CONCEPTUAL CATEGORIES OF SOCIAL CONSTRUCTION PARADIGM

A. Positivist Approach (FABIANISM)

Description:
A vaguely explained theory although it has a high
level of complexity in its analysis of housing and
settlement research, their main focus is to
establish facts and prescribe effective action once
problems are acknowledged.
CASE STUDY: Marcos regime infrastructure
development
1. Data Gathering- researchers analysis
and findings outcome points to a
vernacular,
nature
dominating,
and
consumer oriented lifestyle approach
2. Hypothesis and Application (Solution
not verified) without a clear conclusion,
they established goals they deemed
necessary to restore national identity.
Architects then design practical buildings
without looking
at
situations
the
community is
experiencing.

B. Scope Basis Approach

Description:
Social constructionists claim that individuals
experience/s are active processes of interpretation
and the ideal source of information rather than a
clients IDEA formed from observations and
experiences.
CASE STUDY: Oversea Filipino Workers
1. Data Gathering- researchers & designers
directly ask questions to their clients
regarding their experiences in relation to
their job, family, or their lifestyle in general
and try their best to avoid questions
leading to situations where the client
dictates the design.
2. Hypothesis- architects creates proposals
until the client is satisfied.
*Disregarding
the
analysis of the site and
its
characteristics,
architects
will
then
design their individually
inspired buildings and
forgetting
the
proper
context

RESULT: Structures are still surviving today but it RESULT: buildings show uniqueness & beauty but
failed to address modern issues such as human produces a chaotic neighbourhood when mixed
scale, sustainability and regenerating ability, & with other structures
social acceptance
CATEGORIES ASED ON SOCIAL CONSTRUCTIONS MODEL OF KNOWLEDGE
1. Exogenic Perspective
2. Endogenic Perspective
Description: logical empirists suggests that social Description: phenomenologist suggest that social
constructionism copies the contours of the world constructionism depends on mans instinct to
thus nature dictates the overall settlement plan
dominate nature
Examples: feng sui, Japanese art of gardening
Example: greek and roman ancient civilizations
(gridiron plans)

THE SOCIAL CONSTUCTION PARADIGM OF A COMMUNITTY

A social construction paradigm is particularly useful for exploring organizational conflicts and tensions. The
importance of this theory lies where people dont share a single view of reality, but rather multiple differences in
what should be the norm as dictated by the majority group.
EXAMPLE 1: CAR INVASION
Before:
-Dynamic human interaction
-close up natural views
-5 km/hour radius (decentralized
planning)
-slow pace lifestyle
-pathways are built for human
access

After:
-less neighbourhood interaction
-land consuming subdivision roads
-cheap oil oriented transport system
-car dependent cities
-few people on streets
-Fast pace lifestyle
-60-120 km/hour radius (centralized
cities)
EXAMPPLE
2:
SPANISH
COLONIZATION
Before:
-settlement near river (sources of
livelihood)
-contour inspired housing planning
-uncontrolled settlement
-simple governance
After:
-Church centred urban planning
-controlled development
-more
complex
government
structure

1. RELATIVISM
Description: if all
discourse is socially
constructed & theres no
such thing as objective
truth, then it is only one
discourse of topic theory
& cant claim dominance
over any other approach.

CRITICISMS ON SOCIAL CONSTRUCTIONISM

2. ASSUMPTIONS ABOUT REALITY
Example:
-humans can only achieve
Example:
-Perception about the # of their humanity thru social
stairs
interactions
-Perception about the
-attempt to organize other
lucky # 13 in Chinese
realities with our own
belief.
constructions/
-feng sui architecture
imaginations
-our idea of how

government buildings
should look like

3. MATERIAL WORLD
Accdg, to critics, its
usually viewed as a
passive conductor of
meaning, but social
constructionist argue that
it is mostly affected by
how we perceive things
collectively.

Example: room color

preferences
Pink= girls
Blue= boys

4. RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN INDIVIDUAL AND:

-organizations,
communities,
education,psychology,
family etc.
-how people create
meaning as a community