Meaning & use
sociology
Last updated
Meanings
noununcountable
The academic study of how human societies are organized, how they change, and how groups of people behave.
Grammar: Used without 'a' or a plural: She studies sociology.
Patterns
- study sociology
- a degree in sociology
- the sociology of something
He decided to major in sociology because he wanted to understand why cities change.
Her research in sociology looks at how families share unpaid work.
The sociology of sport examines why some games become national passions.
nouncountable or uncountable
A particular way of analyzing society, or the social patterns of a group or activity.
Grammar: Can be countable when referring to a specific approach: a sociology of migration.
Patterns
- a sociology of something
- the sociology of a group
The book offers a sociology of online communities.
They developed a new sociology that focuses on everyday routines.
Common combinations
- applied sociology
- Applied sociology uses research findings to solve practical community problems.
- comparative sociology
- Comparative sociology contrasts family life in different countries.
- sociology department
- The sociology department at the university is known for its urban studies program.
- sociology professor
- My sociology professor assigned a project on social inequality.
- the sociology of knowledge
- The sociology of knowledge asks how ideas spread through a society.
Synonyms and how they differ
- social science
- A broader term that includes sociology, economics, political science, and anthropology; use it when you mean the whole field.
- anthropology
- Also studies human societies, but often focuses on culture and small communities rather than modern institutions.
Word family
- sociologist noun
- A person who studies or teaches sociology.
- sociological adjective
- Relating to sociology or to social behavior.
- sociologically adverb
- In a way that relates to sociology.
Commonly confused: sociology or psychology? sociology or social work?
sociology vs psychology
Psychology studies the mind and individual behavior, while sociology studies groups, institutions, and society.
sociology vs social work
Social work is a practical profession helping people; sociology is the academic study of society.
Practice
Which sentence uses 'sociology' correctly?
Choose one answer.
Sociology is an uncountable noun, so it takes no article or plural in this general sense. 'A sociology' and 'sociologies' are wrong because the field is not counted that way.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “sociology”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.