Concept about Sociology – Behavioral sciences explore the cognitive processes within organisms and the behavioral interactions between organisms in the natural world. It involves the systematic analysis and investigation of human and animal behavior through the study of the past, controlled and naturalistic observation of the present and disciplined scientific experimentation and modeling.
It attempts to accomplish legitimate, objective conclusions through rigorous formulations and observation. Generally, behavior science deals primarily with human action and often seeks to generalize about human behavior as it relates to society.
Concept about Sociology
Sociology is the scientific study of human groups. It provides tools for understanding how and why our society functions, impact of social intuitions on individual lives, and the challenges of social interaction between individuals and society. Through teaching, research, and service learning, the Sociology program provides critical understanding of ways people relate to one another through the organization of society and how its structures and cultures influence our lives.
Subject matters of sociology ranges from family life to organizations, from crime to education, from the divisions of race and social class to the shared beliefs of a common culture, from poverty to wealth. Few fields have such a broad and exciting scope.
The meaning of the word sociology comes from the suffix “-logy” which means “study of,” derived from Greek, and the stem “socio-” which is from the Latin word socius, meaning member, friend, or ally, thus referring to people in general. It is a social science involving the study of the social lives of people, groups, and societies, sometimes defined as the study of social interactions.
History of Sociology
Sociology is a relatively new academic discipline among other social sciences including economics, political science, anthropology, history, and psychology. The ideas behind it, however, have a long history and can trace their origins to a mixture of common human knowledge and philosophy.
Sociology as a scientific discipline emerged in the early 19th century as an academic response to the challenge of modernity: as the world was becoming smaller and more integrated, people’s experience of the world was increasingly atomized and dispersed. Sociologists hoped not only to understand what held social groups together, but also to develop an antidote to social disintegration.
The term was coined by Auguste Comte in 1838 from Latin Socius (companion, associate) and Greek logos (speech). Comte hoped to unify all studies of humankind–including history, psychology and economics. His own sociological scheme was typical of the 19th century; he believed all human life had passed through the same distinct historical stages (theology, metaphysics, positive science) and that, if one could grasp this progress, one could prescribe the remedies for social ills. Sociology was to be the ‘queen of sciences’.
The first book with the term ‘sociology’ in its title was The Study of Sociology (1874) by the English philosopher Herbert Spencer.
Definition of Sociology
According to Morris Ginsberg
“In the broadest sense, sociology is the study of human interactions and inter-relations, their conditions and consequences”.
According to Auguste Comte
The founding father of sociology, defines sociology as the science of social phenomena “Subject to natural and invariable laws, the discovery of which is the object of investigation.”
According to Max Weber
“The science which attempts the interpretative understanding of social action in order thereby to arrive at a casual explanation of its cause and effects”.
According to Ogburn and Nimkoff
“Sociology is the scientific study of social life”.
According to Kingsley Davis
“Sociology is a general science of society”.
According to Henry Fairchild
“Sociology is the study of man and his human environment in their relations to each other”.
According to Harry M. Johnson
“Sociology is the science that deals with social groups”.
According to F.W. Burgess,
“Sociology is the science of collective behavior”.
According to J. F. Cuber.
“Sociology may be defined as a body of scientific knowledge about human relationships”,
Nature/Characteristics of sociology
1. Sociology is an independent science:
- Sociology has now emerged into an independent science
- It is not treated and studied as a branch of any other science like philosophy or political philosophy or history.
- As an independent science, it has its own field of study, boundary and method.
2. Sociology is a social science and not a physical science:
- Sociology belongs to the family of social science and not to the family of physical science.
- As a social science, it concentrates its attention on man, his social behavior, social activities and social life.
3. Sociology is a categorical and not a normative discipline:
- Sociology “confines itself to statements about what is not what should be or ought to be”.
- As science, sociology is necessarily silent about questions of value.
- It does not make any kind of value judgments.
- Its approach is neither moral nor immoral but amoral.
- It is ethically neutral
4. Sociology is a pure science and not an applied science:
- Sociology is a pure science, because the immediate aim of sociology is the acquisition of knowledge about human society, not the utilization of that knowledge.
5. Sociology is relatively an abstract science and not a concrete science:
- This does not mean that sociology is an art and not a science. Nor does it mean, it is un-necessarily complicated and unduly difficult.
- It only means that sociology is not interested in concrete manifestations of human events.
- It is more concerned with the form of human events and their patterns.
- For example, sociology is not concerned with particular wars and revolutions but with war and. revolution in general, as social phenomena as type’s social conflict.
6. Sociology is a generalizing and not a particularizing or individualizing science:
- Sociology tries to find out the general laws or principles about human interaction and association, about the nature, form, content and structure of human groups and societies.
- It does not study each and every event that takes place in society.
- It is not possible also. It tries to make generalizations on the basis of the study of some selected events.
- For example, a sociologist makes generalizations about the nature of secondary groups. He may conclude that secondary groups are comparatively bigger in size, less stable, not necessarily spatially, limited, more specialized, and so on.
7. Sociology is a general science and not a special science:
- The area of inquiry of sociology is general and not specialized.
- It is concerned with human interaction and human life in general. Other social sciences like political science, history, economics etc., also study man and human intention on certain aspects of human interaction and activities and specialize themselves, in these fields.
8. Finally, Sociology is both a rational and an empirical science:
- There are two broad ways of approach to scientific knowledge.
- One known as empiricism is the approach that emphasizes experience and the facts that result from observation and experimentation.
- The other known as rationalism, reason and the theories that result from logical inference.
- The empiricist collects facts, the rationalist co-ordinates and arranges them. Theories and facts are required in the construction of knowledge. In sociological inquiry, both are significant.
Uses of Sociology
Sociology is the youngest social science in the compare of other social sciences. It is gradually developing and still it has made remarkable progress. In modern times, there is a growing realization of the scientific study of social phenomena and the means of promoting what Prof. Giddings calls human adequacy (human welfare). The study of sociology has a great value especially in modern complex society and some uses of sociology are as follows: –
1. Sociology studies society in a scientific way. The scientific knowledge about human society is needed in order to achieve progress in various fields.
2. Sociology improves our understanding of society and increases the power of social action. Knowledge of society, social groups, social institutions, etc. helps us to lead an effective social life.
3. Sociology throws more light on the social nature of man. Sociology delves deep into the social nature of man. It examines the relationship between individual and society, the impact of society on man and other matters.
4. The study of sociology helps us to know not only our society and men but also others, their motives, aspirations, status, occupations, traditions, customs, institutions, culture, etc. In a huge industrialized society are experiences.
5. The contribution of sociology is not less significant in enriching culture. Sociology has given training to us to have rational approach to questions concerning ourselves, our religion customs, mores, institutions, values, ideologies, etc. It has made us to become more objective, critical and dispassionate.
6. Another aspect of the practical side of sociology is the study of great social institutions and the relations of individuals of each one of them. The home and family, marriage and family school and education, religion and morality, etc. are some of the main institution, through which society functions, ons nebus humores died a golobe, elleni
7. Sociology is useful as a teaching subject too. Sociology is a profession in which technical competence brings its own rewards. Sociologists, especially those trained in research procedure are in increasing demand in business, government industry, communications, social welfare, etc. and many other areas of community life.
8. The need for the study of sociology is greater especially in underdeveloped countries. Sociologists have now drawn the attention of economists regarding the social factors that have contributed to the economic backwardness of a few countries. Economists have now realized the importance of sociological knowledge in analyzing the economic affairs of a country.
9. The study of society is a paramount importance in solving social problems. The present world is best with several social problems of great magnitude like poverty, beggary, unemployment, prostitution, over-population, racial-problems, crime, alcoholism, untouchable, etc. A careful analysis of these problems is necessary in order to solve them.
10. Sociological knowledge is necessary for understanding and planning of society. Social planning has been made easier by sociology. Sociology is often considered a vehicle of social reform and social reorganization. It plays an important role in the reconstruction of society.
11. The practical utility of sociological techniques. The techniques developed by the sociologists and other social scientists are adopted by others. Social survey was developed and used mainly by sociologists and statisticians, it has become an essential tool of market research and political polling. Sociologists provide a great deal of information that is helpful in making decisions on social policy.
12. Study of society has helped several governments to promote the welfare of the tribal people. Not only the civilized societies, but even the tribal societies are faced with several socio-economic and cultural problems. Efforts are now being made to treat the tribal no par with the rest of the civilized people.
13. Sociology of great practical help in the sense, it keeps us up-to-date on modern social situations and developments. Sociology has been greatly responsible in changing our attitudes towards fellow human beings. It has helped people to catholic in outlook and broadminded in spirit. It has minimized the mental distance and reduced the gap between
different peoples and communities.
14. Finally, as Prof. Giddings has pointed out “Sociology tells us how to become what we want to be”
Importance of Sociology in Nursing Profession:
Sociology is very useful science specially in the nursing education, service and profession. It is necessary for a nurse to have knowledge of sociology. So that he/she can learn and understand the human nature society and social institution.
1. Sociology helps the nurse to know the cultural and social life of the patient. In a country like Bangladesh where people have their affection with deferent religion. Caste, tribes and communities. It is essential to know the culture and the patients it must be known before treating them.
2. The nurse is a first person who deals with the patients in emergency if a nurse has knowledge of sociology and she/he will help her in dealing patients in the emergency who are usually under stress and shock. He/she will take to promote decision and taking them.
3. Improve the quality of treatment the study of sociology helps nurse to identify the sociopsychological problems of the patients which helps to improve the quality of a patient.
4. Nursing plays a vital role in health care profession. Nurses are the key persons who have significant influence over the group members within the society.
5. To provide the total patient care in a comprehensive manner and render, tender loving care to meet the total needs of the clients either in the hospital or in the community.
6. To understand and meet the needs of the individual, family and social needs is a holistic manner their by nations developments can be achieved.
7. To broaden the view nursing students to understand human behavior in relation to the
society.
8. To understand the cause and meaning of many kinds of patient behavior to make them de comfortable and treat them all like for a improvement of client care.
9. To suggest the ways to work with families, community, agencies and counseling in annal planning of care.
10. To provide right motivation, treatment, & physical, medical, vocational, psychosocial, rehabilitation basing on attitudes and behavior through good interpersonal relationship.
11. To gain greater in-sight in to the human problems as related in to the illness.
12. Good observation, communication, guidance skill are essential to understand clients behavior.
13. To understand the emotional reaction pattern of client’s.
14. The nurse is having close association & continuous contact with the clients than any other health team member, she has to understand the problems of the clients in crucial way.
15. The nurse has to be sensitive to the health needs of the people in the context of broader social change.
16. A trained nurse can help the patients who are irritated during illness psychologically and help them to get over and recovery from illness. 17. As our country biggest draw bags is illiteracy. A nurse can educate people about cleanness, balance diet and also guide mother and child health and vaccination.
18. The knowledge of sociology can help nurse in a number of ways that also help in improving society.
To conclude it may be mention that nursing services will find the knowledge of sociology extremely useful as it will provide a scientific knowledge of social setup in which they function.
Branches of Sociology
1. Social morphology: Studies geographical aspects of society, such as how density of population affects society
2. Social physiology: Studies the influence of religion, law, economy and other aspects on society
3. General sociology: The philosophical part of sociology, as it discovers social laws from social associations.
4. Historical sociology : Historical sociology is one of the main branches of modern sociology and it studies the background of social events.
5. Sociology of knowledge : This branch of sociology believes that our knowledge is a social product. What this branch tries to show is that all the things we know come predetermined by social phenomena and social relations.
6. Criminology: Criminology studies the criminal behaviour of individuals or groups.
7. Political sociology: This branch of sociology is also widely useful for today’s societies as it studies the interrelationship between society and politics.
8. Human ecology : Ecology is a branch of biology that studies the relation between organisms and their environment.
9. Other branches of sociology:
- Rural sociology: it studies societies in rural areas.
- Urban sociology: it studies societies in cities and other urban areas.
- Sociology of demography: studies the distribution of human populationspic
- Economic sociology: it studies economic phenomena.
- Sociology of culture: it studies the meaning of culture inside a specific society
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