Sociology may be defined as the study of human society and human social behaviour. Sociology is a way of thinking about society and social behaviour that goes beyond common-sense understanding. In sociology, common sense refers to ideas about the world which may be widely held by people in a particular society. Sociological knowledge, however, has greater validity than most forms of commonsense knowledge because it has been tested through some form of observation. In simple terms, sociologists try to base their statements about human behaviour on evidence rather than simple assumption. Sociology understanding is supported by evidence and seeks to be systematic and objective.
When we talk about the sociological perspective, we are talking about the particular way that sociologists, as opposed to non-sociologists, try to understand human social behaviour.
Not all sociologists look at the social world from exactly the same perspective or viewpoint. However, it is possible, to identify a number of common ideas which most, if not all, sociologists believe.
Sociology can be known as the systematic study of human societies which gives particular importance to modern, industrialized systems. The practice of sociology involves a number of varied abilities. It is necessary that one has the ability to think imaginatively and isolate oneself from personalized ideas about social life.
In the past many comprehensive changes that have come about were unsolved. Sociology was created on the attempt to understand the changes in our societies over the past two or three centuries. Changes included not only those of large scale but those concerned with change in the close and personal characteristics of people’s lives (Giddens 2006).
To establish what sociology is, it is important to look at the classical founders of sociology. Throughout the mid-nineteenth
References: Giddens, A. (2006) Sociology, 5th Edition, London: Polity Press Giddens, A. (2001) Sociology Introductory Reading, Revised Addition, London: Polity Press Sweeney, T., Lewis, J., Etherington, N. (eds.) (2003) Sociology and Scotland, Glasgow: Unity Publications www.books.google.co.uk/books–Sapsford, R and Dallos, R (1996) www.britannica/com/eb/article;9054337/Geogre.P.Murdock www.statistics.gov.uk/socialtrends 2005