sociology

[ soh-see-ol-uh-jee, soh-shee- ]

noun

1. the science or study of the origin, development, organization, and functioning of human society; the science of the fundamental laws of social relations, institutions, etc.

sociology

/ ˌsəʊsɪəˈlɒdʒɪkəl; ˌsəʊsɪˈɒlədʒɪ /

noun

1. the study of the development, organization, functioning, and classification of human societies

sociology

/ sō′sē-ŏl′ə-jē /

1. The scientific study of human social behavior and its origins, development, organizations, and institutions.

sociology

1. The systematic study of human society, especially present-day societies. Sociologists study the organization, institutions, and development of societies, with a particular interest in identifying causes of the changing relationships among individuals and groups. ( See social science .)

Derived Forms

• ˌsociˈologist, noun
• ˌsocioˈlogically, adverb
• sociological, adjective

Other Words From

• soci·olo·gist noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of sociology¹

From the French word sociologie, dating back to 1835–45. See socio-, -logy

Example Sentences

Reshmaan Hussam ’09, PhD ’15, once dreamed of becoming a “psychohistorian” like the protagonist in Isaac Asimov’s Foundation novels who combines sociology, history, and statistics to save the world.

From MIT Technology Review

Saving Afghan women from the Taliban also helped make the case for continued US war, said Saadia Toor, a sociology professor at the CUNY College of Staten Island.

From Vox

Mountain biking also gave me the mental fortitude to pursue a master’s degree in sociology with an emphasis on racism and immigration.

From Outside Online

“If women feel disproportionately responsible for the household activities and for parenting, working remotely makes life a whole lot more flexible,” Jerry Jacobs, a sociology professor at the University of Pennsylvania, said.

From Vox

They often dug the procedural nature of investigating specific UFO cases, or looked into the sociology of things—captured by the human side of the story—as opposed to simply the sightings themselves.

From Popular-Science

One of the lefties she met was a sociology instructor named Philip Rieff, whom she married after a 10-day courtship.

From The Daily Beast

My theory is that it has to do with history, sociology, and psychology.

From The Daily Beast

Her father was a sociology and education professor at UCLA; her mother was “a homemaker with creative tendencies.”

From The Daily Beast

Skidmore University is offering a new sociology course called, “The Sociology of Miley Cyrus: Race, Class, Gender, and Media.”

From The Daily Beast

“Lady Gaga and the Sociology of Fame” is a course at the University of South Carolina.

From The Daily Beast

I didn't know that you were a student of sociology—could estimate capabilities and get everyone in their right groove.

From Project Gutenberg

Well, digging back in my sociology courses, I would say it was upper-lower class, if there is such a classification.

From Project Gutenberg

On this point sociology—especially the sociology of sex—must frankly admit its mistakes and break with much of its cherished past.

From Project Gutenberg

It has enabled the students of economics and sociology to get at facts that have revolutionized theories.

From Project Gutenberg

Nor does it admit of doubt, that similar adaptations and precautions are indispensable in sociology.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• folklore

More About Sociology

What is sociology?

Sociology is the study of human society and the social interactions and behavior of humans.

Sociology is, generally speaking, the study of human interaction. How do people socialize? What happens when people live together? How are members of a group influencing each other? Why does someone become a king and someone else lives their whole life as a peasant? These are the kinds of questions a sociologist is interested in.

Sociology is an incredibly broad science and often overlaps with other fields of study, such as psychology or economics. A sociologist may look at social groups on a large (macro) scale, such as studying the different societies of Asia, or may look at groups on a small (micro) scale, such as studying Brazilian teenagers or even a single town.

As far as a sociologist is concerned, no person ever makes a decision without some influence from society or their social groups. Sociology isn’t just the study of people but more specifically the study of what happens when people are around each other.

Why is sociology important?

The first records of the word sociology come from around 1835. It comes from the French sociologie, which combines socio-, meaning “social” or “society,” and -logy, which indicates a topic of scientific study or scientific field. Sociology is both the study of social interactions and of wider society as a whole.

The beginnings of sociology can be traced back to thinkers from the 1800s who were intrigued by the work of naturalist Charles Darwin. They wondered if Darwin’s ideas of “survival of the fittest,” in which only the strongest or most successful animals survived, could be applied to human societies. This idea of social Darwinism was popular for a time but was eventually replaced by schools of thought that considered more complicated explanations, such as economics or culture, as for why some societies flourish and others fail.

In practical terms, sociological research is often a major force in influencing legislation or political policies. Sociologists will publish books or reports about why certain areas are poorer than others or why certain racial or gender groups have higher education rates than others, for example. Politicians or government leaders will then look at research like this when trying to decide which social programs to enact or which of their citizens are struggling.

Did you know ... ?

Sociology students sometimes use what they have learned to pursue some interesting career choices: President Ronald Reagan, First Lady Michelle Obama, and Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. all had degrees in sociology.

What are real-life examples of sociology?

This video gives an explanation of sociology and some examples of topics related to sociology:

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Many students seek an education in sociology. The field of sociology has quickly expanded as technology and politics have rapidly changed society.

This Sky Sports News poll to see who their viewers support is vital sociological research.

— Rory Smith (@RorySmith) August 28, 2014

That's why I decided to study the field of Sociology. I love studying people and WHY they do what they do

— David Arellano (@davidifitness31) May 24, 2016

 

What other words are related to sociology?

• society
• social
• group
• culture
• interaction
• nation
• family
• organization

Quiz yourself!

True or False?

Sociology is the study of the social interactions of humans.