Society and Environment Notes for AMIE

Definition of Sociology

1. Do you agree with the statement that sociology is the study of social relationship? (Winter 2006)

Yes I agree with the statement.

The term sociolgy finds its origin in Latin word 'societus' which means society.
Thus Sociology means basically science of society. It is thus a webb of human inter-action and inter-relations. It is study of man's behavior in groups and in the society as a whole.

Sociology is the study of society and human social interaction. Sociological research ranges from the analysis of short contacts between anonymous individuals on the street to the study of global social processes.

The field focuses on how and why people are organized in society, either as individuals or as members of associations, groups, and institutions. Someone working in the field of sociology is called a sociologist. As an academic discipline, sociology is considered a social science.

Some of the Important definitions of term 'sociology 'are giaven below.

Giddings:
Socialogy is scientific study of society. Thus according to him, s asubject which scientifically studeis society is a sociology.

H. P. Fairchild:
Socialogy is a study of relationships between man and human behaviour. This definition lays stress on the proper study of human relations and behaviours.

Maclver:
Sociology is about social relationship, the network of relationships we call society.

Ogburn:
Socialogy is concerned with the study of a social life of man andits relations to factors of culture, natural environments heridity and group.

All the above definitions made it clear that Socialogy is the study of Social relationships.