The Science of

Sociology
Lesson 4A
 CONTENTS OF THIS LESSON
At the end of the lesson, the learners shall be able to:
1. Become aware of the origin and nature of Sociology.
2. Enumerate and explain the scope of Sociology
3. Explore the significance of sociological imagination and
sociological perspectives to arrive at a better
understanding of individual and group behavior as
influenced by one’s society and the global community.
4. Become aware of the fundamental procedures, methods
and techniques in sociological inquiry.
5. Appreciate the contributions of Sociology to the individual
and to the society.
01 Definition and
Scope of Sociology

02 Areas of Sociology

03 Sociological Imagination
and Sociological
Perspective
Sociological Inquiry 04
Fundamental Procedures
in Sociological Inquiry 05
Methods. Techniques and
Tools in Sociological Inquiry 06
INTRODUCTION
One of the ways to arrive at a better
understanding on why and how an
individual behaves in a certain way is
to look at such behavior as influenced
by the norms, values, expectation,
choices, and sanctions within his
particular social group.
 01
Definition and Scope of
Sociology
 Definition and Scope of Sociology
The science that deals with the study of
society and the social interaction taking
place therein is termed Sociology.

It is concerned with the study of human

societies and of human behavior in social
setting. As a discipline, Sociology
undertakes a scientific study of man’s
behavior as a consequence of his being
a member of a social group.
 Sociology- Is the study of human social
relationships and social interaction. Sociology’s
subject matter is diverse, ranging from crime to
religion, from the family to the state, from the
divisions of race and social class to the shared
beliefs of a common culture, and from social
stability to radical change in whole societies.

Came from the word “socius” meaning, being

with other people (friend or companion.) And
“logos” meaning study.
 02
Areas of Sociology
1. Social Organization
This field includes the
study of social groups,
social institutions,
social stratification
and mobility, ethnic
relations and
bureaucracy.
2. Social Psychology
This includes the study
of human nature as
the outcome of group
life, personality
formation, and
collective behavior.
3. Social Change
Social organization
and social
disorganization. This
area involves the
study of change in
culture and ongoing
social problems.
4. Human Ecology
This area studies the
behavior of a given
population and its
relationship to the
group’s social
institutions and
natural resources.
5. Population Studies
This field is concerned
with the population
size, composition,
v

change and quality as

the influence the
economic, political,
and social systems
and vice versa.
6. Sociology Theory and Research
This area is concerned with
the discovery,
development, and
replication of research
tool that ill test the
applicability of the
principles of group life as
basis for the regulation of
the social environment.
 7. Applied Sociology
This area is concerned
with the application of the
findings of pure
sociological research to
such various fields as
marriage and family,
criminology, penology,
social work, education,
industrial relations.
 03
Sociological Imagination and
Sociological Perspective
Sociological Imagination is that
quality of the mind essential to
grasp the interplay of men, and
society, of biography and
history, of self and the world. It is
way of looking at our personal
experiences in terms of what is
going on in the world around us.
(C. Wright Mills, 1959) It is that quality of the mind
that enables one to do the following:
1. See what is going on in the world and what
may be happening within ourselves;
2. See that society-not our own foibles of failures
is responsible for many of our problems;
3. See the power of society to shape our own
lives;
4. Define the troubles connection between the
patterns of our own lives and the course of
world history.
 On the other hand, sociological perspective is a distinctive
point of view that the social world guides our actions, thinking,
and life’s choices. (Maciones, 1997)
1. That the general categories into which we happen to fall
shape our particular life experience;
2. That society guides our thoughts and behavior;
3. That social forces affect human behavior;
4. That where we are placed in our society profoundly
affects our individual experiences; and
5. That the position of our society in the larger world system
also affects everyone in our country.
 04
Sociological Inquiry
 Sociology Inquiry refers to scientific
investigation or intellectual and rigorous
research on a particular issue, problem,
concern, event or situation for a better
understanding of the same.

Sociologist refers to a person with professional

knowledge and skills in studying the fact of
society and social behavior through rigorous
scientific inquiry
 Goal of Sociological Inquiry
The basic goal of sociological
inquiry is to obtain a better
understanding of society and the
interactions, social relations, social
phenomena, social behavior and
social processes taking place within
it.
 Reflection No. 1
1. What are the social issues
that we always experiences
here in our country?
2.How can you apply sociology
in our daily life?
 05
Fundamental Procedures in
Sociological Inquiry
 1. Defining the problem
Selecting a topic for research and
defining ke concepts.
 2. Reviewing the Literature
Familiarizing oneself with the existing theory
and research on the topic.
 3. Forming a hypothesis
Defining the relationship between measurable
variables so that they can be measured and
the hypothesis tested.
 4. Choosing a research design
Selecting a method for study: experiment;
case study, survey, field observation, or a
historical approach.
 5. Collecting the data
Collecting the information that will test the
hypothesis
 6. Analyzing the data
Working with and examining the data to shed
light on the hypothesis.
 7. Drawing Conclusions
Summarizing the outcome of the stud, indicating its
significance, relating the finding to existing theory
and research, and identifying problems for future
research.
8. Communicating the results
of the stud.
 06
Methods, Techniques and
Tools in Sociological Inquiry
 1. Experiment
A research method that
expose s subjects to a
specially deigned
situation. By systematically
recording subject’s
reactions, the researcher
can assess the affects of
different variables.
 2. Survey
A method of research
using either questionnaire
or interviews, or both, to
learn how people think,
feel, or act. It is a
procedure for gathering
information from a large
number of people.
3. Case Study
Intensive study and
examination of a
person or a specific
group, organization or
institution is carried out.
 4. Field Observation or
Participation Observation
A research method in
which researchers
deliberately involve
themselves in the
activity, group, or
community the are
studying in order to get
an inside’s view.
5. Interviewing
The researcher may
interview subjects
face to face or by
telephone. It can
be.
a. Structured or Example
Directive
“Do ou think
It is a procedure in
homosexual should be
which carefully phased
permitted to join the
standard question or
armed forces? With
schedule often with
four possible answers.
multiple choice
Yes/No/Uncertain/No
answer-are hence
opinion.
facilitates analysis.
 b. Unstructed or
Nondirective Example
It is a procedure in which “How do you cope
neither the questions nor up with retirement?
the answers are
“Are you in favor of
predetermined, instead, the
researcher lets the death penalty?
interviewee or respondent Why?
guide the flow of the
interview.
6. Historical Approach
It is a procedure where
historical materials
(documents,
government archives,
historical manuscripts,
letters, newspapers,
memoirs, diaries,
biographies, etc.
 Example
Durkheim’s study on
suicide relied on data
derived from
governmental
archives.
 a. Qualitative b. Quantitative
Technique Technique
Involves the Involves the use of
examination of data statistics which deal
from observations, with a mass of data
interviews and and permit more
publications which are precise statements of
not statistical in their relationships.
nature.
 1. Census and vital statistics;
2. Local, national, and
international reports;
3. Sampling measure of central
tendency such as the mean,
median, and mode; and
4. Measures of variability the
negative or the positive.