The Social
HSP3UI
The Cultured
The Psycho
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 problem?" 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 self-esteem. 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."
So, you’ve come to the right class!
PHS - History and Social Science Department
2013 / 2014
HSP 3MI - Introduction to Anthropology,
Psychology and Sociology
Teachers: Ms. L. Strong
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. The
course will then move into each of the social sciences in more
depth.
• Introduction to Psychology, Anthropology and Sociology and
Research Skills
• Psychology: the brain and mental illness
• Sociology: socialization, conformity and deviance
• Anthropology: culture and multiculturalism in Canada
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
The following outlines the PHS History and Social Sciences
Department policy for the late submission of assignments:
All of the Essential Learning in Table 1 (on your outline)
must be demonstrated through a variety of methods as described in
the Assessment and Evaluation section and must be completed in
order to earn this credit. It is also critically important for
students to develop good personal management and planning
skills. These skills will be reflected in the Learning Skills area of
the report card.
A presentation date that is missed will receive a mark of zero.
In the case of unforeseen absences or illness, the assignment is due
on the first day back with proper documentation. See the policy
statement in the Student Handbook.
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 or;
• submit your own essay or written work in two different courses.
Plagiarism is a serious academic offence! It will result in an
automatic ZERO on the assignment.
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
61%
71%
74%
60%
64%
• Students who admitted they used the Internet to plagiarize.
2006
2008
33%
36%
*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
83%
93%
93%
83%
What Does it Mean?
A few interesting stats:
• 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
The question is, why do our teens lie, cheat and steal more today?
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.”
What do you think?
Which explanation is ‘psychological,’ and which is more ‘sociological’?
Our Classroom
Seating Plan
-You will have plenty of opportunities in group work to interact with your
friends.
-While I am leading the class, I find the class can easily be less focused if
too many students can easily interact with their neighbours.
What Works:
Be PREPARED – Come organized for class, with the expectation
that
You’ll learn something!!! (I know, right?!)
PARTICIPATE – Class activities work better when people
participate
with a positive attitude. (Don’t be lame. I’ll know)
Be POLITE – Challenge ideas, don’t attack people. Give those who
don’t talk a lot a chance.
Psych-Soc-Anthro Bingo Activity
Get signatures and identify the correct area from the list below to
complete the bingo sheet.
Culture
Agent of Socialization
Genetics
Brain Based
Birth Order Theory
Mental Illness
Memory
Nature-Nurture
Stage of Development
Archaeology
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
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
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, I will
make my PowerPoint notes
available on the website!
Speaking of Website…
“But I HATE websites… why doesn’t Ms. Strong have Twitter?”   
Add me! It’s not a personal account so please keep all Tweets professional
MMMM…. COOKIES!!!!!
 PICK A PARTNER!!!
1.
Partner One, wait out in the Hallway
2. Partner Two, you get to eat an Oreo Cookie! (Partner
One will get one once Partner Two has eaten theirs)
Test Results
Your Personality:
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.
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
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
Participant Observation
Functionalism
Institution
Cognition
Genetics
Interventionism
DNA
Case Study Research
Gender
Feminism
Conflict School
Symbolic Interactionism
Personality
Intelligent Design Theory
Survey Research
Interview Research
Inquiry Model
Culture
“Missing Link”
The Big Three Social Sciences
Create an organizer like the following in your notebook.
A handout will be provided on the website as well.
Psychology
Definition:
Focus on:
Areas of Inquiry:
Sociology
Anthropology
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
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
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
Observation: Lesbian couples raise happier kids.
True/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
The Jaycee Dugard Case
•Read the Article (Handout)
•Watch the video news clips of
the recent case of Jaycee
Dugard.
1)
http://youtu.be/0Yppy28Pri
I
2)
http://www.youtube.com/watc
h?v=3cK5XVeenp4
• Record the basic facts of the
case
(5 Ws) in point form.
•In groups, complete the
following chart.
PSYCHOLOGIST
What questions
would they ask?
What influences
would they look
to?
How would they
explain?
SOCIOLOGIST
ANTHROPOLOGIST
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 G.’s
neighbors not notice?
Why was G.on a list of
sex offenders?
The effect of media
attention on JC’s
parents.
The social rules that
kept G.’s neighbors
distant.
Certain social
agreements set up a
distance between
neighbors. “Nosy
neighbor’”= negative
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
Day 3: ‘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). 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
 Overall – “lousy science”
Day 4: 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 gen. 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
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
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 Pole
 Sample Survey – cont’d
 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”
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 5-6: Surveys, Questions, Stats,
Ethics
Research Methods:
Surveys – Good, Bad, and Ugly
 The Good – Surveys can be very useful, and revealing!
 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 engaged in 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 - Questions
 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:


Do you support cutting programs involving aid to the needy? -----
Do you support cutting public welfare programs?-----
10%
39%
 Other sources of bias:

Non-response – Missing data – big problem in phone surveys

Don’t know/Undecided – May be 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 a January survey

Under-coverage – survey sample not representative of target population
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’
Can anyone give me an example of where they have read a
survey question in the past that was biased?
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 (or by yourself)
 Formulate a Social Sciences question/problem
 A question about human behaviour
 One that can be explored using a Sample Survey
 Develop your hypothesis (tentative answer)
 Run it past your teacher
 Develop 20 relevant, unbiased questions
 Write a paragraph explaining your reasoning
 See the assignment handout
Due in 1
week!
TUESDAY!
Day 7-8: Structured Observation
Interview, Analyzing Survey Results
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 ***
 With 1-2 partners, find a location in the school
NB: NOT outside, in any classroom, the library (Admin.
knows) – Do not disturb any class
 Record observations about people you see in your location
 Return to class after 15 minutes

Unstructured Observation – The Data
 Use the descriptive data gathered
 Create a checklist of specific behaviours
 Would be used in Structured Observation
 Must be specific behaviours
 Behaviours must be a meaningful part of the activity
described in your notes
 Some interpretation required
 Count the number of boys and girls in each class.
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
- RE-EVALUATE! Go back out into a different classroom to gather
quantitative data!
Results of In-Class Structured Observation 2012
Off Task Behaviours
Incidences - Boys
Incidences - Girls
Inattentive
6 2 2 3 =13
3012
Disruptive
2 3 3 4 1 11 =24
001002
Inappropriate Comment
1 2 4 6=13
0001
Talking Out
11 0 7 1 4 1 12 =
5121743
Talking with Peer(s)
8 3 8 5 3 11 15
5118038
Texting
2912411
3 0 1 15 5 6 5
Uncooperative
0062
0000
Uninvolved
14542
00811
Using Materials
Inappropriately
05
30
Analyzing the Data: Statistics
 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
 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 conducting an experiment on teenage behaviour… It’s an
assignment for our Psychology Unit.
 Activity (20 minutes)
 Partners – develop 5 basic questions to ask students in halls
 Find 5 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)
Day 9-11: 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
You may highlight or write on the reading
READING QUESTIONS
 Who is Chagnon? What are his qualifications?
 What did he study? What were his conclusions?
 How had anthropology “changed” over the years?
 What were the implications of this change on Chagnon’s
research?
 How did Tierney’s Darkness in El Dorado view
Chagnon’s findings?
 What have you concluded about Participant
Observation from this article?
Participant Observation
 Go to your notes for a basic definition of PO
 Reading: The Case of Chagnon and the Yanomamo
 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
 Polygamy – 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...
Q: Why is this whole study so controversial? Who do we believe?
Participant Observation
 Professional responsibility as a researcher:
 Informed consent
 Clear communication
 Assessment of positive and negative effects
Day 12-13 – Case Studies
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 Independent Variable), in order to
observe its effect on some other variable (the Dependent Variable)
 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
 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
 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
 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
 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
-Binder check?
-PowerPoint availability
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)
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?