SOCIOLOGY is defined as the study of social life and the social causes and consequences of human behavior. This chapter introduces the discipline of sociology by defining them, explaining the sociological perspective, comparing sociology and popular wisdom, contrasting sociology with the other social sciences, introducing the occupational and personal uses of sociology, and examining academic and professional sociologists in the workplace.
Sociologists use the sociological perspective to describe and explain social life at either the micro or macro level.
- Macrosociology deals with large-scale structures and processes such as institutions and social systems.
- Microsociology is concerned with the dynamics of social life at the interpersonal small group level.
A variety of occupational and personal uses of sociology are described and discussed. These includes careers as teachers, researchers, administrators and policy consultant.
Three primary uses of sociology:
- applied social research
- social engineering
- clinical sociology
Sociology is valuable to even those who do not pursue it as a career in preparation for other causes, as well as in one's own personal life.
