Applied Social Sciences and the Discipline of Communication

Comprehensive vocabulary flashcards covering the functions, effects, and pillars of applied social sciences alongside the core elements, goals, roles, functions, and settings of communication.

Applied Social Sciences

Academic social science disciplines, professions, and occupations that seek to use basic social science knowledge, particularly from sociology, economics, and political science.

Settings of Applied Social Science Services

Practice environments where applied social science presence is strongly felt, including children and family agencies, healthcare clinics and hospitals, schools, correctional facilities, older adult care settings like nursing homes, and military settings.

Child Transformation

A developmental process facilitated by applied social science services that is critical to unblocking all barriers to the holistic development of an individual, group, and community.

Counselling

An applied social science discipline that offers guidance to individuals in varying situations of conflict, confusion, and crisis, providing tools to address issues of self-development.

Social Work

An applied social science profession offering a wide range of services, particularly in aid of emancipating marginalized individuals and facilitating participation in public goods and services necessary for self-development.

Persuasion (in Applied Social Science)

A communication process where the communicator deals with people's basic attitudes, values, and beliefs to convince them to adopt a particular point of view through channels such as TV, radio, internet, magazines, and newspapers.

Arts and Entertainment

Forms of mass communication, such as music, dance, or theatre, that allow people to see life differently without imposing standard values, expanding experience, challenging conventional wisdom and norms, and uplifting individuals and communities.

Frame of Reference (in Arts and Entertainment)

An alternative viewpoint conceptualized by an artist that enables audiences to see life differently, intensify their perceptions, and expand their experience.

Democratization of Information

The shift driven by new media and social media that undercuts the agenda-setting authority of large media outlets and diminishes their ability to control news and information flows.

Organizing Advocacy

The effort of raising issues of concern to individuals, groups, and communities on political platforms to discover public solutions and policy, grounded in core values that foster the common good and inclusion.

Core Values of Applied Social Sciences

Foundational principles that foster the common good, social inclusion, and a greater sense of life in community when organizing advocacy for critical issues.

Education

An ongoing process of improving knowledge and skills that serves as a well-recognized global framework for socialization and enculturation, personal development, and relationship building among individuals, groups, and nations.

UNESCO 1972 Report

A seminal report that established the four pillars of education that continue to inform and shape global educational curricula.

Learning to Know

The educational pillar that implies the mastery of the instruments of knowledge and the continuous acquisition of knowledge through experience, radically distinct from rote learning.

Learning to Do

The educational pillar that focuses on applying education, knowledge, skills, and attitudes into practical application, such as in technical-vocational training and work skills.

Learning to Live Together

The educational pillar critical to globalization that involves two complementary paths: the discovery of others and the lifelong experience of working toward shared purposes.

Learning to Be

The educational pillar asserting that the aim of development is the complete fulfillment of humankind in all the richness of personality, serving as a defense against dehumanization caused by technical change.

Socialization

The process by which society transforms an individual from a child into a full-fledged responsible adult, or from an outsider into an insider.

Enculturation

The process by which an individual acquires the culture of his or her environment (Sampa, 2008).

Social Science

The broad academic domain focused on the relationships among individuals in society, combining disciplines such as history, geography, and political science.

Societal Capacitation

An outcome of applied social science processes wherein society is empowered to deal successfully with a wide range of community problems.

Accessibility of Social Welfare

An effect of applied social sciences that makes psychological knowledge, human resources, community services, healthcare, and social welfare accessible to those in need.

Social Awareness

The ability to manage responses to change, recognize others' feelings, understand emotional needs, demonstrate respect, and participate in positive, safe, and respectful relationships.

Self-Awareness

A foundational step toward self-understanding and self-mastery that involves recognizing one's personality, behaviors, habits, emotions, strengths, and weaknesses.

Reflective Practice

A developmental habit maintained by a self-aware individual who acts with personal qualities and achievements while understanding oneself as a continuous learner.

Bahala Na Attitude

A fatalistic cultural inclination cited as a barrier to individual, group, or community sustainability that requires attitudinal and cultural value transformation.

Attitude and Value Change

An applied social science process aimed at transforming negative inclinations and cultural patterns into constructive practices that foster sustainability.

Transtheoretical Model

A behavioral change model demonstrating that change is difficult and requires a gradual progression of small steps toward a larger goal, accounting for readiness, barriers, and potential relapse.

Structural Change

A radical shift in the way reality is organized, specifically the transformation of policy, legal, social, cultural, economic, or physical aspects of an environment that impede equity.

Discipline of Communication

The academic field that deals with how humans use verbal and non-verbal messages to create meaning across various contexts.

Communication (Alberts, Nakayama, and Martin, 2007)

A transactional process in which people generate meaning through the exchange of verbal messages in specific contexts, influenced by individual and societal forces and embedded in culture.

Goals of Communication

The fundamental objective of sending information—and the understanding of that information—from one person or group to another person or group.

To Inform

A communication goal where information is provided for use in decision-making without necessarily advocating a specific course of action.

To Request

A communication goal aimed specifically at asking for a particular action from the receiver.

To Persuade

A communication goal designed to reinforce or change a receiver's belief about a topic and, potentially, induce them to act on that belief.

To Build Relationships

A communication goal where messages are delivered with the simple objective of building goodwill between the sender and the receiver.

Source (Communication Process)

The origin of information; a person or thing (living or non-living) making a serious attempt to produce and pass data through a channel to a receiver.

Message (Communication Process)

The focus of communication theory analyzed through signs and symbols to understand how meaning is created, rather than the study of meaning itself.

Encoding (Communication Process)

The process of collecting a message (information, ideas, and thoughts) into a chosen design with the objective of ensuring that the receiver can understand it.

Channel (Communication Process)

The medium or delivery vehicle through which an encoded message is transmitted by the source, with no perfect channel existing as all possess strengths and weaknesses.

Decoding (Communication Process)

The process of listening and reading directions carefully to interpret a message without processing errors, allowing source and receiver to share identical understanding.

Receiver (Communication Process)

The person or entity to whom a message is delivered, whose interpretation is affected by their frame of reference, sense of humor, common ground, and moral conduct.

Feedback (Communication Process)

The reactions or responses from the receiver that allow the source to judge communication success, serving as an actionable learning opportunity.

Context (Communication Process)

The condition, atmosphere, and climate in which a message is presented, which can make or break the overall effectiveness of communication.

Communication Process Flow Diagram

A cyclical model showing how a message originates with a Source, undergoes Encoding, travels through a Channel, is decoded by the Receiver, and produces Feedback returning to the Source.

Information Providers

A professional role of communicators and journalists dedicated to gathering, verifying, and sharing accurate, timely information to keep the public informed.

Educators (Role of Communicators)

A professional role of communicators and journalists focused on explaining complex issues, policies, and events so the public can understand them and make informed decisions.

Facilitators of Dialogue

A professional role of communicators and journalists that involves creating spaces for diverse voices, opinions, and communities to be heard.

Custodians of Truth

A professional role of communicators and journalists that entails maintaining factual accuracy, integrity, and credibility across all communication outputs.

Inform (Function of Communicators)

The fundamental function of communicators and journalists that consists of delivering verified facts and timely updates.

Investigate (Function of Communicators)

The investigative function of communicators and journalists that involves digging deeper into issues to uncover hidden truths.

Interpret (Function of Communicators)

The analytical function of communicators and journalists that entails analyzing and explaining the meaning of facts and their broader impact.

Advocate (Function of Communicators)

The advocacy function of communicators and journalists centered on amplifying marginalized voices and promoting public welfare.

Entertain (Function of Communicators)

The creative function of communicators and journalists focused on sharing engaging stories that connect audiences.

Connect (Function of Communicators)

The relational function of communicators and journalists that aims to bridge gaps between people, institutions, and communities.

Intrapersonal Communication

A communication setting that occurs entirely within oneself, involving thinking, reflecting, planning, and self-evaluation.

Interpersonal Communication

A communication setting involving direct interaction between two or a few individuals, such as an interview, counseling conversation, or teacher-student discussion.

Group Communication

A communication setting that occurs when several people interact with one another, such as in classroom discussions, staff meetings, group projects, or committee meetings.

Public Communication

A communication setting where one person communicates directly to a larger audience, exemplified by speeches, lectures, public presentations, school programs, and campaign speeches.

Mass Communication

A communication setting that involves transmitting messages to a large, geographically dispersed audience through media such as television, radio, newspapers, online news, and social media.