Sociology definition

• Individuals belong to groups. • Groups influence our behavior. • Groups take on characteristics that are independent of their members (i.e. the whole is greater than the sum of its parts.) • Sociologists focus on behavior patterns of groups, such as differences based on sex, race, age, class, etc. Micro-sociology, or the study of small group behavior, focuses on the nature of everyday human interaction on a small scale. At the micro level, social status and social roles are the most important components of social structure, and micro-sociology is based on the ongoing interactions between these social roles. Race and Ethnicity The sociology of race and ethnicity examines the social, political, and economic relations between races and ethnicities at all levels of society. Topics commonly studied include racism, residential segregation, and the differences in social processes between racial and ethnic groups. Consumption The sociology of consumption is a subfield of sociology which places consumption at the center of research questions, studies, and social theory. Researchers in this subfield focus on the role of consumer goods in our everyday lives, their relationship to our individual and group identities, in our relationships with other people, in our culture and traditions, and the implications of consumer lifestyles. Knowledge The sociology of knowledge is a subfield devoted to researching and theorizing the socially situated processes of knowledge formation and knowin...

sociology, a Social life overwhelmingly regulates the Sociology, as a generalizing social science, is surpassed in its breadth only by Sociologists also utilize some aspects of these other fields. Psychology and sociology, for instance, share an interest in the subfield of The field of Two other social sciences, political science and economics, developed largely from the practical interests of nations. Increasingly, both fields have recognized the utility of sociological concepts and methods. A comparable Get a Britannica Premium subscription and gain access to exclusive content. Historical development of sociology Though sociology draws on the Western tradition of rational inquiry established by the ancient Greeks, it is specifically the offspring of 18th- and 19th-century sociology. The founders of sociology spent decades searching for the proper direction of the new discipline. They tried several highly divergent pathways, some driven by methods and contents borrowed from other sciences, others invented by the scholars themselves. To better view the various turns the discipline has taken, the development of sociology may be divided into four periods: the establishment of the discipline from the late 19th century until Founding the discipline Some of the earliest sociologists developed an approach based on Darwinian Benjamin Kidd,

Sociology is the study of social life, social change, and the social causes and consequences of human behavior. Sociologists investigate the structure of groups, organizations, and societies and how people interact within these contexts. Since all human behavior is social, the subject matter of sociology ranges from the intimate family to the hostile mob; from organized crime to religious traditions; from the divisions of race, gender and social class to the shared beliefs of a common culture. ( 21st Century Careers with an Undergraduate Degree in Sociology, 2014) Sociologists on Sociology The video below highlights the unique contributions of sociology to the understanding of today’s most divisive issues. Sixteen sociologists speak briefly to the need for and impact of their discipline. “Sociologists on Sociology” is a primer on a discipline that studies many of the major issues confronting American society. As one featured sociologist puts it: “So much of what is going on with our political climate and the rhetoric right now is all about talking about individual people or individual communities. The reality is that these are collective problems that have structural bases.” Our website uses cookies to improve your browsing experience, to increase the speed and security for the site, to provide analytics about our site and visitors, and for marketing. By proceeding to the site, you are expressing your consent to the use of cookies. To find out more about how we use cookies...