Social Science Theory & Methods
MAIN STUDY QUESTION: What role does digital deception play in the establishment of trust, confidence and authenticity regarding the use of graphics and images in the online media sources we use?

The world is getting more and more comfortable with the integration of technology into our lives. While we often pay attention to this in the way that we use certain types of equipment or access portals (such as cell phones or websites), in reality there are a great deal of other types of digital integration that can be just as important. For example, there may be growing levels of falsified graphics or manipulated images in the communications and news postings that we are exposed to in the various kinds of sites we use online.

What does it mean when we see and accept false or altered pictures and information online as being true in settings where greater…...

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Johnston, C. (2003). Digital Deception. American Journalism Review. Viewable at  http://www.ajr.org/article.asp?id=2975 .

Loftus, G. (1991). On the tyranny of hypothesis testing in the social sciences. Book review of The Empire of Chance: How probability changed science and everyday life by Gerd Gigerenzer, Zeno Swijink, Theodore Porter, Lorraine Daston, John Beatty, and Lorenz Kruger, Cambridge University Press, 1989.

MailOnline (2009). Ban airbrushing in magazines and posters that ruins teen self-esteem, says Liberal Democrats. Viewable at  http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-1204002/Ban-airbrushing-magazines-posters-ruins-teen-self-esteem-say-Liberal-Democrats.html .

Social Science 8382
Australia may not necessarily be a democracy

The term democracy has been derived from a Greek word 'demokratia' that translates to 'rule of the people' (Liddell & Scott, 1996). Democracy was famously described by Abraham Lincoln, the 16th president of the United States of America, as the 'Government of the people, by the people, for the people'. As the translation itself defines, democracy is a form of government in a country which is governed by a group of representatives elected by the people of that country on their behalf. Each citizen of a democratic system has the freedom of speech, the right to practice their religion and an equal say in the matters and decisions affecting their lives. This say is exercised through the means of a vote, which the people cast to elect probable candidates from within themselves, to manage, control and make decisions for the country on…...

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Bibliography

Democracy Index 2010. Economist Intelligence Unit Limited.

DFAT. (2008, February). Australia's system of government. Retrieved from Australian Government: Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT): http://www.dfat.gov.au/facts/sys_gov.html

Evatt, H.V. (1943). LIFE: The Australian Way of Life. Time inc.

Liddell, H.G., & Scott, R. (1996). A Greek-English Lexicon: 9th Edition. UK: Oxford University Press.

Social Science Theory and Methodology
Questions Generated for a Social Science Analysis

Substantive Question.

Significance of substantive question. This section describes the significance of a suitable substantive research question, formulated for social analysis. Categorically, the social science research topic for this paper is human psychological development. College students who have matriculated directly from high school typically exhibit behaviors indicative of their age and maturity levels that, if they endure in to adulthood, can cause difficulties in relationships, work environments, and detract from overall adjustment. In addition to providing educational opportunities for students, society expects that the college years will add to students' cognitive, behavioral, and emotional repertoire. In short, college students are expected to graduate as more mature individuals than they were as entering freshmen. This section explores the thinking behind application of the scientific method to a substantive question that addresses the psychological development of students during the college years that enables…...

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References

Perry, J.A. & Perry E.K. (2009). Contemporary society: An introduction to social science (12th ed.). Boston, MA: Pearson Custom Publishing.

Sydenstricker-Neto, J. (1997). Research design and mixed-method approach. In W.M.K. William and D.A. Land (1982). Designing designs for research, The Researcher, 1(1), 1-6. Retrieved March 22, 2011   / tutorial/Sydenstricker/bolsa.html#Research%20Designhttp://www.socialresearchmethods.net 

University of Alabama Huntsville (2011, March 9). Deforestation's impact on Mount Kilimanjaro calculated. ScienceDaily. Retrieved March 9, 2011  http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/03/110305112136.htm

Social Science Methods
A Comparison of Social Science Methodologies

Unlike the physical sciences, social science is intrinsically bound up in the complexities of human nature and interpersonal relationships. Because these can be defined and understood in a variety of different and sometimes conflicting ways, social science is subject to a degree of interpretation and disagreement that is not normally present in the other sciences. As a result of differing assumptions about the nature of human interaction and the purpose of a human science, three main methodologies have developed in social science: positivist, interpretive, and critical. Of these, the critical approach is the most complex, and is best understood in comparison to the other two.

The least complex and most intuitively grasped of the three approaches is positivism. Positivist social science shares fundamental attributes with the physical sciences, and is in line with what most people think of as "science" in that it reduces…...

Still, this idea should also be supported by data about birth control use and an analysis of how often responsible attitudes towards sexuality are discussed in the media, rather than a deconstruction of a few ads.
The issue of ethics in psychology and anthropology also requires a certain rigorous and rule-based methodology. To avoid exploiting or changing home cultures, anthropologists must maintain a proper distance from their subjects. Researchers in psychology cannot abuse subjects in a laboratory environment to prove a theory.

The issue of 'common sense' inevitably plays some role in social science theory, given that researchers are human beings, and bring their own cultural assumptions to their studies and the construction of hypotheses. But common sense can never replace statistical, experimental, and recorded data about another culture. What constitutes common sense varies widely from culture to culture and era to era. 'Common sense' or cultural misconceptions may tell us…...

Social Sciences
There are many fields of study that fall under the umbrella of the social sciences. Sociology is usually the first thing that comes to mind when the term is mentioned, but there are several other fields of study under social sciences. A person studying in this field could also study such things as anthropology, history, archeology, and geography to name a few. Since studying in these fields generally does not command the large salaries as say a degree in computer programming or finance might, many wonder why someone would study in any field under the social sciences umbrella.

Even though studying in this field may not seem like a guarantee to a fast track career with a large paycheck, the social sciences offers a broad range of knowledge that can be used in almost any career field. A degree in the social sciences helps the student become a diverse, independently…...

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References

Gabbo, F. (2009). On metaphors, everyday diversity and intercultural education: Some further reflections. Intercultural Education, 20(4), 321-332.

Groeneveld, P.W., Heidenreich, P.A., Garber, A.M. (2005). Trends in implantable cardioverter-

defibrillator racial disparity. Journal of the American College of Cardiology, 45(1), 72-

78.

Theories offer basic frameworks for research investigations. For example, a criminologist might work within a conflict theory framework; or a psychologist might work within the cognitive developmental theory framework. The theory guides the research design, the selection of subject and the selection of the population too. As a body of research grows, new theories may be devised that summarize or encapsulate the essence of an area of research. When studies corroborate previous findings, the theory is bolstered and supported. When studies expose flaws in prior research designs, a theory may be cast aside as easily as it was created. Theories can be proven and disproven more directly: as when larger-scale studies reveal a negligent effect that appeared in a smaller-scale one.

Conducting studies remains a key concern for social scientists. Positive concerns include the trust in empirical research to promote a better understanding of human life. Negative concerns include such things…...

In general the PS website is one of the web's most valuable and useful for teachers. The social media integration for the activity packs might actually come in handy for teachers seeking to encourage a more educational function for social media platforms, and could be a useful teaching strategy.
As a teacher of social studies and social science fields like sociology, I will use the PS website. The lesson plans are excellent, and are in subject areas that I never would have considered myself. This allows me to think outside the box when working with my students. The multimedia emphasis on the PS website lesson plans and activity packs will also be helpful for teachers that need a boost in their inclusion of new media to instructional design.

yrne, R. (2010) "12 Resources All Social Studies Teachers Should Try."

This page by social sciences educator yrne (2010) does not include any lesson…...

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Bibliography

Byrne, R. (2010, 04-06). 12 Resources All Social Studies Teachers Should Try. Retrieved 04-20, 2013, from Free Technology for Teachers:  http://www.freetech4teachers.com/2010/04/12-resources-every-social-studies.html#.UXG4bishKII 

McGraw-Hill. (1997, 0-0). Research Resources for the Social Sciences. Retrieved 04-20, 2013, from Research Resources for the Social Sciences: http://www.socsciresearch.com/

PBS. (n.d., n.d. n.d.). PBS Teachers Social Studies. Retrieved 04-20, 2013, from PBS Teachers:  http://www.pbs.org/teachers/socialstudies/

With recent immigration and greater exposure to outside cultures, will the need for diversity arise? Will the need be reflected in media? There is evidence already of this happening thanks to reality shows and the news. Suggestions of hot and cold media point to the need for people to observe or escape. Hot media presents the user with a means to observe a world with limited to no interaction or a cool media outlet that present limitless interactions and meaning. (Haliday, 1978)
Hot media although a staple in viewer ship, presents an either affirming or alienating standpoint to the consumer, whereas cool media reaches to the unknown and constantly changes as its interpreted. To find meaning in media such as is the study of social semiotics, technology may be viewed as a youth and male driven vehicle. What is known is that technology fuels the ever-changing dynamic of social media.…...

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References

Eco, Umberto (1983). The Name of the Rose. Harcourt.

Halliday, M.A.K. (1978). Language as social semiotic: The social interpretation of language and meaning. Maryland. University Park Press.

Haraway, Donna (1991). "Cyborg Manifesto: Science, Technology, and Socialist-Feminism in the Late Twentieth Century." Simians, Cyborgs and Women: The Reinvention of Nature. New York: Routledge. p. 150. ISBN 1-85343-138-9

Hodge, R. And G. Kress. (1988). Social Semiotics. Cambridge: Polity

4. Identify the independent and dependent variables, including how each is defined.

On the surface, this study merely seeks to test two separate correlations (between self-perception and metaperception and between metaperception and other-perception, respectively), and so can be considered to have all "independent" variables; causation (dependence) is not technically an issue.

However, given the larger SIT framework the authors are employing, self-image (self-perception) is viewed as dependent on perceptions of how the subject is perceived by others (metaperception), which are in turn dependent on the way others actually perceive the subject (other-perception).

5. Describe at least 2 findings from this study.

The study revealed that while (1) adolescents and young adults tend to view themselves in similar terms to the way they believe their parents view them, (2) there is only marginal evidence that their perceptions of the way their parents view them actually line up with their parents' actual views.

In general, both adolescents…...

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References

Cook, W.L. & Douglas, E.M. (1998). The looking-glass self in family context: A social relations analysis. Journal of Family Psychology 12(3), 299-309.

Thus, this aspect can multiply into many sub-genres that focus on one or more aspects of the social world as they contribute to influencing behaviors and innate thought processes. Focusing on the social means looking for more abstract concepts that relate to existence within a social world. Actually trying to predict later success in publication, "Predicting the future success of junior scholars is of great concern to academic hiring committees," (Haslam & Lamb 2009:144). Yet it is based within two correlating variables that can then be compared, "It is therefore reasonable to predict that publication success during graduate school may be associated with publication success later in people's academic careers," (Haslam & Lamb 2009:144). Although the subject is socially constructed, the method of analysis is still quantitatively measured. Even this study shows quantitative measurement use- using mathematical prediction models in analysis of data (Haslam & Lamb 2009). egression analysis,…...

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References

Haslam, Nick & Laham, Simon M. (2009). Ten years on: does graduate student promise predict later scientific achievement? Current Research in Social Psychology. 14(10):143-147.

Kearl, Michael C. (2009). Social psychology. Trinity University. Retrieved 28, October 2009 at  http://trinity.edu/~mkearl/socpsy.html 

New York University (2009). Infants able to identify humans as source of speech. Science Daily. Retrieved October 28, 2009 at  http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091019162919.htm 

Smith, Eliot R. & Mackie, Diane M. (1999). Social Psychology. Routledge Press.

Inductive reasoning occurs when one makes inferences from particular situations or scenarios to predict future situations. In this study, the authors seek to use information from particular youth's experiences of the transition to adulthood and apply it to the development of a general understanding of whether or not youth can overcome existing social class, gender and ethnic divisions (MacDonald et al., 2005).
5. Identify at least 4 major findings from this study.

MacDonald et al. (2005) found that with few exceptions youth stayed within the community in which they were raised. The authors attributed this finding to the housing market but a more influential factor appears to be the preference of these youth to remain in their neighborhoods despite the presence of social exclusion. A key factor in this preference was the comfort that is provided through familiarity with the neighborhood (MacDonald et al., 2005). Within these neighborhoods, MacDonald et al.…...

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References

MacDonald, R., Shildrick, T., Webster, C., & Simpson, D. (2005). Growing up in poor

neighbourhoods: The significance of class and place in the extended transitions of 'socially excluded' young adults. Sociology, 39(5), 873-891.

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Social Science esearch
Module 3 Discussion 1- Operationalizing Constructs

What does "safe" mean to you?

Safe means that the airplane travels without any problems and with comfort.

What types of variables could you construct to capture your concept of "safe?"

Using Ordinal Level measures (Babbie, 2010)

- Very Safe

- Safe

- Unsafe

Very Unsafe

How will your conceptualization of "safe" compare to others?

This concept is based n comfort ability of the airplane.

Have you ever participated in a survey?

I participated in a social research activity that was done in our community. It was an educational research on the effect of drug abuse on education and learning.

How were you selected to participate? Was it a random selection?

I was chosen as one of the people who have never used drugs to improve classroom performance. It was not a random selection.

What bias may have come into play in your selection?

The subjects in this research were selected according to their academic performance in one…...

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References

Babbie, E.R. (2010). The Practice of Social Research. New York: Cengage Learning.

Blaikie, N. (2009). Designing Social Research. Cambridge: Polity.

For this kind of research to be effective, researchers must gain the trust and confidence of these individuals. Careful planning, focus group research, and investigation may help to build this kind of trust, but all of those steps add time (and expenses) to the research process.
c) Use of untested assumptions. Researchers may have their own assumptions about how people react to trauma, and these assumptions may negatively affect their own neutrality. Those assumptions may also impact the design of the study, through the types of questions being asked in the research to the way the researcher interacts with the subjects. Misconceptions about trauma are rampant, and in fact people react very differently to stresses in their lives.

5.

Major Findings: Researchers discovered a great deal of variability in post-traumatic response among individuals in the immediate community where the trauma took place. Many of those closest to the trauma had the most…...

video games in the life of the student. The problem with the Likert Scale is that
Thurstone Scale

1)

I like video games.

Agree

Disagree

2)

I play video games everyday.

Agree

Disagree

3)

I play video games online

Agree

Disagree

4)

I play video games with friends online.

Agree

Disagree

5)

I play video games after school.

Agree

Disagree

6)

I play video games before doing homework.

Agree

Disagree

7)

I play video games while doing homework.

Agree

Disagree

Guttman Scale

(Based on 7 Criteria Above)

Respondent

Item 1

Item 2 Item 3 Item 4 Item 5 Item 6

Item 7

1

2

3

4

The key to the Gutman scaling is the analysis. The table shows the respondents who Agree or Disagree, and we then use those percentages to make points about the criteria, and age vs. responsibility.

Essay Three

When conducting research with humans there are a number of ethical considerations that must be adhered to in order to protect the rights and safety of human participants. Institutional Review Boards and Research Ethics Boards review all proposed research at academic institutions to ensure that participants will be treated…...

What an excellent question!  In fact, one of the things we encourage students to do is make sure that they understand what an assignment is asking them to do before tackling the assignment.  A critical review is an analysis of material that you are exploring, which involves you examining its strengths and weaknesses and putting those together in a cohesive argument about the merits and deficits of the material as a whole. 

Critical reviews can be used in almost any area of academic study, though the approach for a critical review will vary according to the subject and....

Without knowing what two scenarios you selected, we cannot help you specifically evaluate the sample size, evaluate the statements for meaningfulness, critically evaluate the statements for statistical significance, or provide an explanation of the implications for social change.  We can, however, provide information to you about how you can make those evaluations.

Understanding how statistics work, especially in the context of science and social science research, is very important.  That is because you can have studies that seemingly show the same results, but actually contain very different information.  One important component of any type of statistic presented is....

Normative theory provides an absolutist framework for approaching philosophy and the soft sciences, and has a special application in philosophy, law, and the social sciences.  Normative theory states that some things are morally superior to other things.  They are concerned with right or wrong and have a goal of changing institutions, values, or norms to reflect the “right” or “good” perspective.  Obviously, since normative theory focuses on what is good, it also involves moral judgments of what is bad.

To understand normative theory, it may help to think about the concept of sin.  Even if you....

The social sciences refer to any academic discipline that deals with human behavior.  The fields that generally fall under this rubric include economics, anthropology, psychology, sociology, political science, historiography, as well as certain types of culture-specific studies.  Mixed method research refers to a research methodology that mixes traditional quantitative and qualitative research designs and discussing both types of evidence or data while considering the takeaways or conclusions of the research. 

Some topics for mixed method research in social sciences are:

1. Does the inclusion of minority police officers in a police force reduce the incidence of police brutality....