On Track - Tracking graad 3 - Beyond human bounderies

‘ALL HUMAN KNOWLEDGE BEGINS WITH INTUITIONS, PROCEEDS FROM THERE TO CONCEPTS, AND ENDS WITH IDEAS.’ IMMANUEL KANT

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TRACKING: BEYOND (HUMAN) BOUNDARIES In this tracking you will: read about psychological experiments; listen to a lecture about how our choices are being manipulated; write a fact file on a specific branch within human sciences; discuss different views on freedom of speech; talk about the effect of our cultural and social background on our life (integrated language task).

CONTENTS 1

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What defines human sciences?

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1.1 1.2 1.3

Where are the boundaries?

Words or numbers?

Parts of the puzzle

3 3 6

Making a career in human sciences

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2.1 2.2

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The right person for the job Which field in human sciences appeals to you most?

8 10

Families: the building blocks of society?

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3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4

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Multiple forms of family life It’s all relative!

The benefits of belonging Dating around the world

The boundaries of communication

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4.1 4.2

27 30

What about freedom of speech?

Cartoon crisis

Manipulating mankind?

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5.1 5.2 5.3

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Are we really in control?

The pressure of social situations Stanford Prison Experiment

The opposite of me

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TRACKING: BEYOND (HUMAN) BOUNDARIES

1 ⁄ WHAT DEFINES HUMAN SCIENCES? 1.1 ⁄ WHERE ARE THE BOUNDARIES?

2 Which answers are you uncertain about? Why?

SPOKEN INTERACTION www.cartoonstock.com

1 Do you recognise human sciences? Team up and cross out all natural sciences. anthropology education philosophy biology geography physics chemistry law politics criminology mathematics psychology economics sociology

3 What do all the human sciences have in common?

4 In which way does the research object in human sciences differ from other research objects?

5 Can we be objective when it comes to human sciences? Why (not)?

1.2 ⁄ WORDS OR NUMBERS? 1 Watch, question and learn.

SPOKEN INTERACTION

a The basis of the scientific method for human sciences is the assumption that humans are rational and act in the same way. But is this correct? Let’s test.

– Think of two personal questions which you would refuse to answer.

– Think of two personal questions which you would answer correctly.

TRACKING: BEYOND (HUMAN) BOUNDARIES

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b Now compare your answers with a classmate’s. Was your assumption correct? Do people react in the same way? c What can you conclude?

DID YOU KNOW?

We distinguish between quantitative and qualitative data.

The basis of qualitative data are observations, while quantitative data are counted or measured.

2 Watch the clip on types of qualitative data collection and complete the scheme.

Type: Structured interview Define Advantages

Disadvantages

a priori: formed beforehand bias: tendency to believe that some ideas are better than others to compound: to form by combining focus group: small group of people whose opinions are studied to get an idea of the opinions of a larger group to generate: to produce to predetermine: to decide in advance unobtrusive: without being noticed easily

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TRACKING: BEYOND (HUMAN) BOUNDARIES

READING

Type: Informal interview Define Advantages

Disadvantages

Type: Focus group Define Advantages

Disadvantages

Type: Observation Define Advantages

Disadvantages

Type: Document review Define Advantages

Disadvantages

TRACKING: BEYOND (HUMAN) BOUNDARIES

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Type: Audio and visual materials Define Advantages Disadvantages

1.3 â „ PARTS OF THE PUZZLE 1 Focus on the terms we need to research human sciences. Match the word on the left with its correct meaning on the right.

Word

Meaning

1 (selection) bias

a patients show an improvement in their medical condition because they believe they are getting effective treatment, even if that is not the case

2 case study

b detailed analysis of single individuals, groups, or events, usually over a long period of time

3 hypothesis

c researchers interact with the persons they are observing

4 interpretation

d the overall consistency of measure, meaning it produces similar results under similar researches

5 logical fallacies

e the extent to which a concept, conclusion or measurement is wellfounded and corresponds accurately to the real world

6 non-participatory observations

f a process where the scientists performing the research influence the results, in order to select or encourage a certain outcome

7 participatory observations

g those who are being observed are unaware that they are being observed

8 placebo effect

h the process of making sense and meaning of the data gathered in research by looking for patterns and insights relevant to the key research issues

9 reliability

i supposition or proposed explanation made on the basis of limited evidence as a starting point for further investigation

10 validity

j a flaw in the structure of a deductive argument which means that the argument is invalid, e.g. if something happens before or at the same time as something else, it is caused by it (= fallacy)

11 anthropological accounts

k a report or description of an experience connected to the study of humanity

12 unobtrusive

l not conspicuous, unassuming, not attracting any special attention

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TRACKING: BEYOND (HUMAN) BOUNDARIES

2 What is being generated: qualitative or quantitative data?

How many ‘new Belgians’ (immigrants) fail at secondary school level because of their poor language level?

Which measures can be taken to improve the success rate?

What is the role of language in cross-cultural research?

3 Valid or not, reliable or not?

Social networks as a tool to study human behaviour.

Measuring the IQ of people by weighing their brains.

4 Which is which: logical fallacy, placebo effect, bias?

Social stimuli, such as words and rituals of the therapeutic act, may change the chemistry of the patient’s brain.

Something isn’t unethical as long as no law is broken.

Psychologists often interpret observations to fit a particular idea.

TRACKING: BEYOND (HUMAN) BOUNDARIES

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