NCJ Number
59548
Date Published
1979
Length
137 pages
Annotation
QUESTIONS TO BE ADDRESSED IN ENHANCING THE UTILITY OF SOCIAL SCIENCE RESEARCH IN SOCIAL PROBLEM SOLVING ARE IDENTIFIED, AND A COMPREHENSIVE BIBLIOGRAPHY ON THE RESEARCH AND PROBLEMSOLVING INTERFACE IS PRESENTED.
Abstract
THERE IS GENERAL DISSATISFACTION WITH SOCIAL SCIENCE AND RESEARCH AS INSTRUMENTS OF SOCIAL PROBLEMSOLVING. POLICYMAKERS AND OTHERS CONCERNED WITH PRACTICAL PROBLEMS FREQUENTLY VOICE DISAPPOINTMENT WITH THE INFORMATION THEY RECEIVE FROM SOCIAL SCIENTISTS AND RESEARCHERS, MANY OF WHOM THINK THEY SHOULD BE MORE USEFUL AND MORE INFLUENTIAL. A BASIC PROBLEM IS THAT SOCIAL SCIENTISTS ARE CRIPPLED BY A MISUNDERSTANDING OF THEIR OWN TRADE. SOCIAL SCIENTISTS DO NOT ALWAYS APPRECIATE THAT PROFESSIONAL SOCIAL INQUIRY IS ONLY ONE OF SEVERAL WAYS OF SOLVING A PROBLEM. THEY ARE ALSO OFTEN ENGAGED IN A MISTAKEN PURSUIT OF AUTHORITATIVENESS, FAILING TO REALIZE THAT THEIR CONTRIBUTION CAN NEVER BE MORE THAN A PARTIAL ONE. SOCIAL SCIENTISTS NEED TO APPLY THE TOOLS OF THEIR TRADE TO THE TRADE ITSELF. THEY NEED TO REEXAMINE THEIR CRITERIA FOR SELECTING RESEARCH SUBJECTS, STUDY THEIR TACTICS AND COMPARE THEM WITH THE TACTICS OF POLICYMAKERS, AND CONSIDER MORE CAREFULLY THEIR ROLE IN RELATION TO OTHER PROBLEMSOLVING ROUTES. TO STIMULATE INQUIRY INTO THESE ISSUES, A COMPREHENSIVE BIBLIOGRAPHY IS PRESENTED. INCLUDED IN THE BIBLIOGRAPHY ARE REPORTS OF COMMISSIONS AND RESEARCH GROUPS; BIBLIOGRAPHIES; MATERIALS ON SCIENCE AND SCIENTIFIC METHOD, CAUSAL AND INTERPRETIVE EXPLANATION, HISTORY AND SOCIOLOGY OF SCIENCE, AND SOCIAL SCIENCE AND RESEARCH IN POLICYMAKING AND PROBLEMSOLVING; ESSAYS AND STUDIES IN SPECIFIC DISCIPLINES (ANTHROPOLOGY, ECONOMICS, POLITICAL SCIENCE, PSYCHOLOGY, SOCIOLOGY); AND MATERIALS ON GOVERNMENT SUPPORT OF RESEARCH, ALLOCATION OF RESEARCH FUNDS AND ENERGIES, AND SOCIOLOGY OF THE SCIENTIFIC COMMUNITY. AN INDEX IS PROVIDED. (AUTHOR ABSTRACT MODIFIED--LKM)