Visual Data In Social Science  


We live in a society where visual images have proliferated and our ways of seeing and our experiences of and responses to visual spectacles are central to our understanding of who we are and where we belong. Studying the visual aspects of culture and society has become increasingly important,particularly in the  fields of cultural studies and media and communication studies. While vision and visuality have always been at the heart of other disciplinary traditions such as fine art, art history, drama or film studies, the growing interest from social and cultureal researchers more generally reflects shifts in social theory. (Seale, 1998) 

Visual offers a powerful advantage when the audience reflect on things, people, events and places.Thus, the visual enables us to gain further undertanding and sending of a phenomenon studied especially when used with other signs, including words. As a source of insight, it enhances the power to sense, to feel, and to evoke empathy. Through exposure to the visual we can acquire deeper knowledge of people, contexts, places, and phenomena. We can conclude that, in general, the visual both reflects and improves our vision in doing research; it further allows us to surpass cognitive knowledge by adding emotions and experiences that let us capture knowledge of phenomena rather than simply knowledge about phenomena. (Ulusoy & Firat, 2009)

 When it comes to visual literacy, understanding the culture and context of a picture of is of utmost importance.A visually literate individual will pick up on these differences and see that all that the ad is telling them regarding the historical context of the advertisement and the technological capabilities available at the time, not just the product the ad is endorsing. Pictures oftentimes can relate more information than that which is most obvious, and the visually literate can pick up on this.






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