Approaches to Studying Families HHS4C & HHS4U

Approaches to Studying Families Discipline – a specific branch of learning such as math, physics, psychology Theoretical Perspective – A certain way of looking at evidence based on key assumptions of a theory Theory – a specific explanation of observable, factual, evidence. A theory is NOT a fact

Four Fundamental Questions Social Scientists Ask What happens? How does it happen? Why does it happen? How can we change what happens? The 3 disciplines differ in the ways they approach these questions.

Anthropology Studies human behaviour in society through the study of culture Uses participant observation – participating in a society to make qualitative observations about the culture/behaviours, etc. There is focus on diversity to overcome ethnocentrism – the tendency to evaluate behaviour from the point of view of your own culture Colin Turnbull – initiation rites of Mbuti boys Margaret Mead – gender roles in different cultures http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mUGiSXXdse0

Sociology Explains the behaviour of individuals in social groups, families, and society Uses survey research, both qualitative and quantitative Studies demographics of the population Reginald Bibby – adolescent youth in Canada http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LK5J0-cM-HE

Psychology Study of individual behaviour based on mental processes Use controlled experiments and survey research, mostly quantitative and some qualitative Jean Piaget – cognitive development of youth. Albert Bandura – observational learning

Family Studies Family studies is an INTERDISCIPLINARY study that integrates anthropology, sociology and psychology APPLYING WHAT YOU’VE LEARNED: Select a topic that interests you about families in Canada. What would an anthropologist ask about the topic? What would a sociologist ask? What would a psychologist ask?