Sociology: A Brief Introduction

© Dr. Ramjit Kumar

Assistant Professor
Department of Sociology
 Sociology: A Brief Introduction

• Sociology is a relatively young discipline in compare to other disciplines in social

sciences. This is a subject that deals with complexity of human behavior and actions.
It uses many different methods to study a wide range of subject matter.
• Sociology was invented in western Europe in response to the advent of industrial
capitalist society. However the early sociologists not confined their area of study and
interest only to European societies.
• Sociology grew under the shadow of basic assumptions that truth about the world can
be known, measured, reported, collected, and also verified through sensory
observation. This is why scientists seek truth by observing the world rather than
waiting for intuitive knowledge or getting revelation like monk or mystic.
• Sociology inherited this basic premise grounded in positivistic philosophy of
thought based on the premise that the veracity of the knowledge lies in the fact that
it is supported by sensory observation.

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 Sociology: A Brief Introduction

• Sociology is study of social actions and behaviors distinct from philosophical and
religious reflections as well as our everyday common-sense observations.
• Sociology is a serious social enquiry enterprise submerged in the virtuosity of
technical skills whereas commonsense is full of snares and pitfalls.
• As a discipline, sociology has a body of concepts, method, and data no matter
how loosely they held together, for which common sense of even the most acute
and well informed can not be substitute.
• Sociology deals with both abstraction and arguments, concepts and logics and
data and theory. However, to construct sociological knowledge a researcher must
have training to handle empirical materials relating to every type of societies, his
own society as well as other societies.

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 Fascination of Sociology
• Though many people like to observe human beings and others do
experiment, sociology not an individual pastime. Whereas sociology is an
intellectual preoccupation of interest to many.
• The fascination of sociology lies in the fact that it’s perspective that makes us to
see to the things in a new light and perspective about the very world in which
we have lived and living our life. This includes a transformation of our
consciousness. This transformation is relevant in sociology in compare to
other disciplines because in sociology both the subject and the object of
investigation constitutes human beings.

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 Different approaches to explaining social life.
• Sociology is often defined as the scientific study of social life. But the problem with this definition
is that it leaves the basic questions unanswered. For example, it does not define what constitute
‘social life’ or what is ‘scientific study’.
• The scope of sociological study is widening day by day. There is hardly a significant area of social
life which is not the concern of sociological studies. This varies from the analysis of casual
encounters between persons in the street to the study of wide range of social institutions and
social processes, and universal social processes of historical, contemporary, and of future
significance.
• For the reason that a discipline should have a clear-cut boundary of the subject matter, sociology
should be defined in terms of its approaches that it take to explain social life. These approaches
sum up the definition as well scope of sociology.

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 Approaches to explaining Social Life
1. Empirical- Empirical dimension of sociology deals with the interesting set of questions,
like, ‘what is out there’ in the society, What sociologists do? What are the structure of the
particular society as a whole? What are its essential components? How are they related to
one another? And, How does it differ from other varieties of social order?
2. Historical- Historical deals with what sociologists have done in the past, for example,
what are their contributions of the founding fathers of sociology in the corpse of sociology.
3. Analytical- Analytical deals with explaining why and how within the subject domain of
sociology. Inkles called it, what logic requires? Some questions that set the analytical
orientation of sociology are: Where does the society stand in human history? What are the
mechanics by which it is changing? One can argue that apart from empirical and historical
orientations of the sociological research, analytical dimension is an important area of
research in sociology that also deal with the question of, ‘what ought to be done’.

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 What Contemporary Sociologists are doing?
III. Basic Social Institutions
I. Sociological Analysis • The Family and Kinship
• Human Culture and Society • Economic
• Political and Legal
• Sociological Perspective • Religious
• Scientific method in social science • Educational and Scientific
• Recreational and Welfare
II. Primary Unit of Social Life • Aesthetic and Expressive
• Social Acts and social relationships IV. Fundamental Social Progress
• Differentiation and Stratification
• The individual personality • Cooperation, Accommodation, Assimilation
• Groups • Social Conflict
• Communication including opinion formation and
• Communities: Urban and Rural expression
• Associations and Organisations • Socialisation and Indoctrination
• Social Evaluation
• Populations • Social Control
• Society • Social Deviance
• Social Integration
• Social Change

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UNDERSTANDING SOCIOLOGY BY OTHER
DEFINITIONS
HOW SOCIOLOGISTS VIEW SOCIETY

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 Sociology as the Study of “total society”:

• Sociology is a special discipline that takes society as its unit of analysis. It concern itself explicitly
with social life as a totality. Its purpose is to discover how the social institutions of a society are
related to each other. Hence, the basic unit of sociological analysis is social structure.
• Social structure is recurring pattern of social behavior. It refers to enduring, orderly, and
patterned relationship between different elements of society. It is the systematic interrelation of
forms of behavior or action in particular societies.
• There are many questions that sociologists often asks related to social structure. Some of them
are: (a). How does society exist, survive, and persist over the period of time? (b). Do they go
through definite stages of development? (c). What are the internal problems which any societies
face?
• Radcliffe-Brown thought of social structure as relations of a general and regular
kind between persons. S F Nadel refers social structure as the network of inter-
role relationship whereas Edmund Leach has used the concept to describe the
set of ideas about distribution of powers between persons and groups.
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 Sociology as the study Social Patterns.

• Sociologists are interested in identifying the general patterns by examining the

behavior of large groups of people.
• The sociological insight lies in the manner in society is being seen as a dimension of
experience characterized by regular and predictable patterns of behavior that exist
independently of any specific individual’s desires or self-understanding. Yet at the
same time a society is an ongoing objective social relationships and activities of
individuals.

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 Sociology as the study of Institutions.

• According to Durkheim, sociology is the science of social institutions.

This is the idea that is derived from the basis that the distinctive unit of
sociological analysis is relations between the different elements of
society, such as, the family, the church, the school and the political party.

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 Sociology is the study of social relationships.

• Societies are complex system of institutions. So is the institutions.

Institutions are often conceived as complex systems of social
relationships.
• Relationship is the distinctive and analytic subject matter of sociology.
Relationship is like molecule of social life, whereas the smaller unit of
social life is social act.
• In this sense, sociology may be defined as the study of social
relationships and acts, and elaborated a set of categories for their
description and analysis.

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 Individual and Society
• There is no individual without society and there is no society without individual.
The importance of societal force is pre-eminent and unavoidable.
• Individual in this sense is not living in island. If our choices are unequal and
stratified, our nature of society would be different.
• Sociology studies human actions and behaviors. They are situating it in an
interconnected whole by assuming that individual need and their wants are
inextricably linked with larger societal forces.
• Example, the problem of choosing subject in the higher education is just one
example of the fact that individuals are always surrounded by societal nets and
relationships. In this context one can say that the conception individual coming
prior to society is an exercise in vain.

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 Why society matters at all?
• Sociological understanding suggests that as each individual person grow up in a
particular context. The particular context is our class, gender, community,
linguistic and ethnic group, region, religion etc. Hence, individual’s life and their
thinking are get shaped by larger social forces at the both local and global levels.
• Society plays overwhelming role in determining individual’s life and their
fortune, what an individual want to achieve etc. In this sense whatever decisions
we make, often our choices are determined by social forces. These social factors
are outside of the control of individual. In other words, the decisions, actions,
and choices that we make at micro level is determined by social, political and
economic factors at macro level. In simple words, our world at the micro-world
are interlinked with the macro world. This connection is two ways which mean
that we determine the nature of our society as well as our life is also get
determined by the society.

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 Sociological Imagination
• The sociological imagination is the outcome of sociological knowledge and self-
consciousness. It is the means through which men grasp and makes sense of
the social events happening in the outside world by correlating with their
personal life.
• According to C Wright Mills, sociological imagination also helps in connecting
the personal troubles (milieu) to the public issues. In this way sociological
consciousness helps people to connects individual’s biography to the history of
the time.

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 Sociology and Common-sense
• Sociological knowledge claims to be general and universal in nature whereas common sense
knowledge is particular and localized whereas commonsense knowledge are localised. They are
also highly variable depended on time and space, and subject to constraints.
• Sociology as a discipline has an academic interest in current affairs. Sociologist maintains an
alert, and critical attitude whereas Common-sense is mere product of hunches and conjecture.
They are the products of too much of assumptions and suppositions and they don’t go through
empirical testing whereas sociological knowledge is the product of hypothesis testing and theory
development.
• Commonsense ideas and explanation claim to represent that people have perfect knowledge
about the social and natural world. In general, common-sense ideas are assumed to be true in a
society. People don’t tend to question the validity of such argument. Commonsense ideas are
those ideas that are believed that known and familiar by everyone. They many not be necessarily
incorrect, but they are not scientific.
• Unlike common sense-based knowledge sociological knowledge is based on logics, proofs, and
evidences. Sociologists are concerned with more than mere assertion of facts. Sociological
knowledge also have greater validity and tenacity. They have been tested in many ways.

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 Sociology and Common-sense
• Common sense is unreflective since it does not question its own origins. Or in other words it does not ask
itself: “Why do I hold this view? Sociology derives its legacy form systematic and questioning approach,
which is part of a broader tradition of scientific investigation.
• Commonsense statements might have the product of folk wisdom, scientific thinking has vision to find out
common way of seeking truths about our social world. It has been often seen that common-sense knowledge
often support in favor of tradition and resists forces of modernity. They resist social change and reinforce status
quo.
• Common-sense knowledge put their faith in perception whereas sociological views does not support
stereotypical view about the world. Commonsense knowledge abhors rational thinking and mere relies on
intuition and against the need of any verification of knowledge they go by hearsay and predisposition of mind.
Common sense is based on personal experiences. But Sociology looks at the society not with respect to
individuals but as a whole.
• The biggest problem with common sense is that it gets reduced to the clear limits of personal experience. This
is why, sociologists use a variety of social science research designs and methods sort out which popular beliefs
hold true. Common sense develops as an experiential situation whereas Sociology demands thoughts that are
not merely individual experiences.

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 Sociology and Common Sense

• Sociological knowledge is possible only when investigations made from different standpoints are
possible and available for mutual correction.
• Emile Durkheim was of the view that systematic investigation of the subject matter is not
possible unless investigator freed himself from his preconceptions. Unlike common sense
sociologists often restraint from expression moral choices and preferences of individual
members of the society.
• Peter Berger suggests that the task of sociologists is to look beyond commonsense knowledge.
The concept of Latent Function of R. K. Merton is a case in point. For example: It may be
common sense knowledge that cause of poverty is that people are not willing to work, or it is the
sins of past life that has inflicted poverty in this life. But sociological research says that poverty is
more due to structural inequality, inequality of opportunity, lack of skills etc.
• However, there is another school of thought, led by sociologists like, Alfred Schutz, Harold
Garfinkel and Weber who prefer and favor to make use of commonsense knowledge to interpret
the meanings individual attach in their construction of social reality. Thus, they suggest
sociology has to maintain a thin line between common sense and completely technical virtuosity.

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© Dr. Ramjit Kumar 19
Commonsense
view
of society

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 Solution offered -

Solution generally offered is in science,

and efficacy of the method adopted
science.

Text usually suggest that students

should place their views in positivistic
scientism.

Thus, the solution offered to combat

inadequacies of commonsense is a
simplistic empiricism and inadequate
and idealised notion of science.

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 Science and Sensory Observation
• Scientific language is based on sensory observation of reality. Observation could be of two types. This depends upon degree of
involvement. Scientific languages are made up of CONCEPTS. In scientific languages concepts are often unambiguous and more precise.
• Our senses are not immune to distortion. They can certainly deceive us, mislead us, and distort the picture of reality out there. To
minimise such gaps in opting framework, object of investigation, applying the particular lenses, observation and reporting scientists
adopt certain procedural steps that seeks to reduce such possibility. These acts of procedural steps constitute what is called the
scientific method. The scientific method is based on sensory observation of reality.
• We often appreciate the significance of language in our day-to-day life. Language is a system of symbols that forms he medium through
which we comprehend the world around and inside us. This is the basis of our thought processes. Language is also a means through
which we can communicate to the world, connect to the world, and connect to each other. Without appreciative use of language, the
formation of social life would be difficult.
• The usage of concept in scientific method is much of appreciative and of significance. We should always keep in mind that language is a
system of symbols. These symbols in the form of linguistic terms are abstractions, i.e., they are mentally created. And, in this process,
certain meanings are imputed by which they come to stand for the real phenomena. Concept serves the function in scientific language.
What linguistic term do. They help in comprehending reality that a science is engage in studying. It must be conceded at the outset that
in its attempt to ensure precision, brevity, scientificity, scientific languages do make use of concepts that provide precise meaning.

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 Concept and Language in
Social Science Abstraction
(Image of an
Object)

• We often appreciate the significance of language in our day-to-

This help in
day life. Language is a system of symbols that forms he medium transmission in Formation of
through which we comprehend the world around and inside us. our thought and image in our mind
image.
This is the basis of our thought processes.
• Language is also a means through which we can communicate to
the world, connect to the world, and connect to each other.
Without appreciative use of language, the formation of social life
would be difficult.
• The usage of concept in scientific method is much of appreciative A linguistic label is
Processing of
similar image to
and of significance. attached
all
• We should always keep in mind that language is a system of
symbols. These symbols in the form of linguistic terms are
abstractions, i.e., they are mentally created. And, in this process,
certain meanings are imputed by which they come to stand for
the real phenomena.
• The importance of using concept as a tool in social investigation
and research in social sciences can not be undermine. Importance
How Mental Model Works?
of language in our scientific communication. How are concepts
formed; and how abstract image differ from concrete reality?

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 Methods of Sociology
• Sociology grew under the shadow of basic assumption that truth about the world can be known,
measured, reported, collected, and also verified through sensory observation.
• This is why scientists seeks truth by observing the world rather than waiting for intuitive
knowledge or getting revelation like monk or mystic.
• Sociology inherited this basic premise grounded in positivistic philosophy. The veracity of the
knowledge lies in the fact that it is supported by sensory observation.
• Different ways of looking at the things. Ways of looking at the things also perspectives are often
full of presuppositions.
• The rationale behind the use of observation in sociological research is that sociologist should
observe a set of social actions. To observe something one can be a party or not of the social
events; the degree of involvement may vary from direct involvement to non-involvement.
• First type of involvement is called participant observation and later is called non-participant
observation.

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 Methods of Sociology
• Sociology is subject that deals with complexity of human behavior and actions. It uses many different methods to
study a wide range of subject matter and to apply these studies to the real world. However our senses are not
immune to distortion. They can certainly deceive us, mislead us, and distort the picture of reality out there.
• To minimise such gaps in opting framework, object of investigation, applying the particular lenses, observation
and reporting scientists adopt certain procedural steps that seeks to reduce such possibility. These acts of
procedural steps constitute what is called the scientific method.
• The scientific method is based on sensory observation of reality. However to remain the study unobtrusive the
sociological studies are done from the outside the situation whereas to increase the degree of insider’s view
sociologist’s often find it worthy to be participant of a situation. However, ability to gather information may vary
depending upon the degree of involvement.
• To escape this dilemma sociologists often prefer to hide their identity. Apart from Observation, there are other
dimensions of “seeing”. This includes a method of Inference and Interpretation. However, interpretative sociology
comes in negation with positivistic approach. They think that the facts itself are prone and amenable to sensory
observation.

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 Meaning of science
• Science is a body of systematic knowledge. Science is based on reason and evidences. Science is a
branch of knowledge or study dealing with a body of facts or truths systematically arranged and
showing the operation of general laws. It collects facts and links them together in their causal
sequence to draw valid inferences.
• Social sciences attempt to objectively study the social world. Like the natural sciences, the social
sciences are divided into specialized fields based on their subject matter.
• All sciences have certain goals. The first goal is to explain why something happens. The second
goal is to make generalizations by looking for patterns, recurring characteristics, or events. The
third goal is to predict what will happen in the future, given current knowledge. To achieve these
goals, scientists must move beyond common sense and rely on conclusions based on systematic
study.
• Science has the following characteristics such as objectivity, observation, accurate prediction,
experimentation, accurate measurement, generalisation and cause-effect relationships.

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 Sociological Perspectives
• Theory is a general statement about how some parts of the world fit together and how they
work; it is an explanation of how two or more facts are related to one another. It provides a
different way of looking at familiar worlds. It allows us to gain a new vision of social life.
• Theories enable us to analyze and understand both the forces that contribute to our unique
experiences in our own private spaces as well as social life.

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Evolution of Modern Sociological Thought

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 Functional Theory
The central idea of functional analysis is that society is a whole unit, made up of interrelated parts
that work together.
• 1. To understand society, we must look at both structure (how the parts of society fit together to
make up the whole) and function (how each part contributes to society).
• 2. Robert Merton used the term function to refer to the beneficial consequences of people’s
actions to keep society stable and dysfunction to refer to consequences that undermine stability.
Functions can be either manifest (actions that are intended) or latent (unintended
consequences).
• 3. In trying to explain divorce, a functionalist would look at how industrialization and
urbanization both contributed to the changing function of marriage and the family.

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 Conflict theory
• According to conflict theory, society is viewed as composed of groups competing for scarce resources.
Karl Marx focused on struggles between the bourgeoisie, the small group of capitalists who own the
means of production, and the proletariat, the masses of workers exploited by the capitalists.
– 1. Contemporary conflict theorists have expanded this perspective to include conflict in all
relations of power and authority.
– 2. Just as Marx stressed conflict between capitalists and workers, many feminists stress a similar
conflict between men and women.
– 3. Divorce is seen as the outcome of the shifting balance of power within a family; as women have
gained power and try to address inequalities in their relationships, men resist.
– 4. The perspectives differ in their level of analysis. Functionalists and conflict theorists provide
macro-level analysis because they examine the large-scale patterns of society.
– Symbolic interactionists carry out micro-level analysis because they focus on the small-scale
patterns of social life.
– F. Each perspective provides a different and often sharply contrasting picture of the world.
However, sociologists often use all three perspectives because no one theory or level of analysis
encompasses all of reality. © Dr. Ramjit Kumar 30
 Symbolic interactionism
• Symbolic interactionism views symbols, things to which we attach
meaning, as the basis of social life.
• 1. Through the use of symbols, people are able to define relationships to
others; to coordinate actions with others, thereby making social life
possible; and to develop a sense of themselves.
• 2. A symbolic interactionist studying divorce would focus on how the
changing meanings of marriage, family, and divorce have all contributed
to the increase in the rate of divorce in U.S. society.

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 Sociology and Other Social Sciences
• Anthropology is the sister discipline of sociology that attempts to understand
culture (a people’s total way of life) by focusing primarily on tribal people. This
is giving way though to study of groups in industrialized settings.
• 2. Economics analyzes the production, distribution, and allocation of the material
goods and services of a society.
• 3. Political science focuses on politics or government.
• 4. Psychology concentrates on processes that occur within the individual.
• 5. Sociology is similar to the other social sciences in some ways, but it is distinct
because it looks at all social institutions, focuses on industrialized societies, and
looks at external factors which influence people.

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According to Weber, social reality is characterised by the
presence of “geist” or consciousness. People ascribe meanings
to the situation. These meanings influence subsequent
behavior. Hence, for Weber any attempt to take social reality
must take cognizance of meanings and motives.
The essence of Verstehen approach of Max Weber. Weber’s
Meanings ascribed by the people are partly determined by
cultural norms and partly shaped by the personal experiences of Approach
the individual actors. Thus, an attempt to understand social
behavior does not stop simply at observation. Instead, it
to
involves interpretation of the underlying meanings and motives. Verstehen
This requires the use of what Weber called emphatic liaison
which means observer would try to understand by placing
himself imaginatively in actor’s position. After establishing EL
sociologist try to figure out the meanings and motives to explain
actor’s behavior.

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 The Field of Sociological Concerns

• Sociology of Education
• Sociology of Race
• Sociology of Knowledge
• Sociology of Health
Sociology of Knowledge
• Analysis of the roles of knowledge in the
dialectic of individual and society and of
personal identity and social structure.
• Sociology does take place in the company of the
sciences that deal with man as man; that it is, in
that specific sense, a humanistic discipline.
• Sociology must continue its conversation with
both history and philosophy.
• Sociology must not lose the proper object of
inquiry is society as made up of a human world,
made by men inhabited by men, and in turn,
making men, in an ongoing historical process.

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 The Key Insights of Sociology
1. People are social by nature. People live much of their
lives belonging to social groups. Events in our social
world affect our individual lives.
2. Interaction between individual and social groups is a
two-way process in which each influences other.
3. The process of conflict and change are natural and
inevitable features of groups and societies.
4. We can best understand our personal experiences and
problems by looking at big picture, i.e., by examining
the broader social context.
5. Sociologists asks questions regarding circumstances
and they avoid asking moral and ethical judgments.
They ask questions that can be scientifically answered.
© Dr. Ramjit Kumar
1. Sociologists don’t base their knowledge on stereotypes,
intuition, supernatural explanations, magic, and religion
etc. Like natural scientists they use proper scientific
methods to correct misleading and harmful misconceptions
about human behavior and policy decisions.
2. The results of sociological investigations provide a better
background for meeting and solving social problems. The
results of sociological inquiry can help dispel popular
myths, superstition and stereotype with accurate
knowledge about human behavior and human societies.
3. Sociology is not a mere routine process of attaining facts,
data, or understanding. This is also about learning to think
sociologically. It involves looking at social issues from
broader perspective and multiple points of view. This also
involves understanding that individual’s life are
surrounded by larger social issues. Sociological perspective
allows us to look beneath the surface of society and allow
to notice social patterns.
35
 Key Sociological Insights
• A key outcome of sociology is the simple fact that society is more than a mere
product of sum of their parts.
• Society is a lived identity and it is unique in itself. It has some enduring and self-
persisting character.
• Although Individual’s life is the product of their social circumstances, individuals
through their knowledge, voice, and actions also shape the society.

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 The Key Insights of Sociology
1. People become self aware by understanding your surroundings which can lead to
opportunities to improve social life.
• Sociology also impresses upon us the necessity of
2. Sociological Perspective provide complete understanding of social situations by overcoming narrow personal prejudices, ambitions and
looking beyond individual expectations. class hatred. Sociology suggests rational approach to
3. Sociological perspective enable a person to understand the social world in more
objective, systematic, scientific and non-partial manner. questions concerning oneself, one's religion, customs,
4. Sociological perspective help to develop critical and creative thinking. Thinking morals and institutions. It further teaches us to be objective,
from many perspectives; data collection and analysis; decision making; critical and dispassionate. It enables man to have better
broadening your vision; non-utopian and non-utilitarian term; also in term of
non-zero sum game understanding both of himself and of others.
5. Sociological perspective also help people to assert their agency. • Sociology reveals the need to take cognizance of wider
context to understand that who we are, as we are, and why
we act as we do. The value of sociology lies in the fact that it
keeps us update on modern situations.
• It contributes to making good citizens and finding solutions
to the community problems. It adds to the knowledge of the
society and helps the individual find his relation to society.
• The sociological understanding and research can help in
better planning and in finding ways and means of
acceptance of improved practices, in the formulation of
development policies and programs.

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Sociology: Science
or Not?

Comte
Vs
Weber
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 Sociology as a Science
• There exists a great degree of debate on the nature of sociology. The
question is whether sociology is a science or not? This question continue
to be debated in the community of sociologists and sociologists get
divided among themselves into two opposite groups.
• For one group or school of thought, sociology is a science because
sociology adopts and applies the scientific method. Sociologists like
Auguste Comte, Emile Durkheim and others subscribe to this view.
• Others hold different view and opine sociology is not a science. For
example, German Sociologist Max Weber do not accept sociology as an
exact science.

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 Sociology as a Science
• There exists a great controversy about the exact nature of Sociology. The question whether
sociology is a science or not? Perhaps continue to confuse the mind of Sociologists since long.
Perhaps due to this Sociologists got divided among themselves into two opposite groups.
• As a result two opposite views are available about the nature of Sociology. For one group of
sociologists sociology is a science because sociology adopts and applies the scientific method.
• Others hold different view and opine Sociology is not a science. German Sociologist Max-weber
do not accept sociology as a Science.
• Auguste Comte opines like other natural sciences sociology also governed by some natural laws.
Hence Sociology is a Science.
• Others also asserts that Sociology is as much a science like political science, economics,
psychology etc. But before forming any opinion or subscribing to any particular view we must
know what is a science?
• And if sociology is a science how far or in what degree sociology does conform to the notion of
science.
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 Sociology is science
• According to Auguste Comte and Durkheim,
“Sociology is a science because it adopts and
applies the scientific method.
• Sociology does make use of scientific
methods in the study of its subject matter.
Hence Sociology is a science.
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 (1) Sociology adopts scientific
method.
• Sociology studies social events by adopting
scientific method. Though it cannot do
experiment with men in a laboratory still
man’s social behaviour is subject to scientific
investigation like natural phenomenon.
• It employs scientific methods as scales of
Sociometry schedule, case study, interview
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 (2) Sociology makes accurate observation

• Observation is possible in the field of

sociology even if it does not possess a
laboratory. Accurate observation is also
possible outside the laboratory. The whole
social world is the laboratory of sociology.
‘Newton did not invent their laws inside a
laboratory.
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 (3) Objectivity is possible in Sociology

• Like natural sciences Sociology also makes

objective study. The statement that dowry is
a social evil is an objective statement which
is based on facts collected by sociologists.
Further Survey and revivification proves this.
• Sociology can also make objective study of
social phenomena. New techniques and
© Dr. Ramjit Kumar 44
 (4) Sociology describes cause-effect relationship

• Like natural sciences Sociology also traces

the cause and find the answers. While
studying family or population growth
Sociology has traced the relationship
between family disorganisation and divorce
and population growth and poverty. Family
disorganisation is the cause of divorce and
population growth is the cause of poverty.
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 (5) Sociology makes accurate measurement

• Sociology, like natural sciences also

accurately measures social phenomena or
relationships. By using statistical method,
socio-metric scale, scales of measurement
sociology effectively and accurately measures
social relationships. Hence Sociology is a
science.
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 (6) Sociology makes accurate
Prediction.
• Like natural sciences sociology does frame
laws and attempts to predict more
accurately. On the basis of cause-effect
relationship sociology can accurately predict
about future.
• If there will be dowry in society then it will
lead to suicide, poverty. Cuvier opines this
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 (7) Sociology makes
generalization.
• The notion that generalization drawn by
social sciences are not universal proved
wrong. Like natural sciences Sociology
became able to draw generalization which is
universally applicable.
• The concept of incest taboo-prohibited sex
relationship among blood relatives is a
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 Sociology is not a science.
• Those who argue that
sociology can not be
an exact science. They
put forward their
arguments on the
following lines of
thought-
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 (1) Lack of objectivity.

• Sociology cannot be called a science because

it cannot maintain complete objectivity with
social phenomena. Sociologist has his own
prejudice and bias hence he cannot observe
his subject with complete detachment.
• Complete objectivity in the study of human
behavior is impossible Sociology deals with
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 (2) Lack of Experimentation

• Sociology is not a science because it can’t

make experimentation. Sociology deals with
human relationships which cannot be put to
laboratory test. We can’t see or weigh human
relationship because it is abstract in nature.
We can’t do experiment with abstract things.

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 (3) Lack of Prediction

• Like natural sciences Sociology can’t

accurately make prediction. Natural Sciences
make prediction on the basis of certain data.
• But Sociology deals with social relationships
and human behavior which are so uncertain
and peculiar that we can’t make any accurate
prediction about it.
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 (4) Lack of accurate measurement

• Sociology can’t make accurate measurement

like natural sciences. There are definite
standards of measurement like e.g., Meter by
which it is possible to measure things.
• But in Sociology we have no such measuring
instruments. Besides sociology deals with
social relationships which is qualitative in
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 (5) Lack of Generalisation
• Sociology can’t make generalisations like natural sciences which is universally
applicable.
• Sociology deals with human behaviour and no two individual are alike. Hence the
conclusions drawn by Sociology can’t be uniform or universally applicable.
• Social Phenomena is so complex and complicated and is governed by so many
factors that it is really difficult to draw a conclusion which will be universally
applicable.

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 (6) Terminological Inefficiency
• Sociology suffers from terminological
inefficiency. Sociology has not yet became
able to develop adequate set of scientific
terms.
• Many terms used in Sociology is vague and
carry different meaning to different persons.
For example, the term caste and class has not
yet acquired clear meaning. Hence Sociology
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 Conclusion
1. Sociology is a social and not a natural science.
2. Sociology is a pure science and not an applied
science.
3. Sociology is an abstract science and not a
concrete science.
4. Sociology is a generalising science and not a
particularising science.
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 To whom we can recommend?.
Sociological understanding can be
recommended to the social workers, but also to
sales man, nurses, politicians..
In fact, to anyone who goals involve the
manipulation of men for whatever purpose and
with whatever moral justification
This conception of the sociological enterprises
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 Key insights of sociology
1. Society is more than a mere product of sum of their parts.
2. A person is the product of their social circumstances.
3. Sociology reveals the need to take a much wider observation of why we are as we are, and why
we act as.
4. All that been said, sociology can be defined the study of sociality, i.e., the tendency to form and
associate with others in many forms from civil society point of view. Such study often happens
by understanding social issues, social problems, social groups and social dynamics.
5. Sociology is an amazing and undeniable venture, as it subject theme is our own behavior as
social beings. Sociology is also the study of basic units of the society.

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