...Sociology: Nature and Scope Sociology Defined. — Definitions of sociology are many. While it would be hardly correct to say that there are as many as there are sociologists, it is safe to say that they are as numerous as the various points of view of the respective groups of sociologists. The term 'Sociology' was coined by Auguste Comte, a French philosopher in 1839. It is the youngest of all social sciences. Sociology is the outcome of man's search for a more valid, and precise knowledge about the nature of man and the society. The word 'Sociology' is derived from the Latin word 'Societus' meaning 'society and the Greek word 'logos' meaning 'study or science'. Thus, the etymological meaning of 'Sociology' is the 'science of society'. In other words, we can say Sociology is the study of man's behaviour in groups or of interaction among human beings of social relationships and the processes by which human group activity takes place. Definitions: To make the study more clear, it is wise on our part to discuss some of the definitions given by famous sociologists. Unfortunately, there is no short-cut definition of Sociology so far. It has been defined in a number of ways by different sociologists, but no single definition of Sociology has yet been accepted as completely satisfactory. 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...
Words: 2197 - Pages: 9
...(Berger 1963) My suggestion is that when we experience fully the contradiction, conflict, and pain of engaging with our own teaching and research, we can’t help but be transformed into nepantleras. Not only do we routinely disrupt the status quo, we become uniquely practiced, through our critical engagement with the complex processes underlying the appearance of a stable social reality, in mapping complexity and journeying through difference to new frontiers. (O’Brien 2009) Arguments Berger’s (1963) approach was more like an invitation to assess one’s conceptions and realize if they are really valid and applicable in understanding or identifying the real subject or ‘problem’ at hand. He’s not asking you to disregard the ideas that the said society had accustomed to you but to consider seeing things in a wider scope. One must search for the backbone of everything and not be fixated on the obvious. When something is not in order, do not focus on the exterior but try to examine the roots and branches that hold it together. For O’Brien (2009), to dwell on the unorthodox part of a study, the personal conflicts that one experiences, is an effective way to edify one’s knowledge when it comes to her expertise and of course, not only does it add to one’s growth as a professional but also to one’s awareness of himself or herself. Even if a sociologist is considered as ‘value-free’, one’s experience and all the conflicts that he or...
Words: 688 - Pages: 3
...Title: Diploma in Community Development 2012/2013 Student Name: Onesmo Steven Subject Name: Introduction of Sociology SOC 111 Question: What is Sociology? Date of Submission: 7th Nov 2012 Mode of Submission: Coordinator Examiner: Mr.Olomi This paper proposes to show up, examine the concept of sociology and also to discuss the objective of sociology and its importance. The term Sociology as quoted by Geoffrey, et al, (1970 p.201) from the new dictionary of sociology state that, ‘sociology is the study of human social life, groups and societies’. It is amazing and compelling enterprise, having as its subject matter our own behavior as social being. The scope of sociology is very wide, ranging from the analysis of passing encounters between individual in the street up to the investigation of world-wide social processes. To support dictionary, sociology is the study of societies in a scientific way. Before the emergence of sociology, there was no systematic and scientific attempt to study human society with all its complexities. Sociology has made it possible to study society in a scientific manner. This scientific knowledge about human society is needed in order to achieve progress in various fields. Father more; Sociology is the study of the social lives of humans, groups and societies. It concerns itself with the social rules and processes...
Words: 989 - Pages: 4
...Scope of Psychology - Natural Science or Social Science Physics, Chemistry, Biology, Sociology, and Psychology, are amongst the most important sciences on planet Earth. Based on their field of study these branches of science are broadly categorised as Natural and Social sciences. At first glance one can tell that Sociology is categorised as a Social Science and subjects like Physics and Chemistry are categorised under the Physical science category of Natural Sciences, whilst Biology is categorised under the Life Science category of Natural Sciences. To keep this essay as relevant as possible I shall only be focussing on the Life Science division of Natural Sciences. Like Botany and Zoology, Biology studies living organisms such as plants, animals and several microorganisms. On the contrary, being a Social Science, Sociology studies the working, functioning and the behaviour of society as a whole. So what about Psychology? Is it a Social Science or a Life Science. To get a clear idea we must first define Psychology. Psychology is the study of behaviour and mind, embracing all aspects of conscious and unconscious experience as well as thought. To my utter disappointment, simply defining psychology will not resolve our dilemma, but it does give a clear idea of things. Psychology as a science is interested in what people think, what they feel and how they behave, the subject studies everything from the human brain to consciousness, memory and mental health ,whilst studying...
Words: 623 - Pages: 3
...and choices we choose to make stemming from how we see ourselves as well as those around us to our own self judgment. Our cultural background and the beliefs and traditions that were instilled in us as children as well as the way individuals compose themselves when they are around friends, family or strangers. It is what makes people strive for the opportunity to fit in or make a difference in someone's life (Myers, 2010). Discussion of how Social Psychology differs from other disciplines such as Clinical Psychology, General Psychology, and Sociology. Social Psychology differs from any other form of psychology in the sense of Social Psychology focuses on group influences and the relationships that individuals are able to develop as well as keep. Sociology seeks to explain the social norm and development within those various constructs. Social psychology seeks to explore the individual within the group construct. Sociology deals with the group and social...
Words: 875 - Pages: 4
...information and in return act and behave towards other individuals. It also touches on what influences and persuades other individuals based on ones actions or behaviors. One could argue that social psychology is within close proximity to sociology since the study of sociology elicits the study of groups, societies and people. Social psychology has everything to do with an individual’s belief, their attitude, and their relationships with others. Social psychology is a studied discipline, “which utilizes the scientific method to understand and explain how the thought, feelings, and behavior of individuals are influenced by the actual imagines or implied presence of other beings” (Cherry, 2013). Furthermore, it is how people think and act based on their relation and influence of others. Within social psychology there is a large variety of social topics. Some of the social topics are the following; social groups, social perception, leadership, non-verbal behavior, conformity, aggression and prejudice. Social psychology isn’t based solely on an individual’s social influences it is also based on social perception and social interaction when attempting to learn about social behavior (Cherry, 2013). While addressing multiple avenues of the broad subject social psychology looks to define the our social reality, how social influences, personalities, personal attitudes, and biology shape our behavior; and also how it can be a part of any individuals everyday life (Myers, 2010). Being...
Words: 927 - Pages: 4
...Sociology is defined as the study of human values, relationships, beliefs and society. Sociology Defined. — Definitions of sociology are many. While it would be hardly correct to say that there are as many as there are sociologists, it is safe to say that they are as numerous as the various points of view of the respective groups of sociologists. Generally, sociologists, instead of giving a formal definition of sociology, have entered into an extended discussion of its nature. Some, however, have used a colorless definition like " Sociology is the science of society," or " the scientific study of society," or " the science of social phenomena." Others, using more words, add but little, as for example, " Sociology is the name applied to a somewhat inchoate mass of materials which embodies our knowledge about society." Other definitions somewhat more definite, yet unsatisfactory in many ways, are, " the science of social process " and " the science of social relation." Better than these are, " Sociology is the study of men considered as affecting and as affected by association," or, " the study of human association, including whatever conduces to it or modifies it." Of the formal definitions that have been given by scientific men, none is more comprehensive than that of Professor Giddings, which follows : " Sociology is an attempt to account for the origin, growth, structure, and activities of society by the operation of physical, vital, and psychical causes working together...
Words: 7333 - Pages: 30
...achieved by mere coincidence but rather was borne out of rigorous strides and brainstorming arguments by the founding fathers of each of these components (Sociology, Economics, political science etc) of social science (Shadi Sabeh,2013). Social Sciences are a group of academic disciplines that study human aspects of the world with emphasis on the use of scientific methods. As an umbrella term, it encompasses the followings: Sociology Sociology is the study of human social relationships and institutions. Sociology's subject matter is diverse, ranging from crime to religion, from the family to the state, from the divisions of race and social class to the shared beliefs of a common culture, and from social stability to radical change in whole societies. Unifying the study of these diverse subjects of study is sociology's purpose of understanding how human action and consciousness both shape and are shaped by surrounding cultural and social structures. Sociology offers a distinctive and enlightening way of seeing and understanding the social world in which we live and which shapes our lives. It looks beyond normal, taken-for-granted views of reality, to provide deeper, more illuminating and challenging understandings of social life. Through its particular analytical perspective, social theories, and research methods, sociology is a discipline that expands our awareness and analysis of...
Words: 1267 - Pages: 6
...Active and Cooperative Learning Active learning is the process of involving students in the learning process through reading, writing, acting, moving, problem solving, discussing, etc. Involving students in the process gives them a deeper understanding of the material and leads to higher order thinking about class materials. After having incorporated active learning in my classes, I have become a strong advocate for active learningActive learning requires that students be active in the classroom. This can include doing problems, working with groups, participating in discussions, answering questions that require more than just facts, writing essays, or any other activity that is not just listening to a lecture. The basis for active learning is that students learn more and better when they are participants in thelearning process. It has also been found that student attention span starts to dramatically decrease about 12-15 minutes after the start of a lecture. By breaking up the lecture, students are able to keep their attention up, and therefore learn more.Cooperative learning puts student together to solve problems or discuss concepts that leads to greater understanding. Group activities also give students better social skills. Group work can be out of class projects, but this site concentrates on activities that can be done in the classroom. Groups can be informal (those students who happen to be sitting together) or formal (assigned by the instructor). Groups can be short-term...
Words: 1516 - Pages: 7
...Chapter 2 – Examining the Social World: How Do We Know? Ballantine, Roberts, and Korgen. Our Social World: Condensed, Fourth Edition. © 2015 SAGE Publications The Development of Sociology • Social thought before sociology: strongly influenced by religion and philosophy • Modern sociology arose in 19th century Europe, influenced by several conditions: – Colonialism: exposure to other cultures – Industrial Revolution & French Revolution: desire to know how dramatic change could be systematically explained – Advances in the natural sciences: desire to apply scientific method to the social world Ballantine, Roberts, and Korgen. Our Social World: Condensed, Fourth Edition. © 2015 SAGE Publications The Development of Sociology August Comte & the science of society • Coined the term “sociology” in 1838 • Thought society’s problems could not be understood by philosophical or religious speculation; scientific knowledge was needed • Two main concerns – What holds society together? (social statics or structure) – Why is there change in society? (social dynamics or process) Ballantine, Roberts, and Korgen. Our Social World: Condensed, Fourth Edition. © 2015 SAGE Publications The Development of Sociology Early sociology after Comte • Focus on massive social and economic change brought by Industrial Revolution • Focus on relationship between micro-, meso-, and macro-level processes • Early sociological theorists: Emile Durkheim, Karl Marx, Harriet...
Words: 2442 - Pages: 10
...philosophical roots that determine how a researcher will interact with study subjects to produce data or aesthetic judgments for an holistic understanding of individual or societal behavior. To what degree researchers will interact with participants is determined in two approaches that either promotes positivism or constructivist viewpoints. Positivism, according to Williamson (2006), considered as the investigation of human and social phenomena by observable and measureable methods, produces quantitative and reproducible data. In the viewpoint of positivism, data is obtained from the contextual origin and knowledge is determined as an external reality, one that is not integrated with the contextual milieu or qualitative variances (Williamson, 2006). According to Nomalungelo (2012), the positivist viewpoint is aligned with traditional western-based science, limiting in its integration of research with other qualitative approaches, paradigms and world views. Conversely, constructivism, as described by Nomalungelo (2012), is knowledge produced from intersection of human interaction and social processes, resulting in dynamic development of qualitative knowledge as the viewer creates varying interpretations from a continuously shifting, contextual social reality. Therefore, the discovery of new meanings and realities are reached by various observers, so that no one perspective mediates the reality. In sociology, according to Tischler (2011), the objective is to engage the scientific...
Words: 1852 - Pages: 8
...racism, why a person may behave one way in a certain situation and like a completely different person in a different situation, and even how individuals fall in and out of love (Myers, 2010). Clinical Psychology Social psychology is very similar to other psychologies, such as clinical psychology and sociology, but has distinctions of its own. For instance, one contrast between social psychology and clinical psychology is social psychology tends to focus on situational influences of “normal” behavior, whereas clinical psychology focuses on particular behaviors mainly intra-psychic influences of “abnormal” behavior. Clinical psychology is an expansive field of research within the sphere of psychology that applies psychological principles to rehabilitation, prevention, assessment, amelioration, or psychological dysfunctional behavior, distress, and disability, in the hope of improving psychological and physical well-being (Clinical Psychology, n.d.). General Psychology General psychology means the study of the mind and behavior, therefore general psychology is a study of the human persona. Naturally, however, different perspectives bring about different opinions on the subject. The term “psychology” stems from the Greek...
Words: 891 - Pages: 4
...Constitution and protect the constituents. But the question at stake is, how can the number of law enforcers augment to the need of the total populace? Thus, the challenge is posed … How is the making of law enforcers? Criminology major subjects are intended to prepare those whose lives are dedicated in upholding the law and in protection to everyone. The researchers devoted themselves to assess the Successes and Difficulties of their batch enabling them to fulfill for whatever field they may engage either Board Passers or Non-Board Passers. Having so stated, this study focuses about: Academic & Economic Aspects in order to gauge and recommend practical, technical, legal and logistics programs and practices applicable hereto subject to the approval of the School Administration that will assure positive impact to the concerned stakeholders. Hence, this study entitled Successes and Difficulties of EARIST Cavite Campus Bachelor of Science in Criminology Students in Their Major subjects. Setting of the Study Eulogio “Amang” Rodriguez Institute of Science and Technology (EARIST)- Cavite Campus, formerly called EARIST-GASAT (General Alvarez School of Arts and Trades), is a branch school of EARIST in Manila, a government state college. It operates with the funding support from the budgetary allotment of its Mother Institution, EARIST. Established on March 24, 1982, EARIST Cavite Campus started by offering vocational-technical courses with Mr. Rodrigo P. Hipol (Dr. Hipol)...
Words: 13225 - Pages: 53
...1.SOCIOLOGY -It is a social science which uses various methods of empirical investigation and critical analysis to develop a body of knowledge about human social activity -Analysis of a social institution or societal segment as a self-contained entity or in relation to society as a whole. -he study of sociology aims at analyzing the patterns of human behavior, deriving their causes and speculating the future of the behavioral patterns in society. 2.a.Relation between Sociology and History: Both social sciences are now a days coming nearer to each other. Some time ago history was considered as science of some dates, places and struggles.But now people have realizes that why the particular event in history occurred? What was form of the same? In short history is another social science which is related to irect society and sociology. History primarily deals with past events and how they affected society eg how the Ino-Pak partition ,compel Sindhu(Hindu word it self has originated from Sindhu_)to prove themselves laborious, on the other end will be concerned with how people intereacted, how culture was affected etc during the present and before the partition . 1.Sociology takes help from history in mater of present studies.By comparing between occurring past and present events, one can estimate the factors responsible for occurring that event. 2.Sociology is obvious in history in that the social interactions of individuals...
Words: 2850 - Pages: 12
...Hudgins Applying Sociological Perspectives Social networking sites - such as Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, LinkedIn, and, Pinterest, just to name a few - provide individuals with an online web of global networking that allows maintaining social ties with one another. Sociologists often ponder, "How do these social websites impact society?" Above all, this is the question that is the central focus shared by all three of the primary sociological perspectives (Structural Functionalism, Conflict Theory, and, Symbolic Interactionism) when studying and performing research on the topic. Otherwise, the three paradigms of sociological theories are differentiating interpretations of how they perceive social networking sites. Namely, I find this subject intriguing because humans are perpetually seeking innovations intended to ameliorate the quality of life, and diverse opinions pertinent to the effect on the gamut of society and individuals within a community, is inevitable. Albeit, each perspective's view generated as a result of these social milestones, equally hold valid points. Therefore, while social networking sites provide a multitude of beneficial improvements to the world, there are just as many issues that arise, and all three sociological perspectives serve to complement one another in the comprehension of social media networks and the sway they bring to societies. As Viewed Through the Structural-Functional Theorists’ Lens English philosopher and biologist Herbert Spence...
Words: 1050 - Pages: 5
