UNIT – 1

Introduction of Sociology

Introduction

The term sociology was coined by Augustea Comte, a French philosopher in 1839. Sociology is the
youngest in all the sciences. The word sociology is derived from latin word socitus meaning society
and the greek world logous means study of.

Sociology is the study of men behavior in group or of the interaction among human being of social
relationship and the process by which human group activity take place.

Definitions

“Sociology is the science of society or of social phenomena” *L.F ward+ “Sociology is the study of
human interaction and their condition and consequences” *M. Gunsberg+

“Sociology is the study of interaction arising from association of living being.”

Nature of sociology –

* Sociology not a science

(i) Lack of experimentation

(ii) Lack of objectivity

(iii) Lack of exactivity

(iv) Terminologically insufficiency

*Sociology as a science

- Scope & branches of Sociology

(i) Sociology theory

(ii) Historical theory

(iii) Sociology of family

(iv) Human ecology & Demography

-Special branches of sociology

(i) Educational Sociology

(ii) Sociology Religion

(iii) Economical Sociology

(iv) Sociology psychology

(v) Cultural sociology

(vi) Medical sociology

(viii) Political sociology

(ix) Industrial Sociology

Role/Importance function of Sociology

(i) Sociology studies society

(ii) Sociology studies role of institution in the development of individual

(iii) Find out solution of social problems

(iv) It changes our outlook in regards to problems of crime.

(v) It enriches human culture

(vi) Sociology study is helpful for planning for society.

(vii) It is helpful in find out the solution of international problem.

- Importance of Sociology in Nursing

(i) For understanding different culture

(ii) For understanding social problems and attitudes

(iii) For understanding social interaction

(iv) For comprehensive health care

(v) For achieving social control

(vi) To improvement of community life.

(vii) For health education.

(viii) For understanding religion traditions.

(ix) For guidance about welfare

(x) For maintaining effective IPR

Sociology is the scientific study of the structure of social life. [Young And sneck]

“Sociology is the science of collective behavior.” *R.E Park & F.W Burges+

Nature of Sociology

There are two opposite view about the nature of social science, there is a controversy about the
nature of sociology as a science.

There are some critics who deny sociology to clame to be regarded as a science but there are
others who accepts that sociology is a science as like other sciences.

A sciences is a branch of knowledge or study dealing with a body of facts or truth systematically
arranged and showing the operation of general laws.

Sociology Cannot be regarded as a science

(i) Lack of experimentation:-

If science is used in the same sense as it is used for physical science than sociology cannot clame to
be a science. The term science as used for physical science includes the twin process of experiment
and prediction. Sociology is this sense isn’t a science because in subject matters, human
relationships can’t be measured by laboratory methods and there are no measures for social
behavior.

(ii) Lack of objectivity:-

Every person’s behavior is dynamic, their may be biasness about the other persons or race. In
implying the scientific method, person can’t maintain complete objectivity with the object of his
experiment as does a physician. In other way social relations can’t be studied through physical sense.

(iii) lack of Exactivity:-

The exactness of science depend on its subject matter science should be able to frame certain laws
on the basis of observation and hypothesis. Such laws also help to predict accurately. So that
sociology can’t be a science because of lack of predictability and its laws and results can’t be
expressed in precise term.

(iv) Terminologically Insufficiency:-

It has also be argued that sociology suffer from lack of exact and clear terminology. Some words
convey different meanings to different persons.

For eg: Class and caste have not yet acquired their exact meaning. Sociology has not developed
inadequate set of specific terms yet, some of the social term as religion, caste, class, groups have
many meanings and used in daily life.

Sociology as a science

A science is a body of systemize knowledge which is gathered carefully observing and measuring
events. Objectivity, reliability, validity and predictability are characteristics of the science, the main
points in this connection are as follows:-

Sociology uses various type of scientific methods, sociology can’t experiment with the men’s directly
in laboratory but sociology does implys scientific methods as sociometry, interview method, case
history, schedule and questionnaires. Usually sociologies uses the basic methods these are
observation and comparison. Sociology does fame laws and attempts to predict indirectly sociology
trace cause and effect and relationship in social disorganization. It tries to find out the answers of
how as well as why. Regarding to social process and relationship sociology is a science which give
generalization about the social behavior of human being.

Scope & Branches of Sociology –

Different sociology gave various scopes of sociology, science sociology is on elastic science it is
difficult to determine just where its boudarly starts and ends.

Sociology is the study of human interaction and interrelation, their conditions and consequences.
The main fields are:-
 (i) Sociological theory:- It includes the study of sociological concept, principles and its concepts
theories.

(ii) Historical theory:- It includes social incidences and origin of present.

(iii) Sociology of family:- It studies the origin, growth, functions, types of family and its problems like
divorce, dowry system etc.

(iv) Human ecology & Demography – It studies the birth rotes, death rates, migration rate and
desert area.

Special Branches of Sociology

(i) Education Sociology

(ii) Sociology of Religion

(iii) Economical Sociology

(iv) Sociological Psychology

(v) Culture sociology

(vi) Medical sociology

(vi) Political sociology

(viii) Political sociology

(ix) Industrial Sociology

(i) Educational Sociology:- It includes the rate of education into the society.

Eg. Literacy rate, illiteracy rate, teacher ratio etc.

(ii) Sociology of Religion – Importance of religion is studied in religion sociology it includes type of
religions, their believes, misbelieves and superstations

(iii) Economical Sociology:- It includes poverty rate studies, study of economical issues.

(iv) Sociological Psychology:- It deals with the behavior of an individual influenced by others and
how an individual influence behavior of others.

(v) Cultural Sociology – It is a branch of sociology which studies about different cultures, their folks

songs, dance, dress, and eating habits.

(vi) Medical sociology:-

It deals with the medical issues of the society, factors affecting health of the society and sources
availability for health.

(vii) Social Psychiatry :-

It deals with the all abnormal behaviors present in the society and cause of that specific behavior.

(viii) Political Sociology:- It deals with the political groups, political natural and effects of politics on
the society.
(ix) Industrial sociology:-

It deals with the industrial issues like industrial growths demand and supply ratios and effects of
importance of Sociology in Nursing

Sociology is very useful in nursing profession as discussed below:-

(i) For understanding different culture:- Nurse and nursing field play an important role in a health
care profession. Nurses are the key persons who have significant influence over the group members
with in the society.

Sociology will help the nurse to know about different cultures and lifestyles of patient.

(ii) For understanding social problems and attitudes:- It also help the nurse to know about all social
problems, attitude of the pt, community health problems different class, caste, different religions
etc. Before treating the pt. the nurse should know their cultural values, tradition, customs etc. so
that medical and nursing services can be made more effective.

(iii) For understanding social interaction:- Sociology helps the nurse in understanding the society and
the pattern of interaction.

(iv) For comprehensive health care:- by sociological study, the role of social support system in
maintaining the health can be identified and emphasis can be taken by the nurse about their role in
preventing and promotion of health.

Industrialism on the society.

(v) For achieving social control:- Sociological study help the nurse in achieving social control by
means of positive and negative force to maintain an organized society.

(vi) In improvement of community life:- Nursing is not simply a effort to cure illness, it is also to
provide preventive services and to promote health.

To be on effective agent of health promotion, knowledge of the community and facilities and
resources available there is essential.

Sociology can play an important role in understanding and improvement of community life.

(vii) For health Education – Nurse should go to village for health talk so that illiterate can learn more.
She must attain workshops, seminars upon health related programmes, community programmes.

(viii) For understanding religion Traditions:- A nurse play vital role while dealing with The patient
firstly. She should welcome the patient without any prejudice and social differences.

She should respect patient’s cultural value, religion, traditions, The physical and mental well being
of a person largely depend on nurse.

(ix) For guidance about welfare:- Sociology guide the people related to the welfare programmes.

(x) For maintaining effective IPR:- It helps to gain greater inside human problems as related to the
illness.
mportance of
Sociology in Nursing
Sociology is very
useful in nursing
profession as
discussed below:-
(i) For understanding
different culture:-
Nurse and nursing
field play an
important
role in a health care
profession. Nurses
are the key persons
who have significant
influence over the
group members with
in the society.
Sociology will help
the nurse to know
about different
cultures and
lifestyles
of patient.
(ii) For
understanding social
problems and
attitudes:- It also
help the nurse to
know about all social
problems, attitude of
the pt, community
health problems
different class, caste,
different religions
etc. Before treating
the pt. the nurse
should know their
cultural values,
tradition, customs
etc. so that medical
and
nursing services can
be made more
effective.
(iii) For
understanding social
interaction:-
Sociology helps the
nurse in
understanding the
society and the
pattern of
interaction.
(iv) For
comprehensive
health care:- by
sociological study,
the role of social
support system in
maintaining the
health can be
identified and
emphasis can be
taken by the nurse
about their role in
preventing and
promotion of health.
of health.

(iv) Sociology
psychology
(v) Cultural sociology
(vi) Medical
sociology
(vii) Social Psychiatry
(viii) Political
sociology
(ix) Industrial
Sociology
Role/Importance
function of Sociology
(i) Sociology studies
society
(ii) Sociology studies
role of institution in
the development of
individual
(iii) Find out solution
of social problems
(iv) It changes our
outlook in regards to
problems of crime.
(v) It enriches
human culture
(vi) Sociology study
is helpful for
planning for society.
(vii) It is helpful in
find out the solution
of international
problem.
- Importance of
Sociology in Nursing
(i) For understanding
different culture
(ii) For
understanding social
problems and
attitudes
(iii) For
understanding social
interaction
(iv) For
comprehensive
health care
(v) For achieving
social control
(vi) To improvement
of community life.
(vii) For health
education.
(viii) For
understanding
religion traditions.
(ix) For guidance
about welfare
(x) For maintaining
effective IPR
Sociology is the
scientific study of
the structure of
social life. [Young
And sneck]
“Sociology is the
science of collective
behavior.” *R.E Park
& F.W Burges+
Nature of Sociology
There are two
opposite view about
the nature of social
science, there is a
controversy about
the nature of
sociology as a (iv)
Sociology
psychology (v)
Cultural sociology
(vi) Medical
sociology (vii) Social
Psychiatry (viii)
Political sociology
(ix) Industrial
Sociology
Role/Importance
function of Sociology
(i) Sociology studies
society (ii) Sociology
studies role of
institution in the
development of
individual (iii) Find
out solution of social
problems (iv) It
changes our outlook
in regards to
problems of crime.
(v) It enriches
human culture (vi)
Sociology study is
helpful for planning
for society. (vii) It is
helpful in find out
the solution of
international
problem. -
Importance of
Sociology in Nursing
(i) For understanding
different culture (ii)
For understanding
social problems and
attitudes (iii) For
understanding social
interaction (iv) For
comprehensive
health care (v) For
achieving social
control (vi) To
improvement of
community life. (vii)
For health education.
(viii) For
understanding
religion traditions.
(ix) For guidance
about welfare (x) For
maintaining effective
IPR Sociology is the
scientific study of
the structure of
social life. [Young
And sneck]
“Sociology is the
science of collective
behavior.” *R.E Park
& F.W Burges+
Nature of Sociology
There are two
opposite view about
the nature of social
science, there is a
controversy about
the nature of
sociology as a
science. science.

(iv) Sociology
psychology
(v) Cultural sociology
(vi) Medical
sociology
(vii) Social Psychiatry
(viii) Political
sociology
(ix) Industrial
Sociology
Role/Importance
function of Sociology
(i) Sociology studies
society
(ii) Sociology studies
role of institution in
the development of
individual
(iii) Find out solution
of social problems
(iv) It changes our
outlook in regards to
problems of crime.
(v) It enriches
human culture
(vi) Sociology study
is helpful for
planning for society.
(vii) It is helpful in
find out the solution
of international
problem.
- Importance of
Sociology in Nursing
(i) For understanding
different culture
(ii) For
understanding social
problems and
attitudes
(iii) For
understanding social
interaction
(iv) For
comprehensive
health care
(v) For achieving
social control
(vi) To improvement
of community life.
(vii) For health
education.
(viii) For
understanding
religion traditions.
(ix) For guidance
about welfare
(x) For maintaining
effective IPR
Sociology is the
scientific study of
the structure of
social life. [Young
And sneck]
“Sociology is the
science of collective
behavior.” *R.E Park
& F.W Burges+
Nature of Sociology
There are two
opposite view about
the nature of social
science, there is a
controversy about
the nature of
sociology as a
science.