DISCIPLINES AND IDEAS IN THE SOCIAL SCIENCES

Quarter 1: Module 5
(Week 8)

Lesson 5 – Interpretative Social Science

BEGIN !!
The picture
shown is an example of a symbol in symbolic
interactionism, one of theoretical approaches under
interpretative social science which we will discuss
in this lesson. Symbolic interactionism claims that
symbols help us understand how we view society
and communicate with each other. The symbols
found in restroom signs show us that women wear
dress and men wear pants, and compel us to react
properly by going to the right restroom. Aside
from symbolic interactionism, we will also discuss
another theoretical approach under interpretive
social science--hermeneutic phenomenology. In
this lesson, you will understand interpretive social
science as one of the paradigms in the social
sciences.
In this lesson, we will discuss another paradigm in
the social sciences, which is interpretive social science. In the previous lesson, we have discussed how important it is for positivist
social science to discover natural laws that help us understand and explain society. In interpretive social science, we will see how
important context is in understanding society.

YOUR TARGETS !!

This module will help you to:

1. explain interpretative social science as one of the paradigms in the Social Science;
2. evaluate strength and weaknesses of the theoretical approaches under interpretative paradigm in the social sciences
discussed in this lesson; and
3. interpret personal and social experiences using relevant theoretical approaches in the Social Sciences.

TRY THIS !!

Directions: Identify the concept being described in each number.

___________________1. A theory of meaning which emphasizes a detailed reading of text to discover meaning embedded within
text.
___________________2. Refers to a person’s history or background.
___________________3. One of the three dominant paradigms in the social sciences which I sensitive to context.
___________________4. Refers to impulsive tendency of the individual which is spontaneous and unorganized.
___________________5. The mode of being human.

EXPLORE !!

Directions: Complete the following concept map based on your own understanding.

Interpretative Social Science

 KEEP THIS IN MIND !!

Lesson 5 : Interpretative Social Science

Origins of interpretive social science can be traced to the German sociologist Max Weber, who asserted that social science needed to
study significant social action, and the German philosopher Wilhem Dilthey, who argued the importance of an empathic discernment
of the everyday lived experience of people in a particular historical setting. Hermeneutics is an important concept in interpretive social
science, a theory of meaning which emphasizes a thorough evaluation of text (conversation, written words, or pictures) to discover
meaning implanted within text, with the belief that each reader brings his or her subjective experience to a text.

Hermeneutic Phenomenology
Hermeneutics refers to the art of understanding and the theory of interpretation while phenomenology means the science of
phenomena. Hermeneutics means to interpret" and the term came from the name of Hermes, the wing-footed messenger of gods in
Greek mythology. Hermeneutic phenomenology came up out of German philosophy and aims to reveal the life world or human
experience as it is lived. It wishes to regain what had been supposedly lost by the positivist approach. It advocates the idea that instead
of simply one truth as conceived by the scientists, there are in fact many truths. Hermeneutics, therefore, means the process of making
the incomprehensible under standable. Meanwhile, phenomenology becomes hermeneutical when its method takes an interpretive
instead of solely descriptive nature. Every description is always ready interpretation; to understand is already to interpret, and every
mode of human knowledge is interpretive. Understanding is already a form of interpretation. This approach emphasizes the
importance of language, the type of questioning, the phenomenology of human conversation, the value of prejudice, historicality, and
tradition in human understanding. This approach asserts that meanings are not straightforwardly handed down to us, and we must use
hermeneutics to understand human actions and behaviour, promotes a micro-level analysis of society.

Hermeneutic Phenomenology: Strengths and Criticisms

Hermeneutic phenomenology as a social science approach helps researchers to clarify lived experience and expose meaning through a
process of understanding and interpretation (Wilcke, 2002). It allows the experiences of people to be presented in a straightforward
and suggestive manner, giving the reader an opportunity to imaginatively take part into the experiences described. Through this
approach, readers are given the chance to intensify their understanding of the intricacies of experiences as actually lived by people. It
also serves as a vehicle for readers to reflect on the meaning of the experiences described, reminding them that experiences are far
more complicated than we actually think. Those who refuse to use hermeneutic phenomenology as an approach claims that its focus
on experiences unique to the individuals and to their context makes it hard to generalize for a larger population. It is also criticized for
its findings which, because of their subjectivity and specificity, cannot be used as basis for policy frameworks. Its micro-level analysis
is also cited as one of its weaknesses since it focuses on individual experiences and not on the effects of structures on individuals'
understanding and interpretation of their experiences.

Symbolic Interactionism
Symbolic interactionism, also known as symbolic interaction perspective, refers to a key framework of sociology theory which
depends on the symbolic meaning developed by people in the process of interaction. Through the lens symbolic interactionism, society
is examined by concentrating on the subjective meanings that people impose on things, incidents, and actions. Subjective meanings
are prioritized because of the belief that people behaved based on what they perceived to be true and not on what are objectively true.
Hence, society is seen as socially constructed based on human interpretation. Because it focuses on individuals and their interactions,
it also espouses a micro-level type of analysis of society.
Symbolic interactionism is also rooted in phenomenology, for it asserts that the objective world has no reality for humans, only objects
which are subjectively-identified have meaning. Meaning are not units that are given to individual and learned by training. They can
be modified through the ingenuity of humans who may have some bearing on the many meanings that form their society, making
human society of social product.

Symbolic Interactionism: Strengths and Criticisms

Among the strengths of symbolic interactionism as a social science approach is the recognition that people are symbol users that one
can examine society by concentrating on the subjective meanings that people impose on things, incidents, and actions. Another
strengths is the claim that people respond to others based on their understanding of the situation, that people behaved based on what
they perceived to be true and not on what are objectively true. Another strengths would be the recognition that society is a process by
which people have constructed meanings and have negotiated social interaction. Lastly, some would say that its focus on micro-level
analysis serves as one of its strengths since its concentrates on individuals rather than larger structures or institutions.
One of the criticisms against symbolic interaction is its focus on small-scale aspects of social life and its over-emphasis on the
individual. It tends to neglect the over-all level of social interpretation- the “big-picture.” This means proponents of this theory may
miss the larger issues of society by focusing too closely “on the trees rather than the forest,” so to speak. Another criticism is that it
downplays the role of social forces and institutions on individual interactions.

APPLY WHAT YOU HAVE LEARNED !!

Part I - Directions: Complete the

table by showing the strengths and criticisms of the theoretical approaches discussed in this lesson.

Theories Strengths Criticisms

Part II
 Journal Entry
Directions: From what you have learned about the lesson, create a journal entry by interpreting personal and social experience
using relevant theoretical approaches in Social Science. Write your journal entry on a separate sheet of paper.

REFLECT !!

Congratulations on the finishing the supplementary learning module! You have just had
an amazing learning journey and for sure, you will also do the same on the succeeding modules.
To sum up what you have learned. Complete the following phrases

3 Thoughts I have learned…

__________________________________________

_______________________________________

_______________________________________

2 Things I want to remember…

___________________________________________

____________________________________________
__________________________________________

1 Question I have in mind…

___________________________________________
___________________________________________
___________________________________________

ASSESS WHAT YOU HAVE LEARNED !!

Directions: Identify the theoretical approach for each objective below.

______________________1. Aims to explain the difference of humans from animals in the sense that humans have the ability to
interrupt the process of stimulus elicits cognition, and cognition elicits response.
______________________2. Aims to emphasize the world as lived by a person, not the world or reality as something separate from
the person.
______________________3. Aim to show how people interact and get along with each other.
______________________4. Aim to shoe society as the product of the everyday actions of individuals.
______________________5. Aims to reveal human experience as it is lived.

Reference:
Discipline and Ideas in the Social Sciences, Jose Ong, 2016, pages 84-97