Sociology: Down to earth approach

Introduction

The book "Sociology: Down to earth approach" is written primarily for those who are completely new to sociology and would like some help and guidance as to the exact nature of the object of sociology.

However you are new to sociology is likely that you have an idea, however vague and general, about what sociology is concerned. You may have an idea that sociology is 'about' people. And he would have reason to think so. We might then begin by noting that sociology is one of the human sciences and, as such, is an issue that is distinct from the so-called physical sciences. Sociology is the study of humanity (James, 33).

Discussion and Analysis

This description of sociology by the author James M. Henslin is only partially correct. Say that sociology is about people and humanity is not enough to distinguish it from other subjects in the humanities. For this is also the case of Psychology, Social Policy, Economics and Social History, among others, are all in some sense about people and humanity. Thus, the fact that sociology is about people and humanity takes us only part way along the road to a complete definition of the subject (James, 11).

It could also suggest that sociology is "above" society. This helps in so far as it adds another component of our complete definition.

But again it is not sufficient to fully define the issue. For all of the aforementioned sciences are not just about people and humanity but society too close.

Sociology is also concerned with human culture. A working definition of culture used by sociologists is "a way of life." Sociology has always been concerned with the study of culture and this fits with what we know about sociology, i.e. the study of people in society.

Many have suggested that sociology can be defined as the subject matter and explains the social interaction. Here sociology is characterized by the fact that examines the formal and informal social relations by individuals. Sociologists often can observe and explain the types of interactions that occur between individuals. So to include this idea of social interaction in any definition of sociology is helpful.

However, the inclusion of social interaction not establishes distinctiveness of sociology when considering the same, such as psychology. Psychology, like sociology, it also involves the study of human interaction.

There may be a way to differentiate sociology. Might suggest that while psychology studies human interaction of people, studies the sociology of interaction that occurs within and between social groups. In this sense sociology may be described as an issue that puts people in their social context as members of social groups, communities and as members of social institutions such as work or place within a family or even your position in of an educational institution.

Psychology on the other side appears to consider individuals as lonely and isolated to some extent. In fact could conclude the differences in approach, suggesting that psychology has as its starting point the individual, while sociology begins with the idea of ...