Social Science Principles Research Articles

The System of Social Sciences in the Context of Civilizational Approach: Formulating the Problem

In modern socio-humanitarian disciplines, the concept of a “system of social sciences” is absent. This concept existed in Soviet times and meant, among other things, the existence of a single conceptual social science apparatus and methodology. It is generally recognized that the interdisciplinary approach that replaced this system, which was recognized in our country after the collapse of the Soviet Union, is based on the difference in concepts, subjects and objects of research of the sciences of the entire socio-humanitarian block. At the same time, Russian social science practically does not pay attention to the theoretical and methodological relationship between the interdisciplinary approach and the concept of globalization, developed in Western science mainly in the second half of the twentieth and early twenty-first centuries and which came to our country in the post-Soviet period in many ways in a “ready-made” form. At the same time, those researchers who state such a relationship consider this circumstance as a virtue of an interdisciplinary approach. In the first part of this article, an attempt is made to analyze the impact of the concept of globalization, in particular, its characteristic denial of the values of national statehood, sovereignty, including cultural and historical, on the formation and general principles of an interdisciplinary approach. The second part examines modern concepts of Russia as a civilization, first of all, the concept of state-civilization, currently introduced in the “Concept of Foreign Policy of the Russian Federation” dated March 30, 2023 and “Fundamentals of state policy in the field of historical education” dated May 08, 2024, in the context of the advantages of the Soviet Union identified by the author the experience of the social sciences system. At the end of the article, proposals are made to combine some basic principles of Soviet social science with a modern civilizational approach in order to create a unified value framework for the disciplines of the socio-humanitarian block.

The Algorithmic Philosophy — A Synthetic and Social Philosophy

This paper as the introduction part of the forthcoming namesake book introduces how the Algorithmic Thinking Theory, a theory of human minds, can be used to solve many philosophical puzzles and therefore form a “grand synthesis” or unification of existing various philosophies. Innate discrete thinking tools process information or data from the external world serially, selectively, repetitively, roundaboutly, and economically, leading to consequences such as “mental distortion”, knowledge solidification, and combinatorial explosion, thereby forming a dynamic, pluralistic, embracive, and expansive knowledge system where “Being” and “opinions”, ontology and epistemology, rationality and irrationality, and so on are all synthesized. Thoughtful entities exist, move, change, combine, interact, and multiply to make social phenomena as the “independent third party” between human and the world, which implies both the differences and compatibility between natural and social sciences. Democracy, freedom, market, institutions, and organizational power are explained logically consistently like never before. All major philosophical branches, schools, and scholars are included in this concise panorama that stems just from this formula: thinking = computation = (Instruction + information) × speed × time. This highly original approach was inspired by computer science and customized just for the making of principles of humanities and social sciences.

The Algorithmic Philosophy — A Synthetic and Social Philosophy

This paper, as the introduction part of the forthcoming namesake book, introduces how the Algorithmic Thinking Theory, a theory of human minds, can be used to solve many philosophical puzzles and therefore form a “grand synthesis” or unification of existing various philosophies. Innate discrete thinking tools process information or data from the external world serially, selectively, repetitively, roundaboutly, and economically, leading to consequences such as “Mental Distortion,” knowledge solidification, and combinatorial explosion, thereby forming a dynamic, pluralistic, embracive, and expansive knowledge system where “being” and “opinions,” ontology and epistemology, rationality and irrationality are all synthesized. Thoughtful entities exist, move, change, combine, interact, and grow to make social phenomena the “independent third party” between human and the world, which implies both the differences and compatibility between natural and social sciences. Democracy, freedom, market, institutions, and organizational power are explained unprecedently logically. All major philosophical branches, schools, and scholars are included in this concise panorama that stems just from this formula: thinking = computation = (Instruction + information) × speed × time. This highly original approach was inspired by computer science and customized just for the making of principles of humanities and social sciences.

Smoke on the horizon: leveling up citizen and social science to motivate health protective responses during wildfires

Climate change factors and expanded population growth in the Wildland Urban Interface (transition zone between human structures and undeveloped wildland) contribute to a projected increase in wildfire frequency and smoke exposure. As an unregulated source of air pollution, reducing smoke exposure represents a difficult challenge for health risk communicators. The target audience is broad with unpredictable health impacts due to spatial and temporal variability in exposure. Beyond providing information, agencies face challenges reaching affected populations, motivating behavior change, and overcoming barriers between intentions and actions (recommended health protection). The Smoke Sense citizen science project developed a smartphone app to provide an engagement, learning, and information-sharing platform. Here we draw upon previous trends in behavioral patterns and propose a synergistic approach of citizen and behavioral science that can be applied to increase understanding of health risk and motivate new habits to reduce exposure among impacted individuals. Presentation of the approach proceeds as follows: (1) we identify several core factors that contribute to an intention-action gap, (2) identify applicable social and behavioral science principles that can bridge the gap, (3) propose explicit examples focused on theoretical principles, (4) describe small-scale user preliminary feedback and examples for monitoring and evaluating impact, and (5) provide a look to the future for collaborative citizen engagement. Current health risk communication strategies often lack consideration of behavioral factors that may enhance motivation and encourage behavior change. The proposed approach aims to leverage the strengths of citizen and social science and seeks to encourage a focused ‘digital community’ to implement new habits in the face of unpredictable and dynamic environmental threats.

From Clinical Encounter to Knowledge Claims: Epistemological Guidelines for Case Studies in Psychotherapy

In the fields of psychoanalysis and psychotherapy, case study researchers rarely justify their knowledge claims on formal epistemological grounds. This poses several issues to the case study method. First, without articulating the standards by which our knowledge is being justified, we are potentially enabling the criticism that case studies are mere anecdotal reports and should not be treated as forms of evidence. Second, without the guidance of wider epistemological standards for case study research, we risk falling into arbitrary justifications of other as well as our own case studies. This paper seeks to address these issues by examining and developing epistemic practices in psychoanalytic and psychotherapy case studies. Drawing from different social science resources, the paper describes three epistemological concepts appropriate for case study research: retroductive reasoning, analytic generalization and working hypothesis. The paper demonstrates how each epistemological concept can be used in psychotherapy research and explicates specific methodological guidelines. Social science definitions and principles are applied in a psychotherapy and/or psychoanalytic research context, and further considerations about canons of evidence are provided. The impetus of this paper is to strengthen qualitative research standards, particularly case study research standards, in clinical case study writing.

The Fundamental Principles of Social Sciences

This paper provides an overview of the fundamental principles of social sciences, encompassing a wide range of academic disciplines dedicated to studying human society and human relationships. Drawing from the author’s understanding of social sciences, it offers a comprehensive examination of key concepts and highlights the significance of social science theories and practices. The paper begins by elucidating the definitions of social sciences, emphasizing their interdisciplinary nature and their focus on understanding societal dynamics. It explores the contributions of major thinkers in the field of social sciences, showcasing their intellectual impact and influential ideas. Furthermore, it presents a selection of notable social science thinkers from the 21st century, illustrating the ongoing evolution of the discipline. A core aspect of the paper focuses on the significant role of social scientists in contributing to societal development. It explores their diverse areas of expertise and the application of their research findings to address social issues and shape public policies. Additionally, the paper delves into the main theories and theoretical developments within social sciences, including the theory of governance, governmentality, network theory, and environmentalism. It specifically addresses the intersection of social sciences with climate change, highlighting the unique challenges and perspectives offered by this field. Sustainable development emerges as a prominent discipline within social sciences, with its emphasis on balancing economic growth, social equity, and environmental protection. The paper explores its relevance in addressing pressing global challenges. Moreover, it examines the emergence of new theories and practices within social sciences, presenting a glimpse of the evolving landscape of research and scholarship. Considering the future direction of social science research and practices, the paper offers insights into potential areas of exploration and the evolving nature of research methodologies. It addresses key research questions, such as what, why, how, when, where, and for whom, providing a framework for comprehensive inquiry. This paper provides a broad overview of social sciences, elucidating key principles, theories, and notable contributions to societal development. By examining the past and present, it also outlines the potential future trajectory of social science research and practices, shedding light on the significance and relevance of this dynamic field.

Social principles of Catholic social science at the basis of social work in Poland

The author in the introduction shows the need to reflect on social relations. He uses the desk research method with the help of a literature query on the subject and he carries the topic through the prism of sociology, psychology and philosophy. Relating the subject considerations to these disciplines creates the basis for an approach from the perspective of Catholic social teaching. This point of view allows for the articulation of basic social principles which are solidarity, the common weal and subsidiarity. These social principles have a common denominator, which is the dignity of the human being. As the basis of the principles of social life, it is both natural and supernatural. The dignity of the human person is recognized as a universal value. It is the basis of other social principles because it defines the subject of social relations. On the other hand, social relations in social work are governed by the principles of social work, which have been present in Polish practice and theory of social work for almost a hundred years. The author of this paper indicates selected threads of the Polish tradition of social work. These principles are not only purely theoretical, but also apply to the practice of social work. The main goal is to help individuals and families to strengthen or regain the ability to function in society. It is possible by fulfilling appropriate social roles and creating conditions that favor this goal. Based on the catalog of social work principles, the author analyzes their relationship between the social principles and Catholic social teaching. The conducted theoretical reflection leads the author to the conclusion that the principles of social work are compatible with the principles of social life of Catholic social teaching and should be an inspiration for social work in Polish reality.

Older Adults' Perspectives of Smart Technologies to Support Aging at Home: Insights from Five World Café Forums.

Globally, there is an urgent need for solutions that can support our aging populations to live well and reduce the associated economic, social and health burdens. Implementing smart technologies within homes and communities may assist people to live well and ‘age in place’. To date, there has been little consultation with older Australians addressing either the perceived benefits, or the potential social and ethical challenges associated with smart technology use. To address this, we conducted five World Cafés in two Australian states, aiming to capture citizen knowledge about the possibilities and challenges of smart technologies. The participants (n = 84) were aged 55 years and over, English-speaking, and living independently. Grounding our analysis in values-based social science and biomedical ethical principles, we identified the themes reflecting the participants’ understanding, resistance, and acceptance of smart technologies, and the ethical principles, including beneficence, non-maleficence, autonomy, privacy, confidentiality, and justice. Similar to other studies, many of the participants demonstrated cautious and conditional acceptance of smart technologies, while identifying concerns about social isolation, breaches of privacy and confidentiality, surveillance, and stigmatization. Attention to understanding and incorporating the values of older citizens will be important for the acceptance and effectiveness of smart technologies for supporting independent and full lives for older citizens.

The Essential Role of Statistical Inference in Evaluating Electoral Systems: A Response to DeFord et al.

AbstractKatz, King, and Rosenblatt (2020, American Political Science Review 114, 164–178) introduces a theoretical framework for understanding redistricting and electoral systems, built on basic statistical and social science principles of inference. DeFord et al. (2021, Political Analysis, this issue) instead focuses solely on descriptive measures, which lead to the problems identified in our article. In this article, we illustrate the essential role of these basic principles and then offer statistical, mathematical, and substantive corrections required to apply DeFord et al.’s calculations to social science questions of interest, while also showing how to easily resolve all claimed paradoxes and problems. We are grateful to the authors for their interest in our work and for this opportunity to clarify these principles and our theoretical framework.

Transition of Adolescents with Inflammatory Bowel Disease-Are the Pediatric Teams up to the Task?

Our aim was to describe the challenges of the transition process of adolescents with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), as seen from a pediatric-care perspective, to clarify the key obstacles and propose how to move forward. Semi-structured individual interviews of pediatric gastroenterologists and nurses were analyzed and interpreted according to the principles of social science. It is a challenge for the pediatric team to continuously match, support, and gently guide the ever-changing adolescent patient. All adolescent patients should be offered guidance regardless of their starting point, and specific individual needs should be taken into consideration. Adolescents burdened by psychosocial challenges require extra support. Early and continued interdisciplinary effort is essential. Collaboration with the parents must be continuously adapted to prepare them for their new roles and responsibilities. The shift from the pediatric family-focused approach to the individualistic approach of the Adult Gastroenterology Department signifies a fundamental change. Equipping adolescents with disease-management skills remains a comprehensive task. The following crucial questions remain: Who is capable of performing the transition? Who can dedicate the necessary resources for performing the transition? A transition center led by both pediatricians and adult gastroenterologists in an interdisciplinary setting that includes transition-trained persons may be the solution.

RETHINKING EVIDENCE-BASED POLICY

Much of public policy-making has in recent decades been driven by the idea of evidence-based policy – policy rooted in the principles of social science and, more specifically, empirical validation based on social and behavioural science. This article argues that evidence-based policy, while helping to improve the design of policies aimed at changing individual behaviour, lacks a recognition that individual and group choices are embedded in social relationships and institutions. There is a risk of over-relying not only on probabilistic models that under-state our condition of ‘radical uncertainty’ but also on data and metrics that are disconnected from the everyday experience of workers and citizens whose needs and interests cannot always be measured or managed. Since uncertainty is a fundamental reality of both the economy and social life, policy-making needs robust conceptual narratives to make sense of numbers and provide a sound basis on which to make decisions allied to ethical judgements.

Young and Dangerous: The Role of Youth in Risk Assessment Instruments

States are increasingly adopting risk assessment instruments (RAIs) to help judges determine the appropriate type and length of punishment for an offender. Although this sentencing practice has been met with a wide variety of scholarly criticism, there has been virtually no discussion of how RAIs treat youth as a strong factor contributing to a high risk score. This silence is puzzling. Not only is youth undoubtedly the most powerful risk factor in most RAIs, but youth also holds a special place in the criminal justice system as a “mitigating factor of great weight.” This Comment presents the first in-depth critique of RAIs with respect to their treatment of youth. It argues that, as currently designed and implemented, RAIs both contradict longstanding and widespread views about the proper role of youth as a factor in punishment and undermine efforts to craft proportionate sentences consistent with principles of justice and modern social science.

Integrating small-scale fisheries into Polish maritime spatial planning

The incorporation of stakeholders into maritime spatial planning processes is widely acknowledged as essential for successful planning outcomes. Small-scale fisheries (SSF; fishing vessels up to 12 m in length) constitute the majority of the Polish fishing fleet. To integrate the spatial needs of the sector with the Maritime Spatial Plan during 2016–17, extensive research was conducted in the form of individual interviews using paper maps to determine significant fishing grounds and their relative importance. In total, 64% (n = 267) of small-scale fishermen were examined, which allowed the creation of a map depicting the spatial extent and relative importance index of fishery grounds. The map of the results showed that the highest values were obtained in the coastal zone of the Gulf of Gdańsk, where numerous small fishing bases are located. Along the central coast, the most important fishing grounds are adjacent to the largest fishing bases. The adopted spatial resolution facilitated assessing the scale of current and potential conflicts regarding the use of marine space by SSF and other sea users. The results of the survey concerning threats to the functioning of fisheries indicate that fishermen are primarily concerned about the impact of environmental protection. The participatory mapping process based on the ethical principles of social sciences has not only resulted in a new geo-information layer included into Polish MSP but also made it possible to learn about fishermen's concerns about current and potential spatial conflicts.

Learning Innovation Using the Zahir Application in Improving Understanding of Accounting Materials

The purpose of this study in order to innovate in accounting learning activities using zahir accounting application tools. This is done because based on observations of student learning outcomes it can be said that the level of understanding of accounting material is still low. Especially if the student’s background comes from high school from the majors of natural sciences, languages, and not from social science principles. With this learning innovation, it will be easier for lecturers to provide material so that teaching and learning activities are more centered on students who will impact on the absorption and ultimately will increase the understanding of accounting material. The method in this study uses a quasi-experimental time series design type. Population and sample using probability sampling techniques The results of this study will be used as a benchmark to improve student safety and serve as a reference for educators to be able to innovate in developing learning resources.

SOCIOLOGICAL KNOWLEDGE IN THE CONCEPT OF CONFLICT TRANSFORMATION J. P. LEDARACA

The spread of dialogue and conflict transformation practices in modern Ukraine creates a demand for academic, in particular sociological support of such processes. It becomes one of the tools to support relevant projects through sociological reflection of its goals and objectives, implemented practices, activities and consciousness of project participants and its audience. At present, such sociological support exists without a formed methodological basis, one of the areas of creation of which is the study of common principles of building peace and social sciences, in particular sociology. The article considers the use of sociological knowledge in the concept of conflict transformation by J.P. Lederach, in particular, his use of the concepts of identity, power, divided societies, conflict dynamics, social relations, social changes and more.In the perspective of sociological reading, building peace is seen as a process of social change, the signal of which is the need for conflict and confrontation within society, which can not be resolved in the perspective of the state approach, require a systematic vision of existing social relations and constructive intervention, finding opportunities for dialogue.The selection of sociological concepts and practices as components of the concept of peace building by J.P. Lederach contributes to the understanding of it as an interdisciplinary field of research and activity. The presented analysis demonstrates the potential of involving various academic disciplinary approaches in solving building peace tasks. In addition to conflict studies, political science, law, it can also be researched by social and historical memory studies, ethnopsychological and ethnosociological research, regional and cultural research, and so on. The academic field thus reveals its own potential for supporting peace-building processes.

Forces for change in social impact assessment

ABSTRACT Social impact assessment (SIA) is experiencing both evolutionary and revolutionary forces for change. Using the example of New South Wales, Australia, forces for change include community pressure and shifting expectations, industry desire for clarity and certainty, departmental leadership, a collaborative approach to policy development, and perceived legitimacy of the guideline itself. Inhibiting these forces are general resistance to change, a concern around costs of good SIA, unfamiliarity with social sciences, and insufficient practitioner capacity. The recent Rocky Hill judgement, which highlights concepts such as community cohesion, sense of place, and distributive equity, may accelerate change. However, there is also a need to build capacity among SIA practitioners, and afford sufficient time and budget to meet the standard of leading-practice guidelines. At the same time, unfolding trends such as the climate change and extinction crises, the gendered nature of development, ever-widening inequalities, and ‘post-truth’ discourses may catalyse more revolutionary change in SIA practice – changes that paradoxically may enable SIA to reclaim its social-science principles and the overarching goal of sustainable social development.

Auf abgründigen Pfaden in die Sozialwissenschaft?

In der Lehre zur Einführung in qualitative Forschungsmethoden, meist zu Beginn eines wissenschaftlichen Studiums, sehen sich Dozierende zuweilen mit einer studentischen Skepsis gegenüber den pluralistischen Wahrheitsansprüchen sozialer Wirklichkeiten und ebenso gegenüber abstrahierten Analyseergebnissen einer qualitativ forschenden Sozialwissenschaft konfrontiert. Anhand einer ausführlichen Reflexion über Gültigkeit und Legitimation von Wahrheitsansprüchen sozialwissenschaftlicher Methoden versucht dieser Beitrag, derlei artikulierte Vorbehalte systematisch zu fassen und auf der Grundlage eigener Lehrerfahrungen didaktische Erwiderungsmöglichkeiten vorzustellen, um Studierenden eine konstruktivistisch-sozialwissenschaftliche Haltung nahezubringen.

Breastfeeding in the 21st century: How we can make it work

There is abundant knowledge on the major health and social benefits of breastfeeding, and on how to protect, promote, and support breastfeeding. Hence, it is surprising that recommended breastfeeding behaviors continue to be suboptimal in the 21st Century among large segments of the population, globally. Moving forward, it is crucial to enable the breastfeeding environments for women through family friendly employment policies and to enforce the WHO Code for Marketing of Breastmilk Substitutes. It is also key to invest more in training the workforce for successful large-scale implementation and sustainability of the Baby Friendly Hospital Initiative, community-based breastfeeding counseling, and to prevent conflicts of interests with infant formula companies. Behavior change social marketing interventions that include social media need to be designed following social network science and behavioral economics principles. Evidence-informed policy tools are now available to help policy makers invest in and guide the scaling-up of cost-effective breastfeeding programs.

The Internalization Theory of the Multinational Enterprise: Past, Present and Future

AbstractThis paper presents an agenda for extending the theory of international business in order to explain a wider range of phenomena. This, however, has to be done with due attention to the requirements of good social science theory. Relevant criteria are set out, together with a list of issues that new theory must address. Theory needs to focus on industries as well as firms, and make greater use of formal multi‐actor models. ‘Generalizing from the particular’ should be avoided; theory needs to be derived from general social science principles that have proved successful in cognate disciplines.

Innovative curriculum: Integrating the bio-behavioral and social science principles across the LifeStages in basic science years

Behavioral and social science integration in clinical practice improves health outcomes across the life stages. The medical school curriculum requires an integration of the behavioral and social science principles in early medical education. We developed and delivered a four-week course entitled “LifeStages” to the first year medical students. The learning objectives of the bio-behavioral and social science principles along with the cultural, economic, political, and ethical parameters were integrated across the lifespan in the curriculum matrix. We focused on the following major domains: Growth and Brain Development; Sexuality, Hormones and Gender; Sleep; Cognitive and Emotional Development; Mobility, Exercise, Injury and Safety; Nutrition, Diet and Lifestyle; Stress and coping skills, Domestic Violence; Substance Use Disorders; Pain, Illness and Suffering; End of Life, Ethics and Death along with Intergenerational issues and Family Dynamics. Collaboration from the clinical and biomedical science departments led to the dynamic delivery of the course learning objectives and content. The faculty developed and led a scholarly discussion, using the case of a multi-racial, multi-generational family during Active Learning Group (ALG) sessions. The assessment in the LifeStages course involved multiple assessment tools: including the holistic assessment by the faculty facilitator inside ALGs, a Team-Based Learning (TBL) exercise, multiple choice questions and Team Work Assessment during which the students had to create a clinical case on a LifeStages domain along with the facilitators guide and learning objectives.