SOS111 NOTE

Relationship between Social Studies and the Social Sciences or other Disciplines

Social studies is a discipline in which subjects like Political Science, Economics, Geography, Anthropology, Sociology and even Psychology are distinctively studied. They are policy sciences because they study and analyze the process of decision and choice with reference to available relevant knowledge and data as aid in the solution of peculiar and particular problems in the society. In this condition, human beings are studied within a restricted perspective. 

Political Science as a Social Science is concerned with the study of the exercise of power. Hence, the discipline is studied purposely to better understand the general principles on which government can be carried out successfully. Students are exposed to those factors that impinge on the everyday life of every single inhabitant of the world. Integration of political science concepts in Social Studies provides students with the opportunity of studying how people’s attitudes, idiosyncrasies and value judgment can be influenced.

Concepts in Geography on the other hand allows Social Studies students to draw upon social and physical sciences while the students are studying distribution and spatial arrangements of natural and human phenomena. The disciplines also afford the students the chance to study the functional relationship between human beings and land characters of areas and conditions as well as the processes of the earth’s surface, that is, air, water and the terrain. Discipline of Geography can be described as one that is capable of helping Social Studies students to develop power of observation in field work and provides a context for understanding regional inter-relationships in Social Studies context. An acquisition of geographical knowledge and skill assists Social Studies students greatly in the formation of enlightened opinions and making informed decisions on a wide range of community, regional and global issues.

Anthropology: emphasizes more on human evaluation and systematic comparative analysis of socio-cultural data of ethnic groups. Hence, the concepts in anthropology avail Social Studies students the opportunity to have key insights into and understanding of, what it takes to become a human being. Concepts from this discipline encourage students to study all aspects of a culture.   Anthropology, therefore allows students to collect data on all aspects of culture in terms of its history, religion, geography, economy, technology and language.

Economics: the concepts enable the students to see human behaviour from a unique perspective. They encourage them to focus on how people try to satisfy their virtually unlimited wants with limited resources. Hence, the acquisition of skills of how people could use limited resources to produce, exchange and consumer goods and services becomes a major rational for studying Economics concepts in Social Studies.

Sociology: the concepts are considered in Social Studies on the assumption that individuals need group for their survival, and that their behaviour is largely shaped by group norms and sanctions. Students are afforded the opportunity of studying classes of phenomena and their common characteristics. This encourages the students to avoid moral judgments about classes, cultures and societies being studied

Thus, Social Studies tries to integrate the knowledge of Social Sciences with various experiences of life in an attempt to identify and provide solutions to societal problems necessary for human survival.

One could therefore say that, while the social sciences are concerned primarily with expanding the boundaries of knowledge and developing highly specialized scholars in fields like Geography, Economics, and Political Science, the Social Studies on the other hand is concerned with wide dissemination of information, the development of social and inquiry skills and the improvement of social attitudes as well as behaviours. The purpose of Social Studies is not greatly concerned with learners acquiring what is done in Social Sciences but primarily to enable learners use information and knowledge to better understand the environment.

Hence, one could not say that Social Science is Social Studies in totality or vice versa, rather Social Studies could be said to begin where the Social Sciences end.

Social studies and Arts

It is however; feel that connecting students to the Social Studies through Arts may bring help, similar inspiration and emotion into the classroom. By means of the arts in Social Studies, students connect to the topic under study in an emotion- filled genre. The relationship between the Arts and the Social Studies could also be found in the fact that when Arts are brought into Social Studies, they facilitate learners’ ability to discover content and help them to interpret the past, compare it with the present and gather implications for the future in order to ensure human survival. There is also a relationship between Social Studies and History as part of the Arts. They also assist in increasing learners’ awareness level about people and the importance of human relationship.

TEACHING OF VALUES & NORMS IN SOCIAL STUDIES

The three basic values are the substantive, behavioural and procedural values.

The substantive values, consisting of instrumental and terminal values which are concerned with enduring issues of life time – religion, capitalism, socialism, education, honour and glory etc. However, because of the plural nature of Nigeria’s society and the fact that particular substantive values may differ from one family to another, they are better taught in the home and reinforced at school.

The behavioural values involve the use and observance by the learners of specific rules to ensure orderliness in the school and classroom. The extent to which a learner Obeys these rules is a direct measure of the value he attaches to interpersonal relationship, orderliness care of equipments and materials, the rule of law, and institutional authority.

Procedural values include the use of the process of logical reasoning, critical thinking, experimental and inquiry method in the treatment of data and information. It should be clear from the foregoing that both the behavioural and procedural values have to be taught conscientiously and effectively as a prerequisite to the creation of an enabling environment for successful teaching and learning to take place. Another implication is that, in face of this unprecedented rapidity of change, the primary school teacher of Social Studies can no longer rely solely on the use of memorization, direct formal instruction, reading, and other indoctrination techniques in the teaching and learning of values. The point being made is that it is no more a simple matter to foster in children the desirable attitudes and values. Firstly, the Social Studies teacher has to be familiar with these values. There are three basic ones, namely, the substantive, behavioural and procedural values. The substantive values, consisting of instrumental and terminal values are concerned with enduring issues of life time – religion, capitalism, socialism, education, honour and glory etc.

However, because of the plural nature of Nigeria’s society and the fact that particular Substantive values may differ from one family to another; they are better taught in the home and reinforced at school. The behavioural values involve the use and observance by the learners of specific rules to ensure orderliness in the school and classroom. The extent to which a learner obeys these rules is a direct measure of the value he attaches to interpersonal relationship, orderliness care of equipments and materials, the rule of law, and institutional authority. Procedural values include the use of the process of logical reasoning, critical thinking, experimental and inquiry method in the treatment of data and information. It should be clear from the foregoing that both the behavioural and procedural values have to be taught conscientiously and effectively as a prerequisite to the creation of a conducive environment for successful teaching and learning to take place.

DIFRENCE BETWEEN NORMS AND VALUES

The difference has to do with cultural norms. The term 'culture' refers to attitudes and patterns of behavior in a given group. ‘Norm’ refers to attitudes and behaviors that are considered normal, typical or average within that group

Norms and values are used inter­changeably in our day-to-day discourse. But they are used in specific terms when it comes to social scientist term. We can view social norms as being standards, rules, guides and expectations for real behaviour, meanwhile, values are said to be abstract conceptions of what is important and worthwhile or what doing. Looking at honesty society sees it as being a general value; it is expected that students should not cheat in exam or use such material forbidden material in the examinations in this case it is a norm.

Values are general guidelines, while norms are specific guidelines. Values are general standards, which decide what is good and what is bad. Norms are rules and expectations that specify how people should and should not behave in various social conditions.

For one to fully adapt in a particular value in a society there can various norms. Norms are said to link values with real norms. In short, values are said to be ends while norms are the means to achieve ends. Sometimes, values and norms of a society conflict with each other.