INTRODUCTION

TO
SOCIOLOGY

Sociology :
Latin word socius means

companion
or associate
Logos a greek word for
study.

Definition:
- It is the study of

association,

group,

society
and
social interaction.

cultural Anthropology
Anthropology thestudyofallaspects of
human life and culture. Anthropology
examines such topics as
how people live,

what they think

What they produce,

and how they interact with their

environments.

Anthropologists try to understand the full

range of human diversity as well as what all
people share in common.

Anthropologists asks such

basic questions as: When,
where, and how did humans
evolve?

 How do people adapt to different

environments?

 How have societies developed and changed

from the ancient past to the present?

Answers to these questions

can help us understand what it
means to be human. They can
also help us to learn ways to
meet the present-day needs
of people all over the world
and to plan how we might live
in the future.

Essential characteristics of
sociology
1. Neutral

- ethically neutral and maintains a

value-free position.

2. It is concerned with the study of

human social life.

3. It is a science
Asystematicstudyof anything that
can be examined, tested, and
verified.
DEFINE THE
PROBLEM
FORMULATE
HYPOTHESIS
PLAN AND DESIGN THE
METHOD
IMPLEMENT THE
METHOD

GATHERING OF
DATA
ANALYSIS OF THE
DATA
GATHERED

MAKING OF A CONCLU
PUBLISH THE
RESULTS OF THE
STUDY

The word science is derived from

the Latin word scire, meaning to
know. From its early beginnings,
science has developed into one of
the greatest and most influential
fields of human endeavor. Today
different branches of science
investigate almost everything that
can be observed or detected, and
science as a whole shapes the way
we understand the universe, our
planet, ourselves, and other living

Importance of sociology
1. Factual information from research will better
understand our society and other societies.
-understanding
Broad-minded
Tolerant
2. Learn the application of scientific methods
and techniques to our daily life problems.
3. It enables us to see the connection between
our personal experiences and the social
forces in the bigger social world daily which
influences life.

4. It furnishes interested people

and specialized sciences with

principles and scientific data
which they can use in their work.
5. It provides insights into the
interrelationship of human beings
within the group so that we may
live in harmony with others.
6. The results of sociological
investigations provide a better
background for meeting and
solving problems.

7. The results of inquiry can help dispel

popular
myths,
superstitions
and
stereotypes with accurate knowledge
about
human
behavior
and
human
societies.
8. It broadens our experience as we learn
to discard our prejudices and biases as we
become more understanding and tolerant
of the customs of other people.
9. Results of sociological investigations are
useful to government officials, community
leaders, entrepreneurs, businessmen, etc.

AREAS OF SOCIOLOGY
1.SOCIAL ORGANIZATION
2. SOCIAL PSYCHOLOGY
3. SOCIAL CHANGE
4. HUMAN ECOLOGY
5. POPULATION STUDIES
6. SOCIOLOGICAL THEORY AND
RESEARCH APPLIED SOCIOLOGY

1. SOCIAL ORGANIZATION

* SOCIAL GROUPS
* SOCIAL INSTITUTIONS
* SOCIAL STRATIFICATIONS
DIVISION OF SOCIETY INTO
LEVELS
BASED ON WEALTH OR POWER

* MOBILITY

1.

the ability to move about,

especially to do work or take
exercise

2. change to another social group: the

ability of somebody to change from
one social group or class to another.
* ETHNIC RELATIONS

BUREAUCRACY
The term is used mostly in
referring to government
administration, especially
regarding officials in the
federal government and civil
service. It is often used
derogatorily to suggest waste,
inefficiency, and red tape.

Pioneers/forerunners of
sociology
1. WROTE HIS IDEAS ABOUT SOCIETY BASED ON THE
ASSUMPTION THAT THE
LAW OF HUMAN
BEHAVIOR COULD BE
DETERMINED IN THE
MANNER THAT THE
LAW OF
NATURE HAD BEEN
ARRIVED AT BY
NATURAL
SCIENTIST.
HENRI SAINT-SIMON (1760-1825)

2. A FRENCH PHILOSOPHER WHO

ADVOCATED
THE IDEA OF
POSITIVISM
OR THE USE OF EMPIRICAL
INVESTIGATION TO
UNDERSTAND SOCIETY
AND
SOCIAL
PHENOMENON.
AUGUSTE COMTE (1798-1857)

3. BRITISH PHILOSOPHER-SCIENTIST
WHO
ARGUED
THE
IDEA
OF
POSITIVISM
OR
THE
USE
OF
EMPIRICAL
INVESTIGATION
TO
UNDERSTAND SOCIETY AND SOCIAL
PHENOMENON.

HERBERT SPENCER (18301903)

4. A GERMAN PHILOSOPHER WHO

BELIEVED THAT THE MISERY AND
EXPLOITATION OF THE
WORKING LOWER
CLASSES IN
SOCIETY
WAS CAUSED BY
CAPITALISM-THE
EXISTING
INDUSTRIAL
ORDER.
KARL MARX (1818-1883
)

5. A FRENCH SOCIOLOGIST WHO FOCUSED

ON THE CHARACTERISTICS OF SOCIAL
GROUPS,
PARTICULARLY
THE
COHESION OR
NONCOHESION OF
RELIGIOUS
GROUPS.
* STUDY
EMILE
DURKHEIM
(1858-1917)
SUICIDE

6. A GERMAN ECONOMIST-LAWYER WHOSE

WORKS DWELT ON THE SIGNIFICANCE OF
SUBJECTIVE MEANINGS PEOPLE GIVE TO
THEIR

MAX WEBER (1864-1920)

RELATIONSHIP OF SOCIOLOGY
TO THE OTHER SCIENCES
1. SOCIOLOGY AND ECONOMICS.
A GREAT DEAL OF HUMAN SOCIAL
BEHAVIOR
IS
ECONOMICALLY
MOTIVATED.
THE DESIRE FOE ECONOMIC GAINS AND
POSSESSION OF MATERIAL WEALTH ARE
STRONG MOTIVATING FORCES FOR
HUMAN BEHAVIOR.

SOCIOLOGY AND ANTHROPOLOGY

ANTHROPOLOGY
IS
THE
SCIENCE
WHICH STUDIES
MAN BOTH ANIMAL AND AS
LIVING
IN
SOCIETY,
HIS
ORIGINS,
DEVELOPMENT,
DISTRIBUTION SOCIAL HABITS
AND CULTURES.

SOCIOLOGY AND HISTORY

SOCIOLOGY MAKES USE OF DATA AND
PIECES OF INFORMATION THAT ARE
PROVIDED BY HISTORIANS IN ORDER
TO FORM CERTAIN GENERALIZATIONS
ABOUT SOCIETY AND SOCIAL

INTERACTIONS.

SOCIOLOGY AND PSYCHOLOGY

PSYCHOLOGY IS INTERESTED IN THE
STUDY OF WHAT GOES ON WITHIN THE
INDIVIDUAL, HIS INNER NEEDS, DRIVES,
INTERESTS, INTELLIGENCE, MOTIVES,
HOPES AND FEARS. SOCIOLOGY IS
CONCERNED WITH THE STUDY OF WHAT
GOES ON AMONG AND BETWEEN
PEOPLE, HIS SOCIAL INTERACTIONS ,
SOCIAL STRUCTURE, VALUES, CUSTOMS,
LAWS, MORALS, ETC.

SOCIOLOGY AND POLITICAL

SCIENCE
SOCIOLOGISTS ARE INTERESTED IN
THE
STUDY
OF
THE
SOCIAL
INTERACTIONS INVOLVED IN HUMAN
POLITICAL
ACTIVITIES,
THE
DISTRIBUTION OF POWER IN THE
SOCIETY,
THE
FORMATION
OF
POLITICAL DYNASTIES, AND THE
ROLE OF WOMEN AND ETHNIC
GROUPS IN POLITICAL EVENTS.

 Angeliqueart2001@yahoo.co.uk
Assignment
Answer Questions in page 12 letter B
from 1-7 exclude #3.