Ms.

Aaditi Shirke
 Define sociology
 Describe the nature and scope of sociology
 Discuss the significance of sociology in
Nursing.
 The science of social phenomenon subjected
to natural laws, the discovery of which is the
objective of investigation" -Auguste Comte.

 Sociology is a modern social science.

 Itis not more than 200years old "Auguste

comte" a French philosopher coined the term
sociology in 1837.

 He is considered as the father of Sociology.

 Theterm sociology is derived from the Latin
word "societus" meaning 'society' and Greek
word "logy" meaning "study or science".

 Thus sociology means the science of society.

Earlier the sociology was studied as a part of
philosophy.
 Sociology became a separate teaching
discipline in 1876 at United States, 1889 in
France, 1925 in England and after the World
war-I in India.

 Sociology is considered as the most

significant social science at present all over
the world.
 "Sociology
is the study of the relationship
between man and his environment".
-H.P.Fairchild.

 "Sociology may be defined as a body of

scientific knowledge about human
relationships".
- J.F. Cuber.
 "Sociology is the study of interaction arising
from the association of living beings".
-Gillin and Gillin.
 Sociologyis the science which attempts
interactive understanding of social action".
-Max Weber.

 "Sociologyis the synthesizing and

generalizing science of man in all his social
relationship".
-Arnold Green.
1. Sociology is the scientific study of society.
2. It is the science of social relationship.
3. It is the science of social life.
4. It studies the human behavior in groups.
5. It is the science of social action.
6. It studies the forms of social relationship.
7. Sociology is the study of social organization.
 Allhuman beings are living as groups in the
society.

 They organize their behavior in groups to

meet their needs and wants with in their
societal limitations.

 Their behaviors, thoughts and attitudes are

determined and influenced by the group
interaction.
 The interaction process is taking place within
the societies, crowds, social classes,
institutions, neighborhood and community.

 Social
behavior is the product of social
interaction.

 Sociologybasically studies the social

behavior of individual in a society.
 Sociology as the "mother of all sciences",
studies the social phenomenon. It is based on
science.

 Sociology systematically deals with human

ideas on logical basis.

 It deals with the facts related to the society.

It is factual. It uses the scientific
methodology to find out the solutions for
social problems.
 It can frame the rules, regulations, laws and
sanctions for the society. For some extent, it
can predict the future of a society also. This
is very much useful in the problematic
situations.
 Sociology deals with the different aspects of
social life, such as political, economical and
religious.
 It is not a biological science.
 It is a behavioral science.
 It doesn't deal with the structure or functions
of the human body and the mental process.
 It deals only with the interactions of human
beings.
 Sociology studies about the widely different
social institutions.
 Topics like population rates; changes in the
marriage and familial system and social
stratification are not the subject matter of
any other science.
 The sociology is a very flexible subject.
 It is difficult to determine its boundaries as it
is related to social phenomenon and linked
to so many other subjects, for example
sociology can also be seen as social
psychology and on the other side biological
theories can be recognized sociological
theories and makes it difficult to decide the
boundaries of sociology as discipline.
 Theopinion for the scope of sociology has
been divided into two groups

Scope of
Sociology

Formalistic The Synthetic

School School
 According to views of the Formalistic School,
scope of Sociology is very narrow and limited.

 Sociology is a specific, pure and independent

social science.

 It is a specific social science and it should deal

with social relationships from different angles.

 Sociology need not study all the events

connected with social science.
 Sociology deals with specific form of human
relationship.

 Sociology studies the various forms of social

relationships

 The supporters of the formal school of

thought are social thinkers like George
Simmel, Vier Kandt, Fredinanad Tonnies,
Leopard Von Wiese and max Weber.
 Itbelieves to widen the scope of sociology.
According to supporters of this thought of
school they opines that different aspects of
social life are inter related so sociology
should attempt to study social life as a
whole.
 Auguste Comte was supporter of this
thought. According to him studying sociology
in isolation is likely to give incomplete and
wrong conclusion.
Criticism
 If the scope of sociology is widen it will
become vague and can lead to uncertain and
unpredictable
 It will not have its definite subject matter
and it would be difficult to mark its
boundaries.
1. General Sociology
2. Sociological Theory
3. Urban Sociology
4. Medical Sociology
5. Criminal Sociology
6. Economical Sociology
7. Moral Sociology
8. Family Sociology
9. Social Psychology
10. Rural Sociology
11. Industrial Sociology
12. Social morphology
13. Judicial Sociology
14. Educational Sociology
15. Social Pathology
16. Religious Sociology.
1. Sociology helps the nurse to know about the
social life of the patients. It will help to study
about the social life of various (a religions,
castes, tribes, communities and groups.

2. Sociology offers the knowledge about

various cultural patterns. This cultural
knowledge helps the nurse to take care of the
patients who are adopting different customs,
traditions, folkways, mores and bun values.
3. Knowledge of sociology helps the nurse to in
maintain cordial relationship with different to
personnel in the health team. Treatment of
disease is a co-operative effort of all health team
members. Nurse is the key person in a health
team.

4. To get the co-operation and win the confidence

of patients, the knowledge of sociology is very
much necessary. The nurse has to know about the
patient's social system and social relationship.
Unless the patient co-operates with the nurse for
treatment process the nursing care becomes very
difficult indeed.
5. Sociology is needed for nurses for self-
understanding to develop self-confidence.
Studying the sociology along with psychological
and religious factors is very much useful in the
process of self- understanding. It helps the
nurse to adjust with the situations.

6. Nursing service involves with preventive and

promotive aspects of health. Health promotion
involves with the community. To function as
effective community health nurse, the
knowledge regarding the community resources
and practices are absolutely necessary.
7. The area of nursing practice is widening to
now. Nurses are expected to work in the fields of
industrial health, public health, school health,
military services and so on. The knowledge of
sociology is useful for the nurse to work in various
sectors.

8. Sociology deals with the human relationships.

Deep understanding of human behavior and
relationships will help the nurse to take care of
the aged persons, persons suffering with life
threatening diseases like AIDS and persons
suffering from permanent disability.
9. Knowledge about the medical sociology is
extremely useful for nurses. It will help them to
recognize the significance of social forces in
health and taking into account of such forces in
organizing and administering his public health
programs.

10. Knowledge about sociology helps the nurse to

render holistic care in a comprehensive manner.
Nurse can include the social, cultural and
psychological aspects while delivering the physical
care to the patient.
11. Sociology helps the nurse to broaden her
views to understand individual's behavior with
regard to his society.

12. By applying the sociological knowledge nurse

can understand the cause of patient's behavior
and find out the meaning of patient's behavior. By
knowing these fundamentals she can effectively
deliver the comfortable and appropriate care
according to the patient's expectations with
regard to his group.
13. Patients who are undergoing rehabilitation
need special attention on their psycho socio
aspect. Being a member in a rehabilitation team
nurse should have adequate knowledge on
sociology.

14. The knowledge regarding individual

perception, attitude of public regarding medical
care, communication barriers, social distance,
prejudice, population changes in a specified area
and socio- psychological factors help the nurse to
implement the effective professional care.
15. Knowledge about the social problems and
current issues helps the nurse to gain more insight
into the individual human problems and patient's
reactions to illness.

16. Sociology helps the nurse to develop

emotional maturity while taking decisions and
dealing with situations arise out of social
challenges.
17. To make correct and appropriate nursing
diagnosis and implementing nursing care based on
the societal believes and practices, the
knowledge of society is necessary.

18. Societal knowledge helps the nurses who are

involving with community health to develop a
plan of action involving with local public and
involving them in an effective manner.
19. Knowledge about the social pathology helps
the nurse to implement preventive measures and
takes remedial actions for problematic situations
in the community in an effective manner.

20. Knowledge regarding a societal practices and

preferences helps the nurse to identify and
analyze different social conditions which are
responsible for the incidence and prevention of
sickness and death rate.
21. Health education is an important aspect of
nursing. Without knowing the socio economic
status and socio cultural factors of individual an
or group, the implementation of health education
is merely a waste.
In order to get a good and effective feed back
from the group the knowledge about sociology is
absolutely necessary.
 Applied Sociology textbook, Dr. S. lan.
Clement author, Frontline publications, 5th
edition, Page. No- 3 to 11.

 Textbookof Applied Sociology, Semester-I,

Varinder Kaur author, Vision publications,
Page. No- 1 to 14
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