The Social Sciences

1. The Social Sciences Anthropology, Psychology and Sociology

2. Case study one – Sandy Hook Elementary • 26 people died – 20 children and 6 adult staff • Gunman found dead inside the building • Gunman’s mother found dead in her home – 27 dead total • Second deadliest school shooting in US history, behind Virginia Tech massacre • http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ItsOJUpK-cY • BIG QUESTION: WHY DID THIS HAPPEN??

3. Discipline overview and Key questions • Questions asked are based on the discipline – different questions are asked for each • Psychology – the systematic study of people’s thoughts, feelings (mental processes), and behaviour • Reasons thus are largely attributed to personality (including potential mental illness) • Assumption: Psychologists assume that an individual’s personality is moulded by a combination of biological factors (hereditary traits – genetics) and prior experiences… nature and nurture

4. Sociology – the scientific study of human social behaviour and the institutions and organizations that form society; the study of how groups of people who share common characteristics function • Includes the study of how groups of people who share some common characteristic(s) function • Looks for common factors (commonalities) • Assumption: an individual’s acts can only be understood when they are compared with the acts of similar individuals

5. Anthropology – the study of the origin of behaviour, and the physical, social and cultural development of humans • Looks at the values of the cultures which people grow up and later work • Assumption: that there are factors in a culture, in general, and in subcultures, in particular, that encourage or discourage particular behaviours

6. The Montreal assault • http://www.breakingnews.ie/world/canadians-ignore-beaten-naked-teenage-girl-12940.html

7. An anthropologist would ask… • How did the environment ( workplace, neighbourhood) influence the decisions of the people involved? • What violent experiences had there been in this community that would affect employee’s reaction? • Could cultural factors have influenced decisions?

8. A psychologist would ask… • Why did people not call for help? • Why did they obey their supervisor? • What factors led the girl to this location? • What was the supervisor thinking and why? • (prior experiences, personality)

9. A sociologist would ask… • What factors influenced the decisions of the supervisor, the employees who did not respond, and the employee who did make the 911 call? • Was the fact that the supervisor was an authority figure important? • Were there any factors, such as gender, race, age, or economic status, that might have influenced the assumptions of the supervisor and employees? • (Group, Social,Organizational dynamics)

10. The OC Transpo Killing • Read the handout of the 1999 OC Transpo murders • In groups of 2 explain what main question each discipline would ask to help understand this event • Include their explanation based on the information presented in the handout

11. A Psychological Explanation • Psychologists would examine his life in detail in order to answer: What factors in his personalityor pastled Lebrun to commit this crime?

12. A Psychological Explanation • Assume that personality is moulded by a combination of biological factors as well as prior experiences • Lebrun had made 50 visits to doctors complaining of stomach cramps, insomnia, depression, diarrhea and other ailments • He had suffered from delusions • He had been bullied at work for a speech impediment

13. A Sociological Explanation • Sociologists would be interested in answering: What common sociological factors are there in the lives of people who have gone on shooting sprees at their former place of work?

14. A Sociological Explanation • Some common characteristics of people who have gone on shooting rampages are: - unpopular loner - low tolerance for frustration and anger - harassed at work - low self-esteem - own/possess rifles and other guns

15. An Anthropological Explanation • Anthropologists would be interested in: What were the values of the culture in which he grew up & later worked?

16. An Anthropological Explanation • Assumption is that there are factors in Canadian culture and the “subculture” of OC Transpo that encouraged Lebrun’s behaviour • Powerful images of violence are widespread in today’s Canadian culture (sports, media, video games)

17. An Anthropological Explanation • Evidence at the OC Transpo inquest revealed a poisonous environment, characterized by hostility and aggression • There was little respect between managers and employees • “Macho” behaviour was reported with much talk about women and teasing Lebrun for his stutter

18. What do you think? • Cultural message in media… “When things get out of hand, acting violently will gain the attention and even respect of others.” • True or false? Brainstorm ways in which the message is or is not perpetuated. • What impact does this message have on a) children, b) youth, c) adults • What other values are present in our culture/subculture? • Is there pressure to accept the values of cultures and/or subcultures in order to fit in and be accepted?

19. Apply your knowledge • How might an anthropologist, psychologist and a sociologist explain the following incidents? • a) A group of thugs attack and injure two men they see coming out of a gay bar • b) A church group sponsors a refugee family from a war-torn country • c) Canadian peacekeeping troops put their lives at risk in a foreign country, where a civil war has just ended but may break out again • d) Soccer fans overseas riot and get into fist fights with opposing fans after a World Cup qualifying game

20. Field activity • Aldershot has asked you to conduct a study on stress experienced by students over school workload and part-time jobs. • A) Which different groups would you consult? Explain why you would choose those groups. • B) What questions would you ask them? Label each question as belonging to A, P, or S and explain why they fall into that category and why they’re important to ask. • C) What other evidence would you want to gather? Why would it be helpful/important? • D) What process would you go through to come up with a recommendation?