sociology

American  

[soh-see-ol-uh-jee, soh-shee-] / ˌsoʊ siˈɒl ə dʒi, ˌsoʊ ʃi- /

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 British  

/ ˌsəʊsɪəˈlɒdʒɪkəl, ˌsəʊsɪˈɒlədʒɪ /

noun

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

---

sociology Scientific  

/ sō′sē-ŏl′ə-jē /

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

---

sociology Cultural  

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.)

---

Usage

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.

Other Word Forms

• sociological adjective
• sociologically adverb
• sociologist noun

Etymology

Origin of sociology

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

Explanation

Sociology is the study of human cultures, communities, and societies. Sociology attempts to explain how a society works, whether that society is a native tribe in the Amazon or an old folks’ home in Nebraska. Sociology is one of the social — sometimes called soft — sciences. It's the study of human actions and interactions. People who study sociology — sociologists — look at how people interact in groups and what kinds of religions, governments, schools, and other ways of life they create. While psychology looks mostly at individuals, sociology looks at people in groups.

Example Sentences

Lisa McKenzie, a senior lecturer in sociology at the University of Bedfordshire, said singling out one group for intervention risked deepening divisions.

From BBC • Apr. 14, 2026

Abdul-Aal, a 72-year-old retired high school sociology teacher with an avuncular smile, likened residents’ behavior around Israeli troops to a lazy student hoping they’re not called on in class.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 7, 2026

Grace Kao, a sociology professor at Yale University, said that while it features collaborations with Western songwriters and producers, the title works to "remind international fans that BTS is, first and foremost, a Korean group".

From Barron's • Mar. 20, 2026

She earned sociology degrees from Harvard College and the University of Oxford.

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 10, 2026

She attended high school in the suburbs of Seattle and was a second-year student studying sociology at the University of Washington when she first saw Shin in a YouTube video.

From "Escape from Camp 14: One Man's Remarkable Odyssey from North Korea to Freedom in the West" by Blaine Harden

Related Words

• folklore