SHS

Disciplines and Ideas

In the Social
Sciences
Quarter 1: Week 9 - Module
9
Disciplines and Ideas in the Social Sciences
Grade 11 Quarter 1: Week 9, Module 9
First Edition, 2020

Copyright © 2020
La Union Schools Division
Region I

All rights reserved. No part of this module may be reproduced in any form without
written permission from the copyright owners.

Development Team of the Module

Author: Dexter P. Dacanay, T-I

Editor: SDO La Union, Learning Resource Quality Assurance Team
Illustrator: Ernesto F. Ramos Jr., P II

Management Team:

ATTY. Donato D. Balderas, Jr.

Schools Division Superintendent
Vivian Luz S. Pagatpatan, Ph.D
Assistant Schools Division Superintendent
German E. Flora, Ph.D, CID Chief

Virgilio C. Boado, Ph.D, EPS in Charge of LRMS

Mario B. Paneda, Ed.D, EPS in Charge of Araling Panlipunan
Michael Jason D. Morales, PDO II
Claire P. Toluyen, Librarian II
 Disciplines and Ideas
In the Social Sciences
Quarter 1: Week 9 - Module 9
 Target

Indeed, dominant approaches and ideas in the scientific study

of society help us to look at society and explaining the things that are
happening in it.
You have learned in your previous lesson another two theoretical
approaches in the Social Sciences - Rational Choice Theory and
Institutionalism which is under the positivist paradigm.
In this week’s module, you will be continuing the journey in
understanding the different Social Science approaches and ideas employed.
These concepts may advocate the idea that instead of one truth, there are
many truths that need to be recognized and the significance of exposing
underlying structures of social transformation.
After going through this module, you are expected to analyze the basic
concepts and principles of the Social Science ideas: Hermeneutic
Phenomenology (HUMSS_DISS 11-IVd-9) and Human Environmental
Systems (HUMSS_DISS 11-IVd-10).
At the end of this module, you will be able to:
1. Identify the concepts and principles of Hermeneutic Phenomenology
and Human-environment Systems;
2. Compare and contrast the nature and processes of Hermeneutic
Phenomenology and Human-environment Systems; and
3. Integrate personal background experiences on the environment-
related problems.

Before going on, let us determine how much you know about process and
methods involved in counseling by taking the pretest.

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Pretest
Direction: Write the letter of the correct answer in an extra sheet of paper
for each question below.
1. What does hermeneutics referring to?
A. Refers to the science of phenomena.
B. Refers to a key framework of sociological theory.
C. Refers to the methods and processes of understanding behavior.
D. Refers to the art of understanding and the theory of interpretation.
2. How about Phenomenology?
A. Refers to the science of phenomena.
B. Refers to the methods and processes of understanding behavior.
C. Refers to the art of understanding and the theory of interpretation.
D. Refers to a key framework of sociological theory which depends on
the symbolic meaning.
3. Who started hermeneutic phenomenology?
A. Herbert Blumer C. Hans-Georg Gadamer
B. Wilhelm Dilthey D. Martin Heidegger
4. What is historicality?
A. Refers to a group’s collective way of living.
B. Refers to a person’s history or background.
C. Refers to a set of history waiting to be studied.
D. Refers to a meaning or organization of a culture.
5. Below are criticisms of Hermeneutic Phenomenology EXCEPT:
A. Cannot be used as basis for policy framework.
B. It focuses on experiences unique to the individual.
C. It does not focus on the structure on individual’s understanding.
D. It allows the experience of people to be presented in a
straightforward and suggestive manner.
6. Human-environment systems is also known as:
A. Ecological systems C. Man and nature systems
B. Symbiotic relationship D. Environmental social science
7. What does sustainability refers to?
A. Refers to the skills of reproduction.
B. Refers to the concept of give and take relationship.
C. Refers to the ability for something to be maintained.
D. Refers to the phenomenon of system components affecting human
and environment.
8. Below are not contributors in the study of Human-environment
system EXCEPT:
A. Adolf Hitler C. Carl Saucer
B. Karl Marx D. Edward Thorndike

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9. What is the focus of Human-environment system?
A. Concerned with making the unconscious conscious.
B. Concerns on the benefits could humans and environment gets from
each other.
C. Focus on the circumstances that affect human-environment
interaction.
D. Focus on how humans and the environment are related and how
people transform the environment for sustainability.
10. Below are strengths of Human-environment system EXCEPT:
A. Findings can be used as framework in policy making.
B. It requires bringing together a large team of scholars.
C. Utilizes multidisciplinary approach in the study of human-
environment interrelations.
D. Utilize macro-level analysis by understanding how the environment
affects people and vice versa.

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 Jumpstart

For you to understand the lesson well, do the following activities. Have fun and hope for th

Activity 1. Word Hunt!

Below are words or concepts in studying this module. They were arranged in
horizontal, vertical, diagonal and reverse. Find and encircle them or you can
write the words in your study notebook.

H A B D T E R P R E T N I S P
Z I X C V B T Y E N O J G T H
M K S L T N E M N O R I V N E
Q W E T R T Y U I P O A H S N
P H E N O M E N A D F G C H O
I L M N B R V C X Z L K A J M
E X S H I F I A S X C V O B E
R C D O Q G A C Y F D S R Y N
T V G F E E D B A C K B P N O
Y B V P M N K Q W L E R P T L
U N F L V J L A S D I F A G O
L A N D S C A P E J K T L M G
I M A C O P Z X C V N Y M Y
N Y T I L I B A N I A T S U S
H E R M E N E U T I C S V E R

Activity 2. Define Me!

There were 10 words or concepts in the word hunt. After writing them down,
look for their definitions.

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 Discover

Dominant Approaches and Ideas in the Social

Sciences: Hermeneutic Phenomenology

Hermeneutics refers to the art of understanding and the theory

of interpretation. It is the process of making the incomprehensible
understandable. Phenomenology means the science of phenomena.
Hermeneutic Phenomenology aims to reveal the life world of human
experience as it is lived. HP concerns itself with understanding and
interpreting human experience as it is lived. It is an effort to “get beneath”
the subjective experience and find the genuine, objective nature of things.
Focuses on the relationship between the event and the person, and how
meaning is formed in that relationship. Studies interpretive structures of
experience, how we understand and engage things around us in our human
world, including ourselves and others (Woodruff, 2008)
It came out as a theory of human understanding beginning in the
late18th and early 19 th centuries. Martin Heidegger is credited for having
started hermeneutical phenomenology. Hans-Georg Gadamer also
contributed in the study of hermeneutic phenomenology.

Key concepts in Hermeneutic Phenomenology:

A. Historicality – individual’s background that includes what one receives
from culture since birth and passed on from generation to generation.
One’s background cannot be made completely specific. People and the
world are connected in cultural, social and historical contexts.
B. Preunderstanding – refers to a meaning or organization of a culture
that are already there before we understand. This organization of
culture becomes part of our historicality of background. A person
cannot set aside this for it is understood as already part of us in the
world. Nothing can be encountered without referring to a person’s
background understanding.

Strengths of Hermeneutic Phenomenology:

 As a social science approach, it helps researchers to clarify lived
experience and expose meaning through a process of understanding
and interpretation.
 It allows the experiences of people to be presented in a straightforward
and suggestive manner, giving the reader an opportunity to
imaginatively take part into the experiences described.

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  It also serves as a vehicle for readers to reflect on the meaning of the
experiences described, reminding them that experiences are far more
complicated than we actually think.

Criticisms of Hermeneutic Phenomenology:

 Its focus on experiences unique to the individuals and to their context
makes it hard to generalize for a larger population.
 Its findings cannot be used as basis for policy frameworks.
 It focuses on individual experiences and not on the effects of
structures on individuals’ understanding and interpretation of their
experiences.

Human-Environment Systems

Human-environment systems, is also known as environmental social

science, sustainability science, and Coupled Human and Natural Systems
(CHANS). H-ES refers to an integrated scientific agenda for studying the
border and mutual interactions that link human to natural sub-systems of
the planet. According to Emilio Moran, a world renowned social
anthropologist, it is a cross disciplinary venture based on the belief that
social and natural systems are inseparable. It deals with broader studies
into the intricate nature of mutual interactions and feedbacks between
humans and on the environment and the effect of the environment on
humans. It is a collaborative work between the scientists and social
scientists working on the interrelations between humans and the
environment (Moran, 2010).
The on-set of the studies started on 1987 when a group of researchers
started working on the phenomenon of global change thus, making human-
environment research became important (Moran, 2010). Carl Saucer, a
famous geographer, encouraged environmental thinkers to study the
humanized environment or the idea that the environment is influenced by
human activity in terms of landscape. Donald Meinig believes that any
landscape is composed not only of what we see but what we know. It means
that our interpretations of landscapes are shaped by our own preferences,
needs and experiences.

Key concepts in Human-Environment Systems:

A. Landscape – it refers not only to the beautiful spot that you view from
a scenic perspective but the mixture of environmental and human
phenomenon that coexists together in a specific place on Earth. This
includes physical features such as rivers, hills, forests and soils as
well as human-made buildings, roads, bridges and mines. The concept

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 of landscapes refers to both human and non-human phenomena,
stressing the idea that it is impossible to absolutely separate the
human from the non-human.
B. Feedback mechanism – refers to the phenomenon of system
components both affecting each other and which creates a feedback
loop: the effect to a system component that is result of an action done
by that component. In H-ES, humanity affects the environment and
the environment affects humanity.
C. Sustainability – it refers to the ability for something to be maintained.
It is the capacity of a system to maintain its health and continue in
existence over period of time. Sustainability limits human goals and
material aspiration because it requires that production does a little
damage as possible to economic activity. Concepts related to
sustainability are carrying capacity, resilience and stability. Carrying
capacity is the largest size that the resources permit. Resilience is the
ability of the system to return to its initial state after disturbance.
Stability is producing the same result even disturbances occurs.

Strengths of Human-Environment Systems:

 It utilizes a multidisciplinary approach in the study of interrelations
between humans and environment thus it brings together scholars
from the fields of science and social science.
 It utilizes a micro and macro-analysis by understanding how the
environment affects people and vice versa.
 Research findings can be used as framework in policy making which
might affect results and favor sustainability of human-environment
interactions.

Criticisms of Human-Environment Systems:

 It requires bringing together a large team of scholars, scientists as well
as social scientist, which is not easy thing to do given the fact that
most scholars prefer to work alone than in teams.
 H-ES research has to face the idea of multi-nationality or there must
be a comparative wherein one must collect analogous data in a
number of nations or regions so as to test the variety of biophysical
and social processes.

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 Explore

d strengthen the basic concepts you have learned from this lesson. Don’t hesitate to go over the lesson

Enrichment Activity 1. My Say!

In the first column of the table are statements on the lesson discussed.
In two or three sentences expound the following statements basing from
your understanding of the topic discussed.

Statement Explanation
Historicality is important in
interpreting the behavior of
individuals.
It is hard to use findings
from hermeneutic
phenomenology research for
drafting policy frameworks.
Human-environment system
is a collaborative work
between scientists and
social scientists.
It is important to study the
interconnectedness between
humans and the
environment in human-
environment system.
It is hard to bring together a
large group of scholars to
the study of human-
environment system.

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 Scoring Rubric
Points Description
5  Provides an insightful and detailed
explanation/opinion that includes or
extends ideas from the text.
4  Provides some explanation/opinion that
includes ideas from the text for support.
3  Uses text incorrectly or with limited
success and includes an inconsistent or
confusing explanation.
2  Demonstrates minimal understanding of
the task and provides an unclear reference
or no use of the text for support
1  Response is completely irrelevant or off –
topic

Assessment
Directions: Complete the table by showing a brief description, contributors,
strengths and criticisms of the lesson (Hermeneutic Phenomenology &
Human-Environment Systems). Copy the table in your study notebook.

THEORIES DESCRIPTON CONTRIBUTORS STRENGTHS CRITICISMS

Hermeneutic
Phenomenology
Human-
Environment
Systems

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 Deepen

After doing those pen and paper activities, it is time for you to
apply the concept you have learned. In your study notebook, answer
the following questions.
1. Are you proud of how you became now? If yes, what makes you
proud? If no, why? Give at least five reasons and explain in 2-3
sentences your reason.

2. What social issue do you think should be given priority by

authorities? Why?

3. Do you think that your environment shapes you?

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 Gauge

Picture Analysis:
Analyze the following images and answer the enumerated guide questions
below. Use a separate sheet on answering the questions.

Picture A Picture B
Guide Questions:
1. Why do you think these images were made?
2. What can you learn from examining these images?
3. What concept implied in Hermeneutic Phenomenology and
Human- Environment Systems?

Scoring Rubric
Points Description
5  Provides an insightful and detailed
explanation/opinion that includes or
extends ideas from the text.
4  Provides some explanation/opinion that
includes ideas from the text for support.
3  Uses text incorrectly or with limited
success and includes an inconsistent or
confusing explanation.
2  Demonstrates minimal understanding of
the task and provides an unclear reference
or no use of the text for support
1  Response is completely irrelevant or off –
topic

Congratulations! You can now move to next module.

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Answer Key

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References:
Printed Materials

 Jose, Mary Dorothy et al. (2016) Disciplines and Ideas in the

Social Sciences: Quezon City, Philippines: Vibal Group, Inc.
 Tatel Jr., Carlos, P. (2016) Disciplines and Ideas in the
Social Sciences: Manila, Philippines: Rex Book Store, Inc.

Links

 https://www.slideshare.net/PeterMiles1/03-phenomenology
https://www.slideserve.com/sherri/phenomenology-and-
hermeneutics-in-literary-criticism

Image/Picture
 https://www.google.com/search?q=picture+of+manila+bay+now+blac
k+n+white&tbm=isch&ved=2ahUKEwiYoILLpoTsAhUXhJQKHUrXCMw
Q2-
cCegQIABAA&oq=picture+of+manila+bay+now+black+n+white&gs_lcp
=CgNpbWcQA1DtlhhYgZwYYMulGGgAcAB4AIABzgGIAa4EkgEFMC4yL
jGYAQCgAQGqAQtnd3Mtd2l6LWltZ8ABAQ&sclient=img&ei=tuFtX5jtN
JeI0gTKrqPgDA&bih=670&biw=1366&hl=en#imgrc=No5Nfngys4-
xTM&imgdii=cDYr4bm4NqzVwM

 https://www.google.com/search?q=picture+of+manila+bay+before+bla
ck+n+white&tbm=isch&ved=2ahUKEwi2vJaeqITsAhWXAKYKHb8EA_c
Q2-
cCegQIABAA&oq=picture+of+manila+bay+before+black+n+white&gs_lc
p=CgNpbWcQA1DzuhlYts8ZYMrSGWgAcAB4AIAB6AGIAeQLkgEFMC4
4LjGYAQCgAQGqAQtnd3Mtd2l6LWltZ8ABAQ&sclient=img&ei=ceNtX_
a_KpeBmAW_iYy4Dw&bih=670&biw=1366&hl=en#imgrc=edSMHr5W
HXhX5M

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