What is Sociology?

Sociology is scientific study of social behavior in human groups.

Focus on:
 How relationships influence people’s attitudes and behavior?
 How societies develop and change?
Definition of Society
Society word is derived from Latin word "Socious" which means Association or Companion ship
or Fellowship. Thus society means large groups of people who are associated with each other.
The basic component of society is individual because intersection of individuals with each other
gives birth to social groups and these social groups interact with each other and develop relation
with each other which leads a society.
1.According To Maciver
"Society is a web of social relationship which is always changing".
2.According To Betrand
"Society is a group in which men share a total common life".
3.According To Linton
"Society is any group of people who are living together in organized way".
4.According To A.W Green
"Society is the largest group in which individuals have relationships".
Conclusion
Society is a large group of individuals, who are living together, have common interest, culture,
social life system and common needs of life.
Nature of Sociology
Sociology is the branch of knowledge and it has its own characteristics. Sociology has different
nature in society. It is different from other sciences in certain respects. The following are the main
characteristics of sociology as enlisted by Robert Bierstedt in his book " The Social Order" and
they are as follows: -
 Sociology is an independent science: - It is not treated and studies as a branch of any other
science like philosophy or political philosophy or history.
 Sociology is the social science and not a physical science:- As a social science it
concentrates its attention on man, his social behavior, social activities and social life.
 Sociology is the categorical and not a normative discipline: - Sociology "Confines itself
to statement about what is, not what should be or ought to be". As a social science sociology
is necessarily silent about questions of value and it is ethically neutral.
 Sociology is the pure science and not an applied science: - The main aim of pure science
is the acquisition of knowledge and it is not bothered weather the acquired knowledge is
useful or can be put to use.
 Sociology is the relatively an abstract science and not a concrete science:- Sociology
does not confine itself to the study of this society of that particular society or social
organization, or marriage, or religion, or group and so on.
 Sociology is the generalizing and not a particularizing or individualizing science: -
Sociology tries to find out the general laws or principles about human interaction and
association, about the nature, from, content and the structure of human groups and
societies. It tries to make generalizations on the basis of the study of some selected events.
 Sociology is the general science not a special science: - The area of inquiry of sociology
is general not specialized. It is concerned with human interaction and human life in general.
It only studies human activities in a general way. Anthropology and social psychology
often claim themselves to be general social science.
 Sociology is both rational and an empirical science: - There are two broad ways of
approach to scientific knowledge. Empiricism is the approach that emphasis experience
and the facts that result from observation and experimentation. Rationalism is stresses
reason and the theories that result from logical inference.
Above are the nature of sociology which helps to know about the sociology character on its field.
It is clear from the above that sociology is an independent, a social, a categorical, a pure, an
abstract, a generalizing, both a rational and empirical and a general science.
Importance of Sociology
 Sociology studies society in a scientific way
 Sociology throws more light on the social nature of man
 Sociology increases the power of social action
 Sociology studies role of the institutions in the development of the individuals
 Study of sociology is indispensable for understanding and planning of society
 Sociology is of great importance in the solution of social problems
 Sociology has drawn our attention to the intrinsic worth and dignity of man
 Sociology has changed our outlook with regard to the problems of crime
 Sociology has made great contribution to enrich human culture
 Sociology is of great importance in the solution of international problems
 The value of sociology lies in the fact that it keeps us update on modern situations
 Study of society has helped governments to promote the welfare of the tribal and
marginalized communities
 Sociology is useful as a teaching subject
Relationship of Sociology in Management Sciences
To excel in business, you need more than a solid grasp of math and economics. Business requires
an understanding of people -- large populations in particular. Sociology provides the educational
background needed for managers to understand their employees and customers. Business leaders
that understand sociology are able to anticipate customer needs and respond to employee problems
in ways others cannot.
 Analytical Process- Studying sociology helps to develop your analytical thinking and
capabilities. Sociologists analyze qualitative and quantitative data to determine the effects of
phenomena on a population. For instance, a sociologist may discover that a country has an age
gap due to an uncontrolled epidemic that affects the country's ability to compete globally. This
analytical method of thinking helps those in business with the ability to research market data
and eventually draw conclusions from that data.
 Handling Employees - A background in sociology gives business leaders and human resource
managers an advantage when dealing with employees in the workplace. Sociologists study
(and are often aware of) the cultural and social aspects that shape an individual. With this
background, those in business can avoid alienating employees or hurting company loyalty. For
example, the company may have a large number of employees that practice a particular
religion. If this religion states that its followers must observe a sabbath on weekends, you
cannot reasonably ask those employees to work on weekends, based on your background in
sociology.
 Market Opportunities - Sociologists understand that certain phenomena create conditions
that influence groups of people. For example, if birth rates drop within a country, that country's
population will eventually "age" and require increased services for the elderly. Those in
business with sociology backgrounds can identify such factors and the opportunities created
within a population. For instance, a business leader can look at a country that was previously
ravaged by war or disease and know that its people require basic infrastructure offerings and
access to education and medical facilities. If your company specializes in medical supplies,
this is an opportunity; if your company sells luxury vehicles, you would look elsewhere and
identify a population that requires your services.
 Public Relations - Sociology is fundamental to the public relations department of any major
company. A PR person's background in sociology tells her that certain actions by the company
will affect its customers based on their cultural and economic backgrounds. For example, if
your company conducts business in another part of the world, your PR person must know the
history of that area to tailor the message and image of the company. The PR person, for
instance, would not create a press release that stresses the independent nature of the company
in a culture that places a large focus on family.