Chapter 1 Introduction

Intended Learning Outcomes: At the end of this chapter, the students are expected to:

1. Analyze the meaning, nature, its kind, and concept of social studies;

2. Differentiate the concept and purpose of teaching social studies in school;

3. Analyze the distinguishing features between social studies and various social sciences
disciplines; and
4. Analyze the need and importance of teaching social sciences in Philippine school.

Effective teaching and learning of Social Studies at any level necessitates a

thorough but not unbalanced comprehension of the subject's meaning, so that a
teacher's training bias does not impact how the subject is handled in class. In this Unit,
which happens to be your first contact with this course material, it is expected that you
will be familiarized with the definitions of the subject as supported by contemporary
practitioners of the subject. The various misunderstandings that have characterized the
definitions of the subject as a result of the professional biases of teachers handling the
subject in our schools will be dismissed. As a result, you will have the opportunity to
become acquainted with the specifics of what an ideal definition of Social Studies should
be.
1.1 What Kind of Science are the Social Sciences?

Social sciences are a group of academic disciplines dedicated to examining

society. This branch of science studies how people interact with each other, behave,
develop as a culture, and influence the world.

Social sciences help to explain how society works, exploring everything from the
triggers of economic growth and causes of unemployment to what makes people happy.
This information is vital and can be used for many purposes. Among other things, it
helps to shape corporate strategies and government policies.

Social science as a field of study is separate from the natural sciences, which
cover topics such as physics, biology, and chemistry. Social science examines the
relationships between individuals and societies, as well as the development and
operation of societies, rather than studying the physical world. These academic
disciplines rely more heavily on interpretation and qualitative research methodologies.
The social sciences include:

1. Anthropology - refers to the study of humans. As a social science discipline, it

examines all aspects of human life and culture. It seeks to understand human
origins and adaptation, and the diversity of cultures and worldviews.

2. Economics - studies the production, distribution, exchange, and consumption of

goods and services. The term may also refer to the financial aspects of
something, as in “the economics of managing a business. It deals with the
optimum allocation of scarce resources among its alternatives to satisfy the
unlimited human wants and needs of the people. Economists study the ways
individuals and groups (such as governments, firms and nations) allocate
resources (including money, buildings, land, time, tools and know-how) to satisfy
needs and wants.

3. Geography - the science of place. It is the social science that studies the
distribution and arrangement of all elements of the earth’s surface. Geography
studies not only the surface of the earth but also the location and distribution of
its physical as well as cultural features, the patterns that they form, and the
interrelation of these things as they affect people. It deals especially with the
relationship between the environment of the earth’s surface and humans, which
involves both physical and cultural geographic features.

4. History - a study of the past, principally how it relates to humans. It describes or

narrates and analyzes human activities in the past and the changes that these
had undergone. In its broadest sense, history is the totality of all past events.
However, a more realistic limitation of its area of inquiry would be ‘the known
past.’ History deals with events which “have happened among mankind,
including an account of the rise and fall of nations, as well as of other great
changes which have affected the political and social condition of the human
race.”

5. Political Science - a discipline that studies systems of government, and the

analysis of political activity and behavior. It is the systematic study of politics. By
the application of empirical and generally scientific methods of analysis, political
science systematically studies governance. It is the systematic study of and
reflection upon politics. By ‘politics,’ we mean that which typically defines the
processes by which people and institutions exercise and resist power. Political
processes are employed to form policies, influence individuals and institutions,
and organize societies.

6. Psychology - the scientific study of behavior and mental processes. It is “the

scientific study of behavior and the mind.” There are three elements in this
definition. First, it emphasizes that psychology “is a scientific enterprise that
obtains knowledge through systematic and objective methods of observation
and experimentation.” Second, it studies ‘behavior,’ which denotes “any action

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 or reaction that can be measured or observed—such as the blink of an eye, an
increase in heart rate, or the unruly violence that often erupts in a mob.” Third,
psychologists study the ‘mind,’ which stands for “both conscious and
unconscious mental states. These states cannot actually be seen, only inferred
from observable behavior.”

7. Sociology - the scientific study of human social relations or group life. It primarily
deals with social interaction or the responses of persons to each other. Social
interaction is arguably the basic sociological concept as it is the rudimentary
component of all relationships and groups that compose human society. Subjects
of inquiry in sociology include the ways in which social structures and institutions
(such as class, family, community, and power) and social problems (such as crime
and abuse) affect society.

Social science is defined as any scholastic discipline or scientific field that

investigates human society.
According to James High “Social Sciences as those bodies of learning and study
which recognizes the simultaneous and mutual action of physical and no-physical stimuli
which produce social relation”.
According to Charles Beard “Social Sciences are a body of knowledge and
thought pertaining to human affairs as distinguished from sticks, stones, stars and
physical objects”. Bining & Bining defines Social Science as “the subject that relate to the
origin, organization, and development of human society, especially to man in his
association with other men”.

1.2 Scope of Social Sciences

The social sciences have a wide scope when it comes to the fields of study and
the different subcategories they include. To name a few, the social sciences include
cultural anthropology, economics, political science, sociology, criminology and
psychology. When a person refers to a science or study’s scope, they are talking about
what someone can say and do in their field.
For example, biology is not one of the social sciences, so no matter how
intelligent a sociologist may be, they are not a reliable source of medical advice.
Basically, any science that focuses on the actions and interactions of people is a social
science. Because the social sciences deal with human behavior, some people consider
these sciences to be more of a discipline. The scope of these sciences focuses on the
observation of human behavior more than experimentation. Ethical and moral aspects
to the social sciences prevent radical experiments in these field.

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 Anything that has to do with human behavior and understanding falls under the
scope of the social sciences. The scope of the social sciences also includes the collective
knowledge of fields such as social work and welfare, archaeology and linguistics.
Someone always already knows from experience what the social sciences seek to prove
and explain.

1.3 Need and Importance of Teaching Social Sciences in Philippine School?

The circumstances surrounding the introduction of the subject, Social Studies

can be identified as one major factor that has influenced the way the subject has been
variedly defined in the past years. The early practitioners of the subject allowed their
professional background and preparation to influence what they perceived and taught
as Social Studies. Lawal and Oyeleye (2003) in support of this view remarked that the
definitions, nature and scope of the subject became so restricted to the confinements of
the single discipline purview of the Social Sciences. To some of the practitioners in this
category, Social Studies was defined as “amalgamation of all knowledge of the arts and
social sciences, in terms of history, geography, political science and sociology. Quartey
(1984) remarked that the protagonists of this view argue that knowledge is one and
indivisible and that it is only for convenience that it has been divided into subject
compartments. Curriculum labelled on this view only ended up departmentalizing
knowledge by selecting assortment of topics from the Social Sciences. This can only
compel the teachers holding this view to limit their selection of topics related to their
discipline, with emphasis on such topics at the neglect of other topics unless other
specialists can be found to handle other aspects of the curriculum.
Some other practitioners of the subject have equally defined Social Studies as
the study of the relationship between man and his environment. As an adjunct, they it is
how man influences the environment and how the environment influences man.
Quartey (1984) observes that this view has strong geographical and sociological
connotations. These standpoints present the false notion that Social Studies has nothing
new to offer. By presenting Social Studies in subject compartments, it attempts to
negate the importance attached to the attainment of unity of knowledge. Teachers who
had this perception of the subject’s definition, taught Social Studies purely for
knowledge acquisition. This approach to the definition of the subject does not
adequately emphasize the affective domain of learning as it merely focuses on the

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cognitive orientations of the subject. Though none of these definitions can be an
acceptable definition of Social Studies, each contains some elements which an ideal
definition of the subject should contain. Again, one cannot deny that Social Studies
deals with facts derived from interpersonal and man-land relationship, but it is wrong to
assume that it focuses on a body of precise memorable facts about man and the
environment.
This is because Social Studies is not a discipline in which academic selfishness is
exhibited or promoted. That is, a discipline in which a teacher seizes opportunity to
emphasize his/her own area of specialization at the expense of the real content of the
subject (no compartmentalization of knowledge). This position will lead us into looking
at what an ideal definition of the subject should read like.

1.4 Meaning and Nature of Social Studies

Social Studies is a field of study which deals with man, his relation with other
men and his environment; its content is drawn from several social sciences. It is a course
of study including anthropology, history, geography, economics, political science,
sociology, law, civics, etc.
According to Michaelis, “the Social Studies are concerned with man and his
interaction with his social and physical environment; they deal with human relationships;
the central function of the social studies is identical with the central purpose of
education – the development of democratic citizenship”.
National Council for the Social Studies defined Social Studies as “the integrated
study of the social sciences and humanities to promote civic competence".
is concerned with the level of coverage and the area of focus of the discipline. However,
the variation in the definition of social studies has a long way in determining its nature
and scope.
Adeyoyin (1991) in her studies in the dynamics of teaching social studies,
identifies nine (9) difference but competing conceptions that one could use to explain
the nature and scope of this discipline of social studies and these are:

 Social studies as citizenship education

 Social studies as a skilled development
 Social studies as ecological studies

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  Social studies as social science
 Social studies as cultural integration
 Social studies as a discipline
 Social studies as a dynamic education
 Social studies as a relevant education
 Social studies as education for living
The interest of social studies to study man in his totality explains why it draws its
content form the knowledge of other disciplines.

1.5Difference between Social Studies and Social Sciences

Difference between Social Studies and Social Science:

SOCIAL SCIENCE SOCIAL STUDIES
It is a subject area that studies the It can be introduced as the study
society and the relationships of both social sciences and
among individuals within a humanities. According to U.S
society. It is categorized into 7 American National Council for the
branches such as Geography Social Studies, “ Social studies, is
(study of distribution and the integrated study of the social
arrangement of all elements of sciences and humanities to
the earth’s surface earth such as promote civic competence. ”
its features, inhabitants, and However, social studies is most
phenomena), Anthropology often used as a name of the
(study of human origins and course taught at schools.
adaptation, and the diversity of Dates back to 20th century
cultures and worldviews), History Child approach
(study of past), Economics (study
of production, distribution and
consumption of goods and
services), Political Science (study
of theory and practice of politics
and the description and analysis
of political systems and political
behavior), Psychology (the study

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 of behavior and mind), and
Sociology (the study of human
social relations and groups that
compose human society).
Dates back to 18th century
Adult approach

1.6 Justification for Using the Term Teaching/Pedagogy of Social Sciences

in Place of Teaching/Pedagogy of Social Studies
Notable scholars have defined Social Studies in ways that confirm the subject as
a value-laden discipline. For instance, Frost and Rowland (1969) defined the subject as
essentially studies of human relationship, like human to human, human to institutions,
human to physical environment and human to value systems. This implies that the
subject is one that encourages attention to be given to the process of living and working
together, using of the environment to meet basic human needs, customs, institutions,
values and life situations, cultural heritage and its dynamic on-going characteristics.
Quartey (1984) in his own definition of Social Studies describes the subject as a
“study that equips the youth with tools necessary in solving personal and community
related problems”. Thus defined, Social Studies will not mainly aim at giving out
knowledge, but it will equally emphasize on inculcating a certain distillate knowledge
which will assist humans in acquiring the tools necessary for life. Such tools are
knowledge, values, attitudes and skills. These tools are expected to assist the learner in
solving both personal and community related problems. The National Council for Social
Studies in the United States of America has officially defined subject as: An integrated
study of the social sciences and humanities to promote civic competence and help
young people develop the ability to make informed and reasoned decisions as citizens of
culturally diverse, democratic society in an inter dependent world. (NCSS 1992) This
implies that the goal of Social Studies purely revolves around citizenship education,
education for cultural integration and sustainable living. Social Studies can therefore be
described as a discipline which attempts to modify or change the learners’ behaviors in
the directions of acceptable values and attitudes through a process of studying human
beings’ relationship with his or her environment and with the desire to provide solutions
to various complementing problems in order to ensure his/her survival, having been

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equipped with the necessary tools such as values, attitudes, skills and knowledge
(Lawal,1993).
As a social subject, it is more inter-disciplinary, more concerned with skills
development and more normative. It is a field of study in which content and purpose
focus on relationships. It provides knowledge, attitudes, values and skills that enable
people understand better their physical and human environments in order to act or
behave as responsible citizens. Its primary purpose is to help young people develop the
ability to make informed and reasoned decisions for the public good as citizens of a
culturally diverse, democratic society in an interdependent world.

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