Key Takeaways

• Sociology is the study of human social relationships and institutions, and bridges across topics such as race, religion, crime, economics, and the family.
• Although originally coined by Emannuel-Joseph Sieyes, the French sociologist Auguste Comte popularized sociology in the 19th century. Comte believed that human behavior could be broken down into a set of laws which, when understood, could solve social problems.
• Other notable figures in sociology include figures such as Max Weber, Emile Durheim, Georg Simmel, and Herbert Spencer.
• Sociology employs a distinct set of research methods. The most popular of these are surveys, field research, experiments, and secondary data analysis.
• Both psychology and sociology seek to understand human behavior. However, while psychology understands this at the level of the inner workings of individuals, sociology describes people”s actions and beliefs in terms of external social factors.