Definitions for Sociologyˌsoʊ siˈɒl ə dʒi, ˌsoʊ ʃi-
This page provides all possible meanings and translations of the word Sociology
the study and classification of human societies
The study of society, human social interaction and the rules and processes that bind and separate people not only as individuals, but as members of associations, groups and institutions
Origin: From sociologie a term coined by Auguste Comte in 1834.
that branch of philosophy which treats of the constitution, phenomena, and development of human society; social science
Origin: [L. socius a companion + -logy.]
Sociology is the scientific study of human society and its origins, development, organizations, and institutions. 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, structures, and functions. A goal for many sociologists is to conduct research which may be applied directly to social policy and welfare, while others focus primarily on refining the theoretical understanding of social processes. Subject matter ranges from the micro level of individual agency and interaction to the macro level of systems and the social structure. The traditional focuses of sociology include social stratification, social class, culture, race and ethnicity, gender and sexuality, social mobility, religion, secularization, law, and deviance. As all spheres of human activity are affected by the interplay between social structure and individual agency, sociology has gradually expanded its focus to further subjects, such as health, medical, military and penal institutions, the Internet, environmental sociology, political economy and the role of social activity in the development of scientific knowledge.