Sociology is a science:

perspectives and main

characteristics
Nguyen-Thi Hong-Xoan, Assoc.Prof.Dr
Faculty of Sociology
USSH- VNU-HCM
 Sociology is a science
◼ Every science has their own way of
approach and research.
◼ A science must search for objective,
systematic and logical answers.
◼ Science is empirical. It means that the data
is collected based on observation.
◼ Natural sciences study nature and
physical universe
◼ Social sciences study society such as
social groups and behavior.
 Social sciences
◼ Social sciences investigate social behavior and relationship
between social structure parts.
◼ One social problem may be the object of more than one
social sciences. (economists and psychologists may both
examine unemployment).
◼ Economics investigates production, distribution and
consumption of goods and services
◼ Psychology examines people’ behavior, perception process
◼ Sociology is one of the major social sciences which uses
scientific methods to study the relationship of social groups
and shaped behavior. “Every individual is unique, a society
shapes the lives of its members ” (P. Berger, 1963)
◼ Sociology is the systematic study of human society from
micro to macro levels (from personal interactions to social
structure)
 Micro Sociology
◼ At the micro level Sociology examines shaped behavior
based on social forces. Sociology sees strange in the
familiar, personal choices in social context. Sociology
sees the general in the particular or general pattern in the
particular people. Society shapes the life of people in
various categories: men and women, rich and poor, old
and young. And the expectation from these categories of
people are different.
◼ Sociology uses the power of society as Durkheim said
social forces to explain social integration (behavior
differences between traditional and modern societies)
How Sociology explains about the
social phenomena?
Phenomena  Explained by the way
of approachs
Divorces Psychology: Use personal
Suidecices reasons
Unemployment Sociology: Social factors
Personal proplems
 What are the attitudes of Sociologists
about social phenomena?

 Individuals behave bases on what they think

or by others think?
It is more likely based on what other people
think
➔ Therefore, sociologists do not focus on
personal attitudes but on shaped behaviors of
social groups
 Macro Sociology
◼ At the macro level sociology examine the social structure
as well as the relation between social parts such as
economy, education, family, politics and religion
◼ People in the same social background are more likely to
behave the same (richer people behave differently from
the poor, young and old…)
◼ Dominant ethnic group and minorities, insiders and
outsiders
◼ Sociology also examine the relationship between different
parts of society (economy, education, religion, family and
politics)
◼ Transfer personal problems into public issues
 The roles of sociology
◼ Sociology helps to develop many laws and
policies shaping people’ lives in a particular
society.
◼ Sociology recommends solutions to a particular
problem, to change policies or apply some
programs
◼ Diagnosis of group problem
◼ Sociology assists personal growth and awareness.