sociology
Study of communities
Sociology is the study of human society—how groups form, function, and change.
It examines social institutions like family, religion, and government, as well as patterns of inequality, crime, and collective behavior.
Where psychology focuses on individuals, sociology looks at people in aggregate: The sociology of poverty reveals systemic causes beyond individual choices.
A sociologist practices the discipline.
Formal procedural framework
- quantitativeConcerning measurable amounts
- qualitativeRelating to characteristics, not quantities
- surveySystematic data collection
- ethnographySystematic study of peoples
interview · fieldwork · sampling · variable · hypothesis · longitudinal · cross-sectional · data
All inhabitants combined
- censusOfficial population count
- fertilityCapacity for reproduction
- mortalityState of eventual death
- migrationMovement to new territory
urbanization · aging · birthrate · cohort · density · household · natality
Punishable illegal act
- delinquencyCriminal or neglectful behavior
- stigmaMark of dishonor
- labelingAssigning identifying markers
- anomieBreakdown of shared standards
conformity · sanction · punishment · rehabilitation · recidivism · criminology · policing · incarceration
Founding French sociologist
- WeberGerman scholarly surname
- MarxGerman economic philosopher
- FoucaultProminent French family name
- functionalismTheory emphasizing purposes and roles
structuralism · positivism · constructivism · postmodernism · phenomenology · paradigm · framework · theorist
Expected behavioral standards
- valuesPrinciples held worthwhile
- beliefsAccepted truths, personal
- customsTraditional practices or import taxes
- traditionsLong-established customs passed down
symbols · rituals · taboos · folkways · mores · subculture · counterculture · acculturation
Grouping by shared traits
- statusOne's relative position
- inequalityUnequal distribution of resources
- hierarchyRanked authority structure
- mobilityCapacity for movement
caste · elite · poverty · wealth · income · privilege · meritocracy · underclass
Assembled collection of things
- networkInterconnected system
- collectivityUnified group state
- solidarityUnity among allies
- cohesionTendency to bind together
belonging · neighborhood · commune · membership · in-group · out-group
Related people together
- educationSystematic development of mind
- religionSystem of spiritual belief
- governmentAuthority over a state
- economySystem of trade and production
healthcare · marriage · kinship · bureaucracy · organization · corporation · state · church
methodology
Formal procedural framework
- quantitativeConcerning measurable amounts
- qualitativeRelating to characteristics, not quantities
- surveySystematic data collection
ethnography · interview · fieldwork · sampling · variable · hypothesis · longitudinal · cross-sectional · data · analysis
population
All inhabitants combined
migration · urbanization · aging · birthrate · cohort · density · household · natality
crime
Punishable illegal act
- delinquencyCriminal or neglectful behavior
- stigmaMark of dishonor
- labelingAssigning identifying markers
anomie · conformity · sanction · punishment · rehabilitation · recidivism · criminology · policing · incarceration
Durkheim
Founding French sociologist
functionalism · structuralism · positivism · constructivism · postmodernism · phenomenology · paradigm · framework · theorist
norms
Expected behavioral standards
- valuesPrinciples held worthwhile
- beliefsAccepted truths, personal
- customsTraditional practices or import taxes
traditions · symbols · rituals · taboos · folkways · mores · subculture · counterculture · acculturation · assimilation
class
Grouping by shared traits
- statusOne's relative position
- inequalityUnequal distribution of resources
- hierarchyRanked authority structure
mobility · caste · elite · poverty · wealth · income · privilege · meritocracy · underclass · bourgeoisie
group
Assembled collection of things
- networkInterconnected system
- collectivityUnified group state
- solidarityUnity among allies
cohesion · belonging · neighborhood · commune · membership · in-group · out-group
family
Related people together
- educationSystematic development of mind
- religionSystem of spiritual belief
- governmentAuthority over a state
economy · healthcare · marriage · kinship · bureaucracy · organization · corporation · state · church · school
- ologiesbiology, geology, psychology, ecology, anthropology
- college coursesbiology, calculus, chemistry, physics, quantum physics
- college subjectsbiology, chemistry, history, mathematics, physics
- fields of studyart, music, mathematics, history, biology
- nonfictionbiography, autobiography, biographies, history, memoir
- sciencesbiology, chemistry, physics, astronomy, geology
sociologypsychology
Study of mind, behavior
neuroscience · psychoanalysis · biography · cognitive science · cognitive psychology
sociologyphilosophy
Study of fundamental truths
theology · literary criticism · metaphysics · pure mathematics · speculation