UNIT 1

UNDERSTANDING SOCIOLOGY
Definition of Sociology
Sociology is one of the newer of the academic disciplines, tracing its origins no
further back than the middle of the nineteenth century. It has a short history.
Sociology, the science of society, is the youngest and it came to be established
only in the nineteenth century

Sociology is an independent social science emerged in the 19th century.

August Comte, a French Philosopher is considered to be the father of
Sociology. He coined the term sociology in 1839. Sociology is composed
of two words. Latin word ‘socious’ meaning society and the Greek word
‘logos’ means science or study. Thus sociology is the science of society.
Sociology has been defined in number of ways by
different sociologist.
Definition
• August Comte defined sociology as the science of social phenomena.
• According to Durkheim sociology as the science of social institutions.
• Kimball Young defines that sociology as the scientific study of social
aspects of human life.
• Ogburn and Nimkoff : "Sociology is the scientific study of social life".
• Giddings defines sociology as "the science of social phenomena".

NATURE OF SOCIOLOGY
Sociology is a science. Some people look upon some scientific subjects as
science.
Eg. Chemistry, physics etc. Common people make distinction between
art and science on this meaning. But science is a way of investigation, a
way of looking at the world.
The essential characteristics of science are the following

Features of science
• Sociology is factual
 Science is the study of facts. Its subject matter is facts and not ideas.
Sociology is also factual. Sociology makes scientific study of facts.
• Discovery of cause – effect relationship
Science search for the cause effect relationship in its subject matter. In
this effort it provides universal and valid laws.
• Universality
Scientific principles are universal. They can be applied any where in
the universe. The sociological principles are also universally applicable.
• Verifiability
The laws of sociology are also veridical. They prove true at every
verification. Their validity can be examined by any one.
• Prediction
Science can make prediction on the basis of universal and valid laws.
Scientist believe that “what will happen “can be predicted on the basis
of cause effect relationships. Sociology can anticipate the future and
make predictions.
• Scientific method
The scientific method proceeds by the following steps.
1 Observation
2 Recording
3 Classification
4 Formation of hypothesis
5 Testing and verification
6 Generalization
The nature of a subject refers to its internal characteristics which help one to
understand what kind of science it is. Every branch of knowledge has its own
nature. Thus, Sociology as a branch of knowledge had its own nature or
characteristic which distinguishes it from other social sciences and helps to
understand what kind of science it is.
(1) Sociology is an independent science:
Sociology is not treated and studied as a branch of any other science like
philosophy, history. Now it has emerged into an independent science. As
an independent science it has its own field of study.
(2) Sociology is a social science and not a physical science:
All the sciences are divided into two categories: natural sciences and social
sciences. Natural sciences study physical phenomena where as social
sciences study social phenomena. Social sciences include Economics,
Political Science, and Anthropology etc. Sociology belongs to the family of
social sciences. As a social science it concentrates its attention on man, his
social behaviour, activities and social life. In other words, it studies man as
a social being.
3) Sociology is a pure science and not an applied science:
The aim of applied science is to apply the acquired knowledge into life
and to put it to use. But the aim of pure sciences is the acquisition of
knowledge and it is not bothered whether the acquired knowledge is useful
or can be put to use. Sociology is a pure science, because it aims at the
acquisition of knowledge about human society, not the utilisation of the
knowledge.
(4)Sociology is an abstract science and not a concrete science:
It refers that Sociology is not interested in concrete manifestations of
human events. It is more concerned with the form of human events and
their patterns. Similarly, Sociology does not confine itself to the study of
this society or that particular society. It simply means that Sociology is an
abstract science, not a concrete science.

(5) Sociology is a generalising and not a particularising science:

Sociology does not study each and every event that takes place in society.
It makes generalization on the basis of some selected events.

6) Sociology is a general science and not a special social science:

The area of inquiry of Sociology is general and not specialised. Social

sciences like Political Science, History, Economics, etc. study human
interaction but not all about human interactions. But Sociology does not
investigate special kind of phenomena in relation to human life, and
activities but it only studies human activities in a general way.

(7) Sociology is both a rational and empirical science:

Empiricism is the approach that emphasizes experiences and the facts

that result from observation and experimentation. On the other hand,
rationalism stresses reason and theories that result from logical inference.
The empiricist collects facts, the rationalist co-ordinates and arranges
them. In sociological theory both are significant.
Thus, Sociology is both a rational and empirical science. Thus, we
come to know that the nature of Sociology is independent, social, a
categorical, pure, abstract, and generalizing; both are a rational and an
empirical social science.

SCOPE OF SOCIOLOGY

Every science has its own areas of study or fields of enquiry. Since
sociology is so elastic a science, it is difficult to determine just where its
boundary begin and end. Thus there is no general agreement on the
part of sociology with regards to the scope of sociology.
There are two main schools of thoughts regarding the
scope of sociology.
1 The formalistic school of thought
2 The synthetic school of thought
The formalistic school of thought introduced by the German
sociologist George Simmel, the other scientists of this school are
Small, Vierkhandt, and Max Webber etc. Simmel and others of the
opinion that sociology is a pure science. As a pure science it has a
limited scope .It should study only the forms of social
relationships. Social relationship such as competition, conflict,
cooperation etc. are expressed in different fields of social life. In
the economic, political, religious or educational field we find the
different forms of social relationships.
Max weber also makes a definite field for sociology.
According to him the aim of sociology is to interpret and
understand social behaviour.

Synthetic school of thought conceives of Sociology as a synthesis

of social sciences. It wants to make Sociology a general science
and not a pure science. Durkheim, Hob house, Ginsberg and
Sorokin have been the chief exponents of this school.

According to Durkheim Sociology has three main divisions

 1 Social morphology
2 Social Physiology
3 General Sociology

1 Social Morphology
Social Morphology studies the geographical or territorial
basis of the life of people. It also studies the problems of
population such as volume, density, distribution of
population.
2 Social Physiology
Social physiology has different branches such as sociology of
religion, sociology of moral, sociology of language.
3 General Sociology
General sociology is to discover the general laws and the
general characteristics of social facts. Formulation of
general social laws is the function of General Sociology.

Hob house also holds similar view to that of Durkheim.

According to him Sociology is a synthesis of numerous social
studies. According to Sorokin the subject matter of
Sociology include the study of general features of Social
phenomena.

Scope of sociology is very vast its studies all the social

aspect of society such as social control, social change, social stratification, social
groups etc. It is not possible to limit the scope of Sociology.

Relationship between Sociology and other Social Sciences

Social science deals with social phenomena. Thus History,

Economics, political science, Anthropology etc. studies the
various aspects of the same reality that is social
phenomena. It is essential for a student of Sociology to
know how Sociology defer from other social science and
how it is related to them.
 1 Sociology and History
Sociology and History are very much interrelated. History
is the story of man’s past. The historian is interested in
what happened at a particular time in the past. He is not
interested in the present as the future. Sociology as a
science of society is interested in the present. It also
studies the historical development of societies.
History supplies Information to Sociology

History is a store house of records. If supplies materials to

various social science including Sociology. It contains
information about the different stages of human life,
development of culture, customes, social institutions etc.
This information about the past is of great help to a
Sociologist.

Sociology helps History too

The historian also uses Sociology. Sociology provides social

background for the study of History. History is studied and
read from a sociological point of view.

Sociology History
Sociology is interested in History deals with past events
Present events
Sociology is a relatively younger History is an age of old social
social science science
Sociology is an abstract of social History is a concrete social science
science
Sociology is an analytical social History is a descriptive social
science science
 Sociology follows the History follows the historical
sociological approach approach

Sociology and Political Science

Political science and Sociology are very closely related. Political science deals
with the political activities of man its studies man as a ruler and being ruled.
The scope of political science includes the study of state and Government.
Sociology has its root to politics and philosophy of History. The main works on
social subjects like Plato’s Republic, The Politics of Aristotle, and Arthasasthra
of Koudilya are the complete works of Political science. Political science and
sociology are intimately connected. Both sciences are mutually helpful.
Political activity is only a part of social activity. Political activities will have no
meaning outside the social context. Political scientist must also be a
sociologist. The laws of the state have great influence upon society. These laws
are based on customes, traditions and usages. Many of the political problems
are also social problems.
Difference between sociology and Political Science
Sociology Political science
1. Sociology is the science of society 1. Political science is the science of
state.
2. Sociology studies all kinds of societies Politics studies only politically
organised societies
3. Sociology has a wider scope 3. Scope of political science is
. narrow
4. Sociology is a general science. It 4.Politics is a special social science.
studies all kinds of social relationship It studies the relationships which
are political in nature
.
5. Sociology is younger science 5. Political science is an older
. science
 Sociology and Psychology

Sociology and Psychology are contributory science. Psychology is the study of

human behaviour. It is more interested in the study of human mind. Social
Psychology is the bridge between Sociology and Psychology.
Social psychology has to depend on Sociology to understand the structure,
organisation and culture of societies in which individual’s life. Similarly
Sociologist also takes assistance from Social Psychology. There are common
topics for both sciences like crime, juvenile delinquency, socialisation etc.
Social Psychology helps as great deals in facing several social problems.
Definite pattern of behaviour such as relating suicide, divorce are the
consequences of our social institutions.
Difference between Sociology and Social Psychology
Sociology
Social psychology
1 Sociology studies social . 1. Behaviour of individuals
relationship in social situations.
2. Focus of interest is not 2. Focus of interest is individual not
individual but society society
3.Analyses social process 3. Analyses mental process

4 .Study society from 4.Studies individual behaviour from

sociological point of view the Psychological point of view
5.Methods of Sociology include 5 . Methods include the techniques
social survey of Case study and other
psychological techniques

etc.
Measurement of personality

Sociology and Economics

Sociology and Economics are closely related. Economics deals with the
economic activities of man. Economics and Sociology are helpful to each other.
According to Max weber economic system is included in social structure as a
part of it. Social factors especially religious beliefs influence economic activities
of people. Karl Marx stated that social phenomena are determined by
economic factors.
The economists are now analysing social factor that influence economic
growth. They work with sociologist in the study of the problems of an
underdeveloped country. There are many socio- economic problems like
poverty, beggary, unemployment are studied by both economist and
sociologist.

Difference between Sociology and Economics

Sociology Economics
1. Sociology studies all kinds Of social 1.Economics deals with economic
relationships relationships
.
2. Sociology is a general social science 2.Economics is a special social
science
3. Scope of sociology is wider 3.Scope of Economics is narrower
4. Abstract science 4. Concrete science

Sociology and Anthropology

Anthropology is the study of man in his totality. The word meaning of

Anthropology is the study of man. Sociology is anthropological studies. It
studies the biological as well as cultural development of man. According to
Hoebel sociology and social anthropology in their broadest sense are one and
the same. Social Anthropology is also considered as a branch of Sociology. The
knowledge of the past and primitive man is provided by Anthropology to
sociology. In many Universities Anthropology and Sociology are organised in to
one department.

Difference between Sociology and Anthropology

Sociology Anthropology
Sociology studies modern, civilised, Studies Primitive and uncivilised and
and complex societies illiterate societies
Sociology studies large as well as small Anthropology usually studies small
societies societies
For eg: Thodas, Kadas

Sociology makes use of social Participate observation is one of the

surveys,case study method used in Anthropology