1. Human Sciences Dubious IB survey critique Objectives: Activities:
You will understand what subjects are categorized as human sciences
You will begin to learn the research methods used by human scientists
You will unpack to what extent problems encountered by human scientists in gathering data to support theories are limitations.
Activities:
Debrief Mr. Thiessen and Ms. Jordan/Mr. Merdes’ lectures
PPT on which subjects count as Human Sciences/What methods are used
Student questions and rotation
Hmwk:
Dubious IB survey critique

2. Human Sciences – Alluring or Problematic?

3. What subjects count as Human Sciences?
Human Sciences are concerned with human society and the institutions, relationships and ideas involved in social life……
Economics
Geography
Political Science
Psychology
Sociology
Anthropology …………..Any others?

4. What are the main methods used by Human Scientists?
a) Introspection (Early psychologists) – examining and recording one’s own thought processes, sensations, and feelings.
Problems - Subjectivity
- Difficult to control variables
- Impossible to check findings

5. b) Participant observation
Observing
Recording behavior of people
Describing
What problems does this pose?

6. c) Non-Participant observation
Investigator making observation without the knowledge of participants
One-way mirror
Problems?

7. d) Controlled experiments
- An attempt to control all the variables

8. e) Surveys Reliability? – Size and representative of the sample,
Quality of the questionnaires, truthfulness of the answers.

9. f) Official and unofficial data
- Statistics

10. Problems faced by Social Scientists (Adapted from the Teachers Guide)
Definitions
(Physicists agree on heat, pressure, and electricity)
There is no general agreement among social scientists about:
Intelligence
Poverty
Social class
Money
Public opinion

11. How can one adequately measure?
Measurement
How can one adequately measure?
Wealth
Anxiety
Leadership

12. Failure to produce falsifiable predictions
In the social sciences, human behaviour influences outcomes

13. Is intelligence inherited or acquired How do we measure intelligence
Value judgments
Social sciences address issues of such personal importance and interest to individuals and society.
Is intelligence inherited or acquired
How do we measure intelligence
It is difficult to avoid confirmation bias

14. The Heterogeneity of Human subjects
The scientist can be reasonably sure of what he/she is studying, e.g. gas, molecules, stars, etc.
The student of human sciences is faced with the fact that all human beings are different and even the same individual may react differently depending on how much sleep she/he had the night before – whether he/she has a headache, worried or has fallen in love.
How can a researcher take all the relevant variables into account?

15. Limitations on the study of humans
Human subjects can be hurt, frightened or humiliated during experiments
Ethical considerations limit studies on personal matters.

16. Consider this…
If there are so many potential problems with Human Sciences, so much bias / uncertainty / language issues / procedural limitations, why do we still engage in it?