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Sociology is the study of human society and the social interactions and behavior of humans.

Sociology is, generally speaking, the study of human interaction. How do people socialize? What happens when people live together? How are members of a group influencing each other? Why does someone become a king and someone else lives their whole life as a peasant? These are the kinds of questions a sociologist is interested in.

Sociology is an incredibly broad science and often overlaps with other fields of study, such as psychology or economics. A sociologist may look at social groups on a large (macro) scale, such as studying the different societies of Asia, or may look at groups on a small (micro) scale, such as studying Brazilian teenagers or even a single town.

As far as a sociologist is concerned, no person ever makes a decision without some influence from society or their social groups. Sociology isn’t just the study of people but more specifically the study of what happens when people are around each other.

The first records of the word sociology come from around 1835. It comes from the French sociologie, which combines socio-, meaning “social” or “society,” and -logy, which indicates a topic of scientific study or scientific field. Sociology is both the study of social interactions and of wider society as a whole.

The beginnings of sociology can be traced back to thinkers from the 1800s who were intrigued by the work of naturalist Charles Darwin. They wondered if Darwin’s ideas of “survival of the fittest,” in which only the strongest or most successful animals survived, could be applied to human societies. This idea of social Darwinism was popular for a time but was eventually replaced by schools of thought that considered more complicated explanations, such as economics or culture, as for why some societies flourish and others fail.

In practical terms, sociological research is often a major force in influencing legislation or political policies. Sociologists will publish books or reports about why certain areas are poorer than others or why certain racial or gender groups have higher education rates than others, for example. Politicians or government leaders will then look at research like this when trying to decide which social programs to enact or which of their citizens are struggling.

Sociology students sometimes use what they have learned to pursue some interesting career choices: President Ronald Reagan, First Lady Michelle Obama, and Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. all had degrees in sociology.

This video gives an explanation of sociology and some examples of topics related to sociology:

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Many students seek an education in sociology. The field of sociology has quickly expanded as technology and politics have rapidly changed society.

This Sky Sports News poll to see who their viewers support is vital sociological research.

— Rory Smith (@RorySmith)

That's why I decided to study the field of Sociology. I love studying people and WHY they do what they do

— David Arellano (@davidifitness31)

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• society
• social
• group
• culture
• interaction
• nation
• family
• organization

True or False?

Sociology is the study of the social interactions of humans.