Every one likes you because you are always up beat. You like to sugar coat unpleasant
experiences and rationalize bad situations into good ones. You are in total denial about
the shambles you call a life. You have a propensity towards narcotic addiction.
6. Twisted apart, the inside, and then the cookie.
You have a highly curious nature. You take pleasure in breaking things apart to find
out how they work, though not always able to put them back together, so you destroy
all the evidence of your activities. You deny your involvement when things go wrong.
You are a compulsive liar and exhibit deviant, if not criminal, behavior.
7. Twisted apart, the inside, and then toss the cookie.
You are good at business and take risk that pay off. You take what you want and throw
the rest away. You are greedy, selfish, mean, and lack feelings for others. You should
be ashamed of yourself. But that's ok, you don't care, you got yours.
8. Just the cookie, not the inside.
You enjoy pain.
9. I just like to lick them, not eat them
Stay away from small furry animals and seek professional medical help - immediately.
Test Results
10. I don't have a favorite way, I don't like Oreo cookies.
You probably come from a rich family, and like to wear nice things, and
go to up-scale restaurants. You are particular and fussy about the things
you buy, own, and wear. Things have to be just right. You like to be
pampered. You are a prima donna. There's just no pleasing you.
Test Subjects!
-
-
Is there any validity to
this test?
Is there any way to make
it valid?
Activity 2 - Psych-Soc-Anthro Bingo
Get signatures and identify the correct idea from the list below to
complete the bingo sheet (put the term in the brackets below the
name).
Agent of Socialization
Genetics
Brain Based
Birth Order Theory
Mental Illness
Memory
Nature-Nurture
Stage of Development
Archaeology
Culture
Bingo Notes
Genetics – the process of inheritance – eye colour, twins, family resemblance
Brain – memory formation, right/left side dominance, logical/creative
Nature/Nurture – second language facility, emotional patterns, musical ability
Culture – lived in another country, exposed to different ways of thinking
Media Socialization – mass media teaches what we need to know in order to
participate in society
Agent of Socialization - persons, groups, or institutions that teach us what we
need to know in order to participate in society
Group Socialization – Harris’s theory – peers more important for personality
development (than parents)
Birth Order Theory - Adler believed that the order in which you are born to a
family inherently effects your personality
Stages of Development – Erikson proposed eight stages through which a
healthily developing person should pass
Archaeology – Cultural Anthropologists rely on the findings of archaeology
Activity 3 - You, Your Group, Your Culture
On a piece of paper:
- in the centre put the single most important thing or
person in your life
- out from the centre, either draw or write about your:
life aspirations, closest friends or family, hobbies, job,
school, sports, beliefs, people you admire
- add colour
Sign your name
Hand it in…It’s an opportunity for me
to get to know you a little bit…
Activity 4 – A Name Game
Get in a circle
Teacher starts:
My name is Rob and I like to Read
Next person to the right:
You’re Rob and you like to read
I’m Cathy and I like Cats
Next:
You’re Rob and you like to read
You’re Cathy and you like Cats
I’m Doug and I like Dogs
Teacher goes last
Psychology, Sociology and Anthropology are sciences that
focus on understanding human behaviour.
The names are based on Greek or Latin terms:
 Psychology – Gk. psyche [“spirit” or “soul”] +
Gk. logos [“word” or “the study of”]
 Sociology – Lat. Socius [“companion”] + Gk. Logos
 Anthropology – Gk. Anthropos [“man”] + Gk. Logos
Day 2-3 – Terms, Overview, Cases
The Big Three Social Sciences
Create an organizer like the following in your notebook. It
should take a whole page, depending on your writing.
Psychology
Definition:
Focus on:
Areas of Inquiry:
Names:
Sociology
Anthropology
Note
PSYCHOLOGY
Definition
The scientific study of the mind/psyche
Focus On
On humans as individual persons
On the mental processes, emotions, behaviour and
development of the individual to understand the patterns
in human behaviour
Areas of Inquiry
• intense scrutiny of an individual
• knowledge of physiology, biology, and current research
in sociology
Names:
Freud, Adler, Jung, Piaget,
Skinner, Erikson
Example:
How does the mind give meaning to what it receives from the
senses?
How can someone overcome chronic depression?
Are our actions or thoughts a result of what is inside us, of what
we have been born with, or a result of external influences, of our
environment? Is it nature or nurture?
Three 20th Century
Conceptual Revolutions in Psychology
PSYCHOANALYSIS
Founded by
Sigmund
Freud
BEHAVIORISM
Pioneers:
John B. Watson
(Founder)
B. F. Skinner
HUMANISM
Pioneers:
Abraham
Maslow
Carl
Rogers
Distinguishing Between Terms
Beginning with the Letters:
P
S
Y C H
Psychology: the scientific study of behavior and mental
processes. “Scientific” means...
beliefs are based on empirical evidence
—careful, systematic observations.
Psychiatry: the branch of medicine concerned with the
diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of mental disorders.
Most similar to clinical psychology.
Psychotherapy: the treatment of psychological disorders using
psychological rather than biological methods.
Psychoanalysis: a field introduced by Sigmund Freud
consisting of a theory of personality and a method of
psychotherapy; emphasizes the unconscious mind.
Some Specialty Areas Within Psychology
 Clinical Psychology: concerned with the diagnosis and




treatment of relatively severe mental and behavioral
disorders.
Counseling Psychology: deals with problems of adjustment
in everyday life (marital, social, occupational).
Developmental Psychology: focuses on how people change
and grow over the lifespan—infancy, childhood (child
psychology), adolescence, adulthood, and old age
(gerontology).
Social Psychology: studies how an individual’s thoughts,
feelings, and behavior are affected by other people.
Industrial/Organizational Psychology (I/O): focuses on
behavior in the workplace.
Psychometrics: designs tests to measure mental abilities,
personality traits, and symptoms of psychological disorders.
SOCIOLOGY
Note
Definition:
The scientific study of social groups
Focus on:
On humans as members of a social group
On the behaviour of people in groups, on their
interactions and relationships and on the social structures
they develop
Areas of Inquiry:
Names:
Comte, Durkheim, Marx,
Weber, Parsons, Murdock
• How the group we belong to shapes our thinking and
experience
• Relates what appears to be an individual issue (e.g.
Suicide) to larger issues (e.g. social alienation)
Example:
Why do so many North American suffer from depression?
Why do increasing numbers of youth cheat at school?
Sociology - Theories
Conflict Theory - A theoretical
framework in which society is viewed
as being composed of groups
competing for scarce resources.
Functional Analysis - A theoretical
framework in which society is viewed as a
whole unit, composed of interrelated parts,
each with a function that, when fulfilled,
contributes to society’s equilibrium.
Symbolic Interactionism - A theoretical
perspective that focuses on how people use
symbols to establish meaning, develop their
views of the world, and communicate with
one another.
Anthropology
Note
Definition:
The scientific study of hominids and human culture over time
Focus on:
On hominids/humans as members of a species or cultural
group
On humankind as a species, throughout time;
On how human culture has shaped the way people live
• Physical Anthropology
- compares ancient human/hominid remains using
archaeology
- compares ancient and modern cultures, looking for
Names:
patterns
Taylor, Boas,
• Cultural Anthropology
Malinowski, Levi-Straus,
- compares shared patterns of learned behaviour in a
Lorenz, Leaky, Goodall,
particular society with those in another
Fosey
Areas of Inquiry:
Anthropology
Primarily concerned with
humans as a biological
species
- Most closely related to
natural sciences
- Major research areas:
Human evolution
Modern human variation
Subfield of Anthropology, Philosophy, and
English
Main research areas:
- How language is used
- Relationship between language and
culture
- How humans acquire language
Sometimes known as Ethnology, Cultural Anthropology examines contemporary
societies and cultures throughout the world.
Participant observation: Ethnography, ethnographic data
Characteristics of a Scientific
Approach to Psychology
 Qualifies its statements about human nature; states
the conditions under which a generalization holds up.
 Quantifies its statements about human nature; uses
numbers to describe how much of something there is.
 Follows rules of evidence to establish facts; key
point...
We must distinguish between observations (facts)
and interpretations (theories).
Example: Alternative Parents
Lesbian couples raise happier kids.
True or False?
True
 A recent study concluded that children raised by
lesbians turned out better psychologically than those
raised by a “traditional” married couple
 The study followed children raised by lesbians who
were artificially inseminated 25 yrs ago
 Their children were happier, less aggressive, had less
anxiety, and scored higher on “social competence”
measures
Individually place terms, then
Compare with a partner
Key Terms
Create a three column chart with the following headings:
Psychology
Sociology
Anthropology
Place the following terms in the correct category:
Perception
Evolution
Bystander Effect
Natural Selection
Chance Mutation
Gender
Functionalism
Institution
Cognition
Genetics
Interventionism
DNA
Culture
Inquiry Model
Feminism
Conflict School
Symbolic Interactionism
Personality
Intelligent Design Theory
Survey Research
Interview Research
Participant Observation
Case Study Research
“Missing Link”
The Jaycee
Dugard Case
• Watch the video
news clips of the case
of Jaycee Dugard.
• Read the news
article
• Record the basic
facts of the case
(5 Ws) in point form.
•With a partner,
complete the chart.
PSYCHOLOGIST
What questions
would they ask?
What influences
would they look
to?
How would they
explain this?
SOCIOLOGIST
ANTHROPOLOGIST
Which Questions Does Each Discipline Ask?
PSYCHOLOGIST
What
questions
would they
ask?
What
influences
would they
look to?
How would
they
explain?
SOCIOLOGIST
ANTHROPOLOGIST
What went through your mind
when you were first taken? Did
N.’s presence help JC?
How did she cope with giving
pregnancy/birth?
Why did Nancy help P.?
Does JC still deal with fear?
What motivated her to tell her
story? How did this experience
form her as a person?
Biological factors – early teen
pregnancy – bonding –
Teen coping mechanisms
(dissociation)
Guarido’s home situation
How do similar groups interact –
how does this compare?
How do parole officers generally
manage these cases?
How do relationships between
captive and captor change over
time?
How do neighbors recognize
space? Are rapists likely to reoffend?
How does our culture teach
us to respond to authority?
How do other cultures teach
children about authority?
How do other communities
respond to this sort of
event? How do other
cultures regard teen
pregnancies in this type of
situation?
Impact of living in a prison pop –
Impact of prior history in similar
cases – Do abusive parents
influence pedophiles like P?
What are the soc. norms that
neighbors follow?
Religion – media –
education - laws
Is P – schizophrenic? He
abused JC and P treated her as
daughter
Pedophilia often presents 2
faces
N suffered from lack of
affirmation – (home life?)
Larger patterns – early onset
mental disorders –
commonalities in child
abduction
Which Questions Does Each Discipline Ask?
PSYCHOLOGIST
What
questions
would they
ask?
What
influences
would they
look to?
How would
they
explain?
How did JC react at
first?
How did her loss lead
to parents divorce?
How did JC come to
sympathize with G.?
G.’s home life/parents
JC’s coping
mechanisms during
the early days/months
JC’s eventual loyalty
is evidence of the
‘Stockholm
Syndrome’
SOCIOLOGIST
Why did neighbors
not notice? Is this
typical behaviour?
What is the soc.
Function of sex
offender lists?
What was the effect of
media attention on
JC’s parents.
What are the social
norms that kept G.’s
neighbors distant.
Certain soc ial
agreements set up a
distance between
neighbors. “Nosy
neighbor’”= negative
2012
ANTHROPOLOGIST
Why was the whole
community so
deeply affected?
What value do
human communities
place on children?
Conditions that turn
adults against the
children of others
Other society’s
response to
pedophilia
Our culture sees sex
adult-preteen sex as
deviant
Most cultures have a
‘taboo’ on this
2012
PSYCHOLOGIST
SOCIOLOGIST
ANTHROPOLOGIST
What
questions
would they
ask?
What factors in a man’s life
might lead to violence?
How does someone learn to
express himself violently?
What factors in a man’s might
lead to violence vs women?
Are there any common
factors in the
personality and
experience of men
who are violent
towards women?
Why do some cultures have
a greater problem with
violence towards women
than others?
What
influences
would they
look to?
Past experience shapes
personality –
So was Lepine exposed to
violence growing up?
What was Lepine’s experience
with women like? E.g. with his
mother.
Does family history
have a role to play in
the lives of men to
learn to treat women
violently?
How does society (family,
religion, school etc.) teach
men to value being in
control?
What value do other
societies place on being in
control?
How would
they
explain?
Lepine had a violent father –
violence was modeled as a
solution to certain problems.
Lepine’s father modeled the
view that women are inferior.
Lepine blamed women, as a
group, for his own problems in
life.
Lepine fits profile: few
friends, family broken
by violence, victim of
physical and sexual
abuse
Society has traditionally
tolerated violence towards
women (in ads, in rape
cases). Film and music
express this . Lepine was
open to this message
because of his family
history.
How Social Scientists Study
Working with a partner, you will discover how the different social
scientists explain human behaviour.
 Your folder has 4 readings (2 readings each)
 Each partner reads A or B, then C or D.
 After reading A/B, explain to your partner the facts of your case, and the
questions, influences, and explanations you have recorded in the following
chart. S/he will do the same for you.
 For readings C and D, you need to develop (only) the questions yourselves
PSYCHOLOGIST
SOCIOLOGIST
ANTHROPOLOGIST
Reading A
Reading B
Reading A
Reading B
Reading A
Reading B
Reading C
Reading D
Reading C
Reading D
Reading C
Reading D
Questions
Assumptions
Method
Explanation
2014F
PSYCHOLOGIST
SOCIOLOGIST
ANTHROPOLOGIST
Reading A
Reading B
Reading A
Reading B
Reading A
Reading B
Reading C
Reading D
Reading C
Reading D
Reading C
Reading D
Social
Science
Questions
What personality factors (mental or
emotional disorder, family
background, formative experiences?)
led the people involved here to
abandon a child
Assumptions
Method(s)
Explanation
What common social factors (peer
group values, broken families, spousal
abuse?) are shared by people who
abandon their children in Can.?
What values/ideas are promoted in Can
(media violence, value of the child,
shame, taboos?)that lead people to think
it is acceptable for them to abandon
children? Are new mothers valued more
than newborns?
Day 4: ‘Common Sense’, Clear Thinking,
Proper Inquiry Method, Ethics
Common Sense & Human Behaviour
 ‘Common sense’ defined:
 Sound judgment not based on specialized knowledge
 Sound and prudent judgment based on a simple
perception of the situation or facts
 E.g. - What is our common sense understanding of
shopping?
 If we need it and can afford it, we can buy it
 And if the store has it in stock, we buy it
 And...
Common Sense about Humans
Read the following
statements.
Which do you think are true,
and which are false?
Violent crime is on the rise in Canada.
In terms of personal relationships, opposites attract.
Primitive societies have very little technology.
Poverty is decreasing in Canada.
Capital punishment prevents murders.
Children of divorced parents tend to have more problems in school.
Homeless people want to be out on the street.
Some people dream and some do not.
Young people from working-class backgrounds are more likely to
commit crimes than those from middle-class backgrounds.
10. Men have always been dominant over women.
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
Every statement is FALSE!
Surprised?
 Why is it difficult to be a good student of humanity simply
by watching the news and observing people?
Possible answers:
• media bias (esp. towards the sensational)
• myths/misunderstandings
• personal experience skewed by factors such as: age,
gender, race, socio-economic background, culture…
• personal/common understandings of language
Dangers to Clear Thinking
 Having (and not acknowledging) bias (age bias, gender






bias, ethnic, religious, political etc.)
Ignoring relevant research
‘Jumping to conclusions’
Relying on a small group/sample for general conclusions
Ignoring relevant test/research conditions
Mistaking coincidence for cause-effect
Relying on faulty/undocumented research
 Read the short article (overhead or handout). See the video
clip…Identify 5 problems with Rushton’s research.
Problems with J. Phillipe Rushton’s
Evolution and Behaviour
 Based on re-analysis of old data
 Selective use of data – i.e. Only the data that fit
 His own research broke some ethical rules
 Inadequate documentation – no list of references
 Ignoring relevant test conditions – e.g. malnourished
 Supports prejudices – dangerous precedents
 Does not account for cultural factors
 Overall … “lousy science”
Day 5-6: Inquiry Method, Ethics,
PSA Question ID, Research Methods
Good Science – The Inquiry Method
1. Define the question or problem
(May involve initial observation, measurement, or
definition of a topic. E.g. Of planets before Newton)
E.g. How does a part time job affect high school student grades?
2. Form an hypothesis – a possible answer
E.g. The more time a student spends at work, the more the marks
suffer. (Inverse relation: Hours increase, Grades decrease)
3. Perform experiment and collect data
E.g. Report card results + sample survey for hour of work
4. Analyze the data for patterns E.g. 10-15 hrs
grade increase
5. Interpret data and draw conclusions that serve as a starting
point for new hypothesis (back to #2)
Examples
 Q1: Do EC activities make a student more stressed?
 H: Yes – because of the time commitment
 Exp’t: Survey – students involved in EC – compare grades
 Q2: Are dog owners generally happier than cat owners?
 H: Dog owners gen more happy – dogs more expressive
 Exp’t – 1. examine behaviours, 2. survey of owners
 Q3: Are students who lie to parents more prone to lie to
teachers?
 H: Yes- if at home then anywhere. Is there a gap?
 Exp’t: Simple surveys, Interviews of parents & teachers
Examples
 Q: Do humans feel more sympathy for injured animals
than injured humans?
 H: Humans more sympathy to animals (Cute factor)
 Exp’t – Street surveys, questions, physiological response
measurement
Think-Pair-Share
Your turn:
 With a partner, propose a question
 Form an hypothesis

(an answer you might expect to find)
 Come up with an idea for an experiment that you could
use to prove/disprove your hypothesis
 Share ideas with class
Research and Ethics
The American Psychological Association’s Code of Ethics
1. No surprise rule: the investigator should inform participants of
2.
3.
4.
5.
all features of the research that might influence their
willingness to participate.
Open handed: there should be openness and honesty between
researcher and participant(s). The reasons for any
concealment (e.g. Double-blind procedures) are to be given.
Bail-out Rule: participants are free to back out at any time.
Clarity: the responsibilities of researchers and participants
should be made clear from the start.
Taking care: the researcher should protect participants from
physical and mental discomfort and danger, and should take all
possible measures to minimize distress.
Social Science Research Methods
 Case Studies
 Repeated observations of the same situation or individual
over a period of time
 Detailed information about one situation
 Difficult to draw general conclusions from one case
 Used by all social sciences
 Participant Observation
 Done in the field rather than the lab
 Researchers can observe how people behave in their usual
surroundings
 Researchers observe and talk to subjects and share in their
activities
Research Methods - cont’d
 Participant Observation – cont’d
 Sometimes informants are used (= people from the group with
whom researchers develop a close relationship; they help
interpret the group’s activities)
 Used mainly by sociologists and anthropologists
 Library Research
 Study, analyze, compare research, statistics etc.
 Natural/Unstructured Observation
 Done in the field, without predetermined idea
 Observe people’s behaviour in normal setting, without interaction
 Notes describe what people do and say
 Develops ideas of subjects’ attitude and behaviours afterwards
Research Methods - cont’d
 Natural/Structured Observation
 Same as above, except uses predetermined criteria
Sample Survey
 Written/verbal survey that asks questions of a sample group of





people that represents a larger group (re. age, sex, religion)
Anonymous responses (no specific identifying info required)
Used by sociologists to spot trends
Gets info about a larger group without direct contact with the
whole group – the results are extrapolated
Multiple choice answers – easy to analyze but limited to answers
supplied, so depth of response is not great
E.g. The General Survey –


Ask anyone
Needs to be a large sample (min. 1000) to get good info
Research Methods - cont’d


Respondents first answer a series of questions re. their age, sex,
occupation, region, race etc.)
E.g. Gallup Poll
 E.g. The Focused Survey


Ask only those people who meet certain criteria (e.g. under 18, only
female, only first-borns)
Narrows/Focuses the research
 Interview



Limited group, more in-depth, face-to-face
Prepared questions
Takes time; hard to collate/summarize the individual answers
Research Methods - cont’d
 Experiment


Allows researchers to find connection/correlation between
factors
“Control group” and Experimental group”
The difference between a control
group and an experimental group is
one group is exposed to the
conditions of the experiment and the
other is not.
Which Research Method?
PO = Participant Observation
NO = Natural Observation
LR = Library Research
Q = Questionnaire
E = Experiment
I = Interview
Q Do Americans believe that Obama is living up to his promise as
____
President of the U.S.?
NO Does the presence of an adult influence social behaviour in a
____
school playground?
____
PO What is the lifestyle of the new Canadian immigrant from South
America?
____
I What are the social concerns of expectant mothers in Canada
today?
L How has the number of common-law marriages changed since
____
1950?
____
E Are employers more likely to hire someone who is taller than
average?
Day 7: Observation Activity
Unstructured, Manage Data –
Create Criteria/Checklist
Research Methods:
Unstructured Observation
 Observer attempts to describe relevant behaviour
 Descriptive notes are taken during the observation
 This is called Qualitative data – e.g. A qualitative way to report room
temperature: the room is warmer than the outside; quantitative: room
temperature is 23 degrees C
 Unstructured Observation Activity
(See Board List)
 With 1-2 partners, find a location in the school:



See sign-up list on the board – first come first served
15 of you will be in a classroom – groups of 3
9 of you will be in various locations around the school – groups of 2
 Record observations about people you see in your location
 Return to class after 15 minutes
Halls/Caff. – Unstructured Observation
 Crush Area
2014F
 People walking by in groups (usually guy groups & girl groups)

Talking with each other
 People filling water bottles at fountain
 People sitting on bench listening to music (on headphones)
 People going to washroom – girls by pairs/groups
 One guy made a few pass-bys during 15 min
 Halls
 People going to lockers (opening/closing)
 Most are alone
 Lots of teachers by the Office
 Body language – single – head up or down, seem tense (felt observed?)

Pairs/groups – more relaxed, focus more on friend than any one else in hall
 By Office – most running up stairs; singles playing with hair (B&G) or phones;
teachers more likely to be walking slower; 1 going for late slip
 Cafeteria
 Lots casually snacking; a few groups playing cards; no one alone
 Medium level din – much quieter than lunch
 Gr 10 SAC members – went underneath stage & laughed
 1 guy drank bottle of milk in 4 gulps
Classrooms – Unstructured Observation
 Boy responds to gay topic with ‘Ewww’ – others laughed
2014F
 Girl walks in late – goes to seat & slouches
 Boy texting in back of class (for 15 min+)
 2 girls with bags on lap & writing notes as teacher talks
 Boys – bouncing knees & pens during lesson; eyes wandering; seem distracted
 Pair work – most worked singly – though playing on phone – most not on task
 Quiet, and did not respond to others around them
 When teacher left, students talking among each other till teacher returned
 Guy playing with flashlight – distracting others
 Guys distracted by piece of rubber on desk
 Class clapped when another teacher entered the room
 Girl looked at observers 5x; another dropped pen and swore; guys takes glasses off
and puts in mouth; Same small group of girls & 1 guy answering teachers questions
 1 guys kept talking out (questions & comments)
 Watching war film quietly & taking notes; 2 girls chatted during
 Most rested heads in hands; a lot had feet crossed under desk
 Little teacher – class interaction; Some girls chewing on pen
 Teacher – eccentric hand gestures
Unstructured Observation – The Data
 Use the descriptive data gathered
 Work with other students who observed in the same
kind of place (classrooms or hallways)
 Create a checklist of specific behaviours
 Would be used in Structured Observation Activity
 Must be specific behaviours
 These must be a meaningful part of the behaviours
described in your notes
 Some interpretation may be required here
 Go back to same places and record/count …
Day 10-11: Structured Observation
Interview, Analyzing Survey Results
Research Methods:
Structured Observation
 Can take several forms; most common is the checklist
 Behaviours recorded during unstructured observation can be




used to create the checklist
Behaviours must be explicitly defined so that there is no
question in the mind of the observer as to whether or not they
occur.
Advantage: 1) many more subjects can be observed, in less
time, than with unstructured observation, 2) data analysis is
much simpler – count how many times the behaviour occurred
Exercise: With your partner, examine your unstructured
observations and develop a list of specific behaviours to observe
Homework: Use the handout to observe (mis)behaviours today
Location - Classes Info - 121
122
Behaviours 2014F B/G
Fidgeting
Window look-out
Playing with pen/pencil
hair etc.
Texting
Socializing
Yawning/Stretching
Calling Out
Joking/Laughing
123
109
93
T
Number of times observed
B
4
9
7
7
7
34
G
5
1
1
4
10
21
B
2
0
1
1
1
5
G
0
0
0
0
0
0
B
5
4
2
6
22
G
7
1
6
5
13
32
B
4
3
0
0
4
11
G
3
1
0
0
3
7
B
2
0
1
0
2
5
G
2
1
0
2
1
6
B
5
0
0
3
2
10
G
1
2
0
2
0
5
B
1
0
3
0
9
13
G
0
0
0
1
1
2
B
1
0
0
2
3
6
G
7
0
0
1
2
10
5
Location - Halls
Info -
Behaviours
B/G
In Groups
Single/Alone
Listening to music
Texting
Eating
Filling water bottles
Studying
Using laptop/tablet
2014F
Number of times observed
B
1+1+2
4
G
6+6
12
M
3
3
B
9+1 +5+2
17
G
0+1+4
5
B
1+4+5
10
G
1+2+1
4
CONCLUSIONS?
B
3+1
4
- Not an amt. to be
G
2 (1 constant) + 1 + 3 +
5 + 1 const
B
1
- B & G tend to play/fidget
G
6
in class about the same
B
3
- B more likely to be alone
G
1
in halls & listening to
B
4
music
G
11
B
1
G
2
concerned about in halls
Results of In-Class Structured Observation 2012
Off Task Behaviours
Inattentive
Disruptive
Inappropriate Comment
Talking Out
Talking with Peer(s)
Texting
Uncooperative
Uninvolved
Using Materials
Inappropriately
Incidences - Boys
Incidences - Girls
Analyzing the Data: Statistics 2012
 The raw data collected can be organized in a variety of ways
 E.g. – Total number of incidences (of B&G or Bs or Gs)
 E.g. - Find Median, Average
 E.g. - Find Total or Mean or Average of a specific behaviour
Total Incidences of Off
Task Behaviours
B&G:
B:
G:
# 0f classes:
# of classes:
# of classes:
Median – __________
B&G:
B:
G:
B&G:
B:
G:
(1. List #’s 2. Find middle)
Average (Mean)
What patterns emerge from the Data?
E.g. How do boys and girls behaviour patterns compare/contrast?
Results of In-Class Structured Observation 2012
Off Task Behaviours
Incidences - Boys
Incidences - Girls
Inattentive
5+9+8+1+7+1+6 = 36 1+6+5+8+7+2 =29
Disruptive
13 +18+ 2+3+2+5 = 43
Inappropriate Comment
2+3+2+2+7+4+4 = 24 1+2+1+2 +20 = 26
Talking Out
7+4 +22 +5+3+5 = 46
1+2+4+5+1+6 = 19
Talking with Peer(s)
27+ 15+ 30+ 8+ 11 +17
16+ 5= 129
16 +13 +19 +12+ 12+ 15
22 +9 = 106
Texting
2+7+2+ 17 +2+ 3 = 33
4+3+4+ 23 6 7 5 = 52
Uncooperative
2+5+1+5+1+1 = 15
1+3+1+2 = 7
Uninvolved
2+6+2+2+7+3+3 = 25
3+1+2+2+3+1+2 = 14
Using Materials
Inappropriately
1+2+5+7+1 = 16
1+2 +14 =17
4+4+25+6+3 = 42
Analyzing the Data: Statistics 2012
 The raw data collected can be organized in a variety of ways
 E.g. Total number of incidences (of B&G or Bs or Gs)
 E.g. Find Median, Average
 E.g. Find Total or Mean or Average of a specific behaviour
Total Incidences of Off B&G: 679
Task Behaviours
# classes: 8 total
B: 367
G: 312
Median – Talking w.
B&G: 15
B: 15-16
G: 13-15
B&G: 15.4
B: 16
G: 14.7
Peers
Average (Mean)
What patterns emerge from the Data?
E.g. How do boys and girls behaviour patterns compare/contrast?
Results: Off Task Behaviour
 After collecting the data,
it can be ‘worked’ in a
number of ways
 E.g. Bar graphs can give a
visual representation
 In which off task
behaviour do boys and
girls differ the most (in
our data sample)?
Research Methods: Interview
 Typically involves a face-to-face meeting in which a researcher
(interviewer) asks an individual a series of questions
 Questions are prepared, but others can be asked as needed
 Responses are recorded/transcribed exactly
 NB: permission for the interview, participant aware of the
purpose and intended audience of the interview
E.g. We are asking students why they are in the hall. It’s an
assignment for our Psychology Unit.
 Activity (17 minutes)
[Today – Questions - - Tomorrow – Interviews]
 Partners – develop 3 basic questions to ask students in halls
 Find students in halls – Ask other questions as needed
 Use the checklist provided to gather profile/interview info
 Record specific terms used by subjects (as needed)
PHS Hallway Interview
 Observations so far have shown that there are a fair
number of students in the halls (& Caf.) in second
period here at PHS
 What has brought our fellow students into the halls?
 We should ask them!
 Sign up for a location – spend 15 minutes – approach
students you see and:
 Tell them you are doing a task for your course
 Ask permission to ask them 3-4 quick questions
 BTW – what would be good questions to ask? What do
we social scientists want to know?
Hallway Interview Questions
2014F
What grade are you in?
B/G
What class do you have this period?
Spare? What do you usually do on your spares?
What was happening in the class when you left?
For what reason did you leave class?
How much class time will you be missing (approx)?
Hall Interview Data
Grade
B/G
Info
11
B
Math – yet to go – Smoking – Miss whole period
Marketing - presentations – bathroom – 5 min
Coop – ends early
Spare – eats during
Eng – nothing –washroom – 5 min
Marketing – presentations – wanted to avoid pres - ?? Min
Eng – doesn’t know – kicked out – rest of class
G
English – during lesson – to locker to get book - 5 min
Chemistry – taking a note – bathroom – 5 min
Science – hasn’t gone – won’t go
Spare – usually Tim’s
eLearning – not doing anything
Spare – nothing or homework
Coop – nothing – not started yet
Spare – homework or eat
eLearning English – no computer – nothing
French – presentations – get cough drops – 20 min!!
2014F
Hall Interview Data
Grade
B/G
Info
12
B
Careers – lesson – getting drink - 7 minutes
Eng – work period – Lib – 1 hour
Spare – going for smoke
Eng – reading stuff – bored – rest of class
Native Studies – left to get binder – 5 min
Eng – silent reading – kicked out – rest of class
Spare – music, walks halls
Eng - ??? – washroom – 5 min
Spare – walking around
Spare – usu goes home
eLearning - dropping (spare) - goes to people’s classes
Coop – nothing – works out
Geography – lesson – bathroom - 15 min
Math – not yet to class - another 30 min
G
Spare (3x) - homework & friends
Coop – seat work – she was done – rest of class
eLearning – work in Lib
Eng – seat work – getting book – 7 min
Guitar – test – avoiding – rest of period
2014F
Hall Interview Data
Grade
B/G
Info
9-10
B
Guitar – test – taking attendance folder – 5 min
Science – not yet – 20 min
Eng – writing para – left to get work - 5 min
Math – talking – wanted to get out - 5-10 min
G
9 – Science – research – get password – 10 min
10 - Careers – answering Q – finished early – 25 min
9 – Geo – seat work – washroom – 2 min
10 (2) – Gym – walking halls
Science – lesson – attendance - 5 min
2014F
Results of Interviews 2012
 Interview data can be very hard to analyze for patterns because
of the variety of responses
 Because the school is a structured environment, the range of
responses may be easier to manage
Location &
Subject
Photo
Hist Hall
Photography/Bus
Hall
ENG Hall
M/F & Grade
Excuse to
Teacher & T/F
Breakdown
Results of Interviews 2012
 Interview data can be very hard to analyze for patterns because
of the variety of responses
 Because the school is a structured environment, the range of
responses may be easier to manage
Location &
Subject
M/F & Grade
Excuse to
Teacher & T/F
Photo
Hist Hall
Gr 11/ M: 1 F:31
Gr 11 – 4 (2M 2F)
Gr 12 – 1(F)
Gr 11 : 2M
For class assign
~ 50 outside of class
Getting headphones ~ 10-11 on assign
from Photo class
~ 10 on errand
1 taking pics; other
to washroom
~ 10 on way to smoke
~ 6-8 to washroom
2 on spare, other in
Art – getting water
Photography/Bus
Hall
ENG Hall
Gr 11: 1M 1F; Gr
12: F1
Breakdown
Results of Interviews 2011
 Interview data can be very hard to analyze for patterns because
of the variety of responses
 Because the school is a structured environment, the range of
responses may be easier to manage
Location &
Subject
M/F & Grade
Excuse to
Teacher & T/F
Other
-Bio
-Drama
-French
-Eng
-Math
-spare
-Sign-out
-1&12 (F-4 M-1)
-9 (F-2)
-9, 11 (M-2)
-12
-11 F/Dutch
Bathroom
Sports
T
-Guidance
-Get text, X-country
-Reading in hall
-Attendance
T
T
F
Research Methods:
Surveys – Good, Bad, and Ugly
 The Good – Surveys can be very useful, and revealing!

How else would we know that some part-time working hours can
actually help a high school student’s grades?
 The Bad – Survey information lacks depth, so
questions must be carefully worded.
 The Ugly – A survey reports that 80% of students want

homework on Saturdays! Does this seem likely?
The question was: WHICH would you prefer to do on
Saturdays: (a) homework, (b) go to school
Imprecise questions and poorly developed choices can create
unreliable and even unbelievable results!
The Sample Survey - Questions
 Sample surveys are often used by institutions (School Bullying
Survey), business (brand recognition), and governments.
 It targets a group of people that can represent a larger group
 Results are extended (extrapolated) to apply to the whole group
 Multiple choice answers provide data that is easy to analyze
 Problem – information is limited to the choices, and lacks depth
 Examples:
Anything missing?
What is your major source of news?
a) radio b) TV
c) newspaper
How often have you had physical exercise in the last week?
a) once
b) twice c) three times
d) four or more times
The Sample Survey - Questions
Examples – cont’d
Overall, I really enjoy working cooperatively with other students.
a) Strongly disagree b) Disagree
c) Undecided
d) Agree e) Strongly agree
Cooperative learning has helped me understand course materials.
a) Strongly disagree b) Disagree c) Undecided
d) Agree e) Strongly agree
What do you like most about group work/assignments?
_____________________
Refer to the examples above and answer the following:
1. What are closed-ended questions?
2. What are open ended questions?
3. What are two advantages and two disadvantages to using sample surveys?
4. When is it best to use a sample survey? Why?
Sample Survey - Cautions
 Question bias – Word Choice
 Word choice can bias a survey by choosing words that influence a
respondent's answer. The following asks essentially the same question, but
influenced the response in opposite directions:
10%
 Do you support cutting programs involving aid to the needy? ---- Do you support cutting public welfare programs?----- 39%
 Other sources of bias:

Non-response – Missing data – big problem in phone surveys

Don’t know/Undecided – Used to ‘flatter’ the preferred response

Ignorance – From respondents who do not wish to appear ignorant

Timing – E.g. Football as nation’s favourite sport – in January survey

Under-coverage – survey sample is not representative of target pop.
Sample Survey - Questions
 Untruthful answers – Reasons: sensitive questions, socially
unacceptable answers, telling surveyor what s/he wants to hear.
– E.g. In an experiment, 58% told a phone surveyor that they
exercised regularly, but in a private online survey the number
was 35% [regular church attendance: 56% over the phone, but
25% on line]
 “Leading the witness” – Surveys can lead the respondent to
give the desired results - E.g. One survey focused on the
bottled water industry and its impact on life, environment and
economies. A survey was used to measure people’s perceptions
and opinions. Examine the questions and try to identify where
the survey is ‘leading the witness’
Surveys
See Any Problems?
14. Do you believe that water can
be more expensive than oil?
This question ‘gives away the
game.’ It doesn’t measure
perceptions, and reveals what
the surveyor is after.
An Alternative?
14. For each of the following, compare
your expectation of its price to
water:
a) Much more costly b) More costly c)
Same d) Cheaper e) Much cheaper
gasoline
Coca-Cola
shampoo
orange juice
Surveys
See Any Problems?
The question must not reveal
the intention of the surveyor.
And it must not (as the last 3
questions do) put the person
on the defensive, implying
that they should be doing
something in a certain way.
See the handout...
Survey Assignment
 Work with a partner (optional)
 Formulate a Social Sciences question/problem
 A question about human behaviour
 One that can be explored using a Sample Survey
 Develop your hypothesis (your tentative answer)
 Run it past your teacher
 Develop 20 relevant, unbiased, m/c questions
 Analyze your results for patterns
 See the assignment handout
Due
Sept 25
2014
Day 11: Structured Observation
Analyzing Survey Results,
Participant Observation
“Instinct” – Types of Observation
 Look over your notes: which research methods are
used by the two main characters in the film:
 Gooding’s character:
Interview
 Hopkin’s character:
Participant Observation
 Read about the case of Chagnon and a primitive people
called the Yanomamo.


Answer questions in your notebooks
Return the reading
Participant Observation
 Go to your notes for a basic definition of PO
 Reading: The Case of Chagnon and the Yanomami
 1968 – Yanomamo: The Fierce people by Napoleon Chagnon
 Culture featured much male violence
 Wife beating common, men tried to provoke each other
 30% of men die violently – fighting mostly over women
 Polygyny – where a man has several wives + shortage of women
 Female abduction common
 Reputation for fierceness made it easier to attract/keep wives
 Men regarded as killers had more wives
 Chagnon’s book became one of the most widely read cultural
anthropology books of all time – Q: Were the killers genetically
selected or was it a cultural adaptation to their environment?
Participant Observation
 2000 - Patrick Tierney, Darkness in El Dorado
 Concluded that journalists, scientists, anthropologists who studied the





Yanomami had not merely observed the violence, but triggered it!!
Major disaster – measles carried into the area
Chagnon arranged to inoculate the Yanomami – but genetically
isolated people are prone to severe inoculation-related fevers
Worst epidemic broke out – killing hundreds
Tierney charged that Chagnon knew the dangers, and went ahead
anyway to see if the dominant males would survive at a greater rate –
This would answer his question!
Tierney’s charge is unproven...
Participant Observation
 Professional responsibility:
 Informed consent
 Clear communication
 Assessment of positive and negative effects
Day 13-14 - Library Research/
Experiment
Experiment
 A special observation made to confirm or disprove something
 the only means by which cause and effect can be established
 Allows for control of variables: isolate the one key variable
which has been selected (the IV), in order to observe its effect
on some other variable (the DV)
 Can be replicated, gives quantitative data (numerical amounts of
something) which can be analysed
 But – it can be Artificial - The experiment is not typical of real life
situations
 The range of behaviour in a lab is very limited
 There are cues in the experiment that convey to the participant the
purpose of the experiment (called: demand characteristics)
Experiment – Example
Memory Experiment
 Question – How efficiently can a person recall data from their Short
Term Memory? Hypothesis – TBA
 In groups of 3: Facilitator, Recorder and Subject
 Facilitator reads a list of words to the subject
 After the list has been read, the subject writes down as many words as s/he





can remember
The Recorder checks off the number of terms correctly remembered in the
tabulation chart provided
Repeat this procedure for the second list of terms
The group discusses and tries to explain the difference in the subject’s
performance
The process is repeated for List #3
The group discusses the difference in the difficulty between List #1, 2 and 3
Experiment – Example (2014F)
 Hypothesis
 Data that has recognizable patterns is
more easily recalled.
 Are there patterns?
 Stronger for List __1____ (1 exception)

#3 - # exercise inhibited recall
 Conclusions:
 Easier to recall data when there are
patterns
 Harder to recall when memory is
used for another task
Group List 1
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
List 2
List 3
Experiment – Example (2012)
 Are there patterns?
 Stronger for List ___1___
 5/8 – List 2 better than List 3
 Conclusions:
 NB – List 1 – terms related in some




way; List 2 uses less common terms
Short term memory not perfect
More difficult to remember more than
8-10 terms
Easier to remember related terms
Harder to remember unfamiliar terms
Group List 1
List 2
List 3
1
9-10
5-6
3-4
2
6
2
1
3
15-16
7-8
9-10
4
8
4
3
5
7
3
2
6
9
4
5
7
9-10
7-8
9-10
8
6
3
2
Experiment – Example (2011)
 Are there patterns?
 Stronger for List 1
 Varied between List 2 & 3



4 subjects remember less
3 remember slightly better
1 stays the same
 Conclusions
 Categories/Association help memory
 Difficult to remember many small
and similar bits of information
 Continued efforts to remember
brings decreasing/inconsistent
results
Group List 1
List 2
List 3
1
13
5
3
2
9
4
2
3
11
3
5
4
10
2
5
5
14
5
3
6
9
8
8
7
3
5
2
8
8
4
5
Experiment – Example
Lost Letter Experiment
 Milgram developed a technique for measuring how helpful people
are to strangers who are not present, and their attitudes toward
various groups, called the "lost letter" experiment.
 Several sealed and stamped letters are planted in public places,
addressed to various entities, such as individuals, favourable
organizations like medical research institutes, and stigmatized
organizations such as "Friends of the Nazi Party".
 Milgram found most of the letters addressed to individuals and
favourable organizations were mailed, while most of those addressed
to stigmatized organizations were not.
Case Study
 Repeated observations of the same situation or individual over a




period of time
Provides a lot of detailed information about one person or
situation
Therefore – it is difficult to draw general conclusions
Used by all three social sciences
A case study is made up of:
 Background Info - Age, gender, work, health status, family
mental health history, family and social relationships, drug &
alcohol history, life difficulties, goals & coping skills & weaknesses
 Description of the Presenting Problem – Describe problem or
symptoms; any physical, emotional, sensory symptoms reported by
the subject; and any of his/her thoughts or feelings
 Diagnosis – Summarize the two or more possible treatment
approaches
The Case of David – Reading (2014)
 Presenting Problem
 Violent – assaulted a police officer
 Feels like he’s not in control
Patterns:
Does bad – feels
bad
Schizophrenic?
 Background

History of misbehavior (fights…)





Discipline issues at home (He said he couldn’t control himself)




Verbally assaulted teachers and students
Pulled out of ES & day care
Suspended from MS – defaced property
Suspended a second time for threats
Break things at home
Middle class family

Teased by family (parents in jest, & sister

Compared to sis a lot
Very ill at 4 – set back potty training
Extremely high energy
Anxiety issues –
lead to aggression
Coping with
change
Relationship to
authority
Diagnosis





Asperger's
Syndrome – LE
Autism
ADHD
PANDAS – can get violent – too many white cells –
some don’t grow out of till late 20s
The Case of David – Reading (2012)
 Presenting Problem
 In trouble with law (arrest, in youth jail)


Theft
Assault – violence, anger
 Self control is an issue
 Background
 Angry as a child – lack of discipline
 Lack of support at hope – teasing during potty







training
Some destructive tendencies as small child
Fights at middle school
Social skills an issue – friends are few
Lack of support at school – Gr 5 teacher
Substance abuse
Sibling tensions with older sister
Dog’s death = trigger of ‘low mood’
Patterns:
Aggression
Authority
issues
Increasing
destructive
behaviour
Illegal activity
increasing
Diagnosis (2012)
 ADHD? – energy as child, talk, bounding, inflexibility,
agitated
 Parenting – inconsistent discipline
 Sibling relationship an issue – source of attention
seeking
 Autism? – High IQ – exceptional in one area –
distracted
 Needs to develop emotional control skills, coping skills
 Need for support indicated at home
 Need for structure indicated
- Access to Internet & Desktop ___
- PowerPoint on USB ___
- Review strategy ___
PSYCHOLOGY
Definition
The scientific study of the mind/psyche
Focus On
On humans as individual persons
On the mental processes, emotions, behaviour and
development of the individual to understand the patterns
in human behaviour
Areas of Inquiry
• intense scrutiny of an individual
• knowledge of physiology, biology, and current research
in sociology
Names:
Freud, Adler, Jung, Piaget,
Skinner, Erikson
Example:
How does the mind give meaning to what it receives from the
senses?
How can someone overcome chronic depression?
Are our actions or thoughts a result of what is inside us, of what
we have been born with, or a result of external influences, of our
environment? Is it nature or nurture?
SOCIOLOGY
Definition:
The scientific study of social groups
Focus on:
On humans as members of a social group
On the behaviour of people in groups, on their
interactions and relationships and on the social structures
they develop
Areas of Inquiry:
Names:
Comte, Durkheim, Marx,
Weber, Parsons, Murdock
• How the group we belong to shapes our thinking and
experience
• Relates what appears to be an individual issue (e.g.
Suicide) to larger issues (e.g. social alienation)
Example:
Why do so many North American suffer from depression?
Why do increasing numbers of youth cheat at school?
Anthropology
Definition:
The scientific study of hominids and human culture over time
Focus on:
On hominids/humans as members of a species or cultural
group
On humankind as a species, throughout time;
On how human culture has shaped the way people live
• Physical Anthropology
- compares ancient human/hominid remains using
archaeology
- compares ancient and modern cultures, looking for
Names:
patterns
Taylor, Boas,
• Cultural Anthropology
Malinowski, Levi-Straus,
- compares shared patterns of learned behaviour in a
Lorenz, Leaky, Goodall,
particular society with those in another
Fosey
Areas of Inquiry:
Dangers to Clear Thinking
 Having (and not acknowledging) ______ (re. age, gender,






ethnic, religious, political etc.)
Ignoring relevant __________
‘Jumping to conclusions’
Relying on a small ____________ for general conclusions
Ignoring relevant test/research conditions
Mistaking coincidence for cause-effect
Relying on faulty/undocumented research
Problems with J. Phillipe Rushton’s
Evolution and Behaviour
 Based on re-analysis of old data
 Selective use of data – i.e. Only the data that fit
 His own research broke some ethical rules
 Inadequate documentation – no list of references
 Ignoring relevant test conditions – e.g. Malnourished
 Supports prejudices – dangerous precedents
 Overall – “lousy science”
Good Science – The Inquiry Method
1. Define the ________________________
(May involve initial observation, measurement, or
definition of a topic. E.g. Of planets before Newton)
E.g. How does a part time job affect high school student grades?
2. Form an __________________ – a possible answer
E.g. The more time a student spends at work, the more the marks
suffer. (Inverse relation: Hours increase, Grades decrease)
3. Perform experiment and collect data
E.g. Report card results + sample survey for hour of work
4. Analyze the data for ______________
E.g. 10-15 hrs
grade increase
5. Interpret data and draw conclusions that serve as a starting
point for new hypothesis (back to #2)
Research and Ethics
The American Psychological Association’s Code of Ethics
1. No surprise rule: the investigator should inform participants of
2.
3.
4.
5.
all features of the research that might influence their
willingness to participate.
Open handed: there should be openness and honesty between
researcher and participant(s). The reasons for any
concealment (e.g. Double-blind procedures) are to be given.
Bail-out Rule: participants are free to back out at any time.
Clarity: the responsibilities of researchers and participants
should be made clear from the start.
Taking care: the researcher should protect participants from
physical and mental discomfort and danger, and should take all
possible measures to minimize distress.
Social Science Research Methods
 Case Studies
 Repeated observations of the ____________________
over a period of time
 Detailed information about __________ situation
 Difficult to draw ____________________ from one case
 Used by all social sciences
 Participant Observation
 Done in ________ rather than the lab
 Researchers can observe how people behave in
______________ surroundings
 Researchers observe and talk to subjects and share in their
activities
 Library Research

Study, analyze, compare research, statistics etc.
Research Methods - cont’d
 Participant Observation – cont’d
 Sometimes informants are used (= people from the group with
whom researchers develop a close relationship; they help
interpret the group’s activities)
 Used mainly by ____________ and ______________
 Natural/Unstructured Observation
 Done in the field, without predetermined idea
 Observe people’s behaviour in normal setting, without interaction
 Notes describe what people do and say
 Develops ideas of subjects’ attitude and behaviours
 Natural/Structured Observation
 Same as above, except uses predetermined criteria
Research Methods - cont’d
 Sample Survey
 The Focused Survey


Ask only those people who meet certain criteria (e.g. under 18, only
female, only first-borns)
Narrows/Focuses the research
 Interview



Limited group, more in-depth, face-to-face
Prepared questions
Takes time; hard to collate/summarize the individual answers
 Experiment


Allows researchers to find connection/correlation between factors
“Control group” and Experimental group”
Which Research Method?
PO = Participant Observation
NO = Natural Observation
LR = Library Research
Q = Questionnaire
E = Experiment
I = Interview
Q Do Americans believe that Obama is living up to his promise as
____
President of the U.S.?
NO Does the presence of an adult influence social behaviour in a
____
school playground?
____
PO What is the lifestyle of the new Canadian immigrant from South
America?
____
I What are the social concerns of expectant mothers in Canada
today?
L How has the number of common-law marriages changed since
____
1950?
____
E Are employers more likely to hire someone who is taller than
average?
PSA Questions Activity
 Work individually or with one partner
 Sort the Social Science questions on the worksheet
under the appropriate heading
 Tip – use two different colour highlighters
 Check your answers with the Key at the front