This document provides an overview of sociology and its importance and application in nursing. It defines sociology as the scientific study of human society and social behavior. It discusses the different views on the scope and nature of sociology as a social science. It outlines how sociology is important for understanding health in social context and how social factors influence disease. Finally, it describes how sociology can be applied in nursing to understand patients' social environments, cultures, and economic situations in order to provide holistic care.

1. Sociology
Unit I
Sociology of Nursing

2. Introduction
■ Definition of Sociology
■ Nature and Scope of Sociology
■ Importance and application of
Sociology in Nursing

3. Introduction
■ The word sociology was coined by
Auguste Comte – French Philosopher in
1839. He is consider as a father of
Sociology.
■ Sociology is the youngest of all the Social
Sciences.
■ The word Sociology is derived from the
Latin Word ‘Societus’ which means
‘society’ and the Greek word ‘logos’ means
‘science or study or advanced study’.
■ Science of society or study of society.

4. Definitions of Sociology
■ L.F. Ward defines, “Sociology is the science of
society or of social phenomena”.
■ Ginsberg says, “Sociology is the study of human
interaction and interrelation of their conditions and
consequences”.
■ Emile Durkheim defines, “ Sociology as a science of
social institutions”.
■ Ogburn and Nimkoff defines, “Sociology as the study
of social life”.
■ Kimball Young defines, “Sociology deals with the
behaviour of men in groups”.

5. Subject matter of Sociology
■ Sociology is
– the study of society
– the science of social life
– the study of social relationships
– the study of human behaviour in groups
– the study of forms of social relationships
– the study of social action
– the study of social groups and social systems

6. Nature of Sociology
1. Sociology is an Independent Science
2. Sociology is a Social Science and not a Physical
Science
3. Sociology is a Categorical and not a Normative
Discipline
4. Sociology is a Pure Science and not an Applied
Science
5. Sociology is Relatively an Abstract Science not a
Concrete Science
6. Sociology is a Generalising and not a Particularsing
or Individualising Science
7. Sociology is Both a Rational and an Empirical

7. Nature of Sociology
■ Sociology is an Independent Science.
– Sociology has now emerged into an
independent science.
– It is not treated and studied as a branch
of any other science like philosophy or
political philosophy or history.
– As an independent science it has its own
field of study, boundary and method.

8. Nature of Sociology
■ Sociology is a Social Science and not
a Physical Science.
– As a social science it concentrates its
attention on man, his social behaviour,
social activities and social life.
– The fact that sociology deals with the
Social universe it distinguishes from
astronomy, physics, chemistry, geology,
mathematics and other physical sciences.

9. Nature of Sociology
■ Sociology is a Categorical and not a
Normative Discipline
– Sociology “confines itself to statements about
what it is, not what should be or ought to be”.
– But it does not mean that sociological
knowledge is useless and serves no purpose.
– It only means that sociology as a discipline
cannot deal with problems of good and evil,
right and wrong, and moral and immoral.

10. Nature of Sociology
■ Sociology is a Pure Science and not
an Applied Science
– Each pure science may have its own
applied field.
– For example: physics is a pure science
and engineering is its applied field.
– Sociology as a pure science has its
applied field such as administration,
diplomacy, social work etc.

11. Nature of Sociology
■ Sociology is Relatively an Abstract Science
and not a Concrete Science
– Sociology is not interested in concrete only it
demonstrations of human events.
– It is more concerned with the form of human
events and their patterns.
– For example: sociology is not concerned with
particular wars and revolutions but with war and
revolution in general, as a social phenomena,
as a type of social conflict.

12. Nature of Sociology
■ Sociology is a Generalising and not a
particularising or individulalising Science
– Sociology tries to find out the general laws
of principle about human interaction and
association, about the nature, form, content
and structure of human groups and
societies.
– It does not study each and every event that
takes place in society. It is not possible also.

13. Nature of Sociology
■ Sociology is Both a Rational and
Empirical Science
– Rationalism, stresses reason and the
result from logical inference.
– Empiricism, is emphasises experience and
the facts that result from observation and
experimentation.
– In Sociological inquiry both are significant.

14. Scope of Sociology
■ Two different views about the scope of
sociology.
■ There is no one opinion about the scope of
sociology.
■ In the broadest sense, Sociology is studying
human interactions, their conditions and
consequences.
■ There are two main schools of thought among
sociologist on this issue.
– Specialistic or Formalistic School
– Synthetic School

15. Specialistic or Formalistic
School
■ In this group of sociologists demarcates,
Sociology clearly from other branches of social
study and confines it to the “enquiry into certain
defined aspects of human relationship” or
“Sociology as pure and independent”.
■ Sociology has a limited field of enquiry and
deals those problems which are not dealt with
other social science.
– Specialistic or Formalistic School.

16. Synthetic School
■ The other group maintains that the field of
social investigation is too wide for any other
social science and “Sociology as special social
science” Such as Economics, Anthropology,
History, etc. there is also consider of a
“Sociology is a general science”.
■ Sociology studies everything and anything
under the sun.
– Synthetic School

17. Specialist of Formalistic
School
■ Simmel
■ Small
■ Vierkandt
■ Max Weber
■ Von Wiese
■ Tonnie

18. Specialist of Formalistic
School
■ This group led by Simmel views sociology is
confined to the enquiry of certain defined
aspects of human relationship and they
consider sociology as pure and independent.
■ Simmel’s view sociology deals with same
topics as they from a different angle – from the
angle of different modes of social relationships.

19. Specialist of Formalistic
School
■ Small’s views - sociology does not study all
the activities of society. The scope of
sociology is the study of the generic
(general) forms of social relationships,
behaviours and activities, etc.

20. Specialist of Formalistic
School
■ Vierkandt’s view – sociology is a special
branch of knowledge dealing with the ultimate
forms of mental or psychic relationships
which unite people in society.
■ He further maintains that similarly in dealing
with culture sociology should not concern
itself with the actual contents of cultural
evolution but it should confine itself to only
the discovery of the fundamental forces of
change and persistence.

21. Specialist of Formalistic
School
■ Max Weber’s view – sociology aims to
interpret and understand social behaviour
but it does not include all human relations
because all of them are not social.
■ According to him, Sociology concerned with
the analysis and classification of types of
social relationships.
■ Von Wiese’s view – the scope of sociology
is the study of forms of social relationships.

22. Synthetic School
■ Sociology studies everything and anything
under the sun.
■ According to this group sociology is a general
science.
■ It wants sociology to be a synthesis (mixture)
of the social sciences or a general science.

23. Synthetic School
■ Durkheim
■ Hobhouse
■ Sorokin
■ Karl mannheim
■ Ginsberg
■ Alex Inkeles
■ J.B. Mckee

24. Synthetic School
■ Durkheim’ s view – sociology can be divided
into three major divisions
– Social Morphology
■ Is concerned with geographical or territorial basis of the
life of such as its volume and density, local distribution
and the life.
– Social Physiology
■ Is divided into a number of branches such as Sociology of
religion, of Morals, of Laws, of Economic life, of Language
etc. this activities related to the various social groups.
– General Sociology
■ Is discover the general character of these social facts.

25. Synthetic School
■ Hobhouse’s view – sociology is a synthesis of
many social studies – task of three fold.
– Studies in particular part of the field.
– Interconnect the results given by different social
sciences.
– Interpret social life as a whole.
■ Sorokin’s view- the subject matter of sociology
– The study of relationship between different aspects
of social phenomena.
– The study of understanding the relationship
between the social and non-social aspects.
– The study of general characteristics of social
phenomena.

26. Synthetic School
■ Karl Mannheim’s view – two branches.
– Systematic and General Sociology.
■ Describes one by one the main factors of living together
as far as they may be found in every kind of society.
– Historical Sociology.
■ Deals with the historical variety and actuality of the
general forms of society.
■ Historical Sociology falls into two main sections.
– Comparative Sociology
■ Deals with historical variations of the some
phenomena and tries to find by comparison general
features as separated from industrial features.
– Social Dynamics
■ Deals with the interrelations between the various social
factors and institutions in a certain given society, for
instance, in a primitive society.

27. Synthetic School
■ Alex Inkeles’s view;
– Social Analysis
– Primary Concepts of Social Life
– Basic Social Institutions
– Process
■ J.B. Mckee’s view
– Social Action, Social Structure, Social
Process and Social Institutions are included
in the scope of Sociology.

28. Importance and
application of Sociology
in Nursing

29. Importance of sociology
1. Sociology makes a Scientific of Society.
2. Sociology studies the role of the institutions in
the development of the Individual.
3. The study of Sociology is indispensable for
understanding and planning of society.
4. Sociology is of great importance in the
solution of social problems.
5. Sociology has drawn our attention to the
essential worth and dignity of man.

30. Importance of sociology
6. Sociology has changed outlook with regard
to the problems of crime etc.
7. Sociology has made great contribution to
enrich human culture.
8. Sociology is of great importance in the
solution of international problems.
9.Sociology is useful as a teaching subject.
10.Sociology as a profession.

31. Importance of Sociology in
Nursing
■ Sociology is includes in the curriculum of
nursing because health is include social
component.
■ Most of the illness have social causes and
social consequences.
■ Sociology gives knowledge to deal with patient
and to understand this habits norms, culture
and behaviour etc..
■ The nurse has to understand the necessity of
changing the environment or surrounding.

32. Importance of Sociology in
Nursing
■ To adjustment and services of the family
members are important in the recovery
process of the patient. So for understand this
knowledge of family is essential for the nurse.
■ Without sociological knowledge a nurse
cannot understand the community.
■ The sociological knowledge the nurse
understand the factors of caste, faith,
community, religion etc..

33. Importance of Sociology in
Nursing
■ So this knowledge helps her to avoid prejudices
and discrimination.
■ As well as a nurse should understand the social
position, status and social responsibilities with
regard to health field by studying sociology.
■ She as to work is accordance with rules and
norms of it by removing egoistic and impulse
based behaviour.
■ The nurse to understand the necessity to
changing the environment for making recovery
better.

34. Importance of Sociology in
Nursing
■ Social correlates of disease including
demographic factors can be understood by the
nurse with the knowledge of Sociology.
■ It helps the nurse to approach the patient at
various level.
– Emotional level
– Cultural level
– Intellectual level

35. Importance of Sociology in
Nursing
■ Emotional level.
– The nurse should understand the patient
emotions.
– Nurse give some opportunity to patient for
ventilate their feelings.
– Which will reduce their emotional burden.
– It is really helps to build up the rapport which
is essential for effective curative
intervention.

36. Importance of Sociology in
Nursing
■ Cultural level
– Patients may not be able to adjust with
hospital environment because limitation of
cultural environment.
– For example: A female patient not to be ready
to remove her mangal sutra at the time of
surgery because of their cultural sentiments.
– The nurse should explain the cultural thinking
and give explanation the need for removing
mangal sutra.

37. Importance of Sociology in
Nursing
■ Intellectual level
– The patient is unable to understand the
instructions and guidelines given by the nurse
or doctors.
– So here the knowledge of Sociology help to
nurse to understand the intelligence of
patients.
– This knowledge makes the nurse to approach
the patient sympathetically without emotional
reaction.

38. Application of Sociology
in Nursing
■ Sociology is a recent addition to the syllabus of
medical education.
■ Sociology is needed in general to all the medical
professions and especially Nursing because
social conditions are sometimes responsible for
health problems.
■ Sociology helps to understand the relationship
between disease and social condition.

39. Application of Sociology in
Nursing
■ Man is an integral part of society
– Man does not exist alone.
– For health condition in sociological terms
the emphasis in not on the handicap but
one of the person.
– so as a Nurse should take care about the
patients.

40. Application of Sociology in
Nursing
■ Economic condition and patient care:
– If a patient belongs to working or middle class, the
family will face economic problems and the patient
will have the fear of destitution.
– Inspite of the willingness of the patient nobody
prefers to employ him.
– As a result the patient is forced to lead an idle life
which leads to serious economic problems.
– So the Nurse should feel their economic condition.

41. Application of Sociology in
Nursing
■ Importance of social environment:
– A patient with physical handicap should be
understood in the context of his social milieu.
– Psychological, social and vocational
handicaps of the disabled person and
patietns are often related with false attitudes
of the people.
– The nurse should understand the social
environment for develop the patient health
condition.

42. Application of Sociology in
Nursing
■ Importance of understanding the social
factors.
– Sociology helps Nurse to understand the
social factors which from the barriers to
treatment, rehabilitation and positive
outcome.
– Nurse to understand the importance of
supportive social factors in treating and
rehabilitating the patient.

43. Application of Sociology in
Nursing
■ Intervention measures:
In the absence of social worker the Nurse may
have to deal with family and other problems
such as housing, finance, social, isolation
and psychological disturbances of the
patient.
❖Intervention on finance and social security
measures.
❖Social change and treatment.
❖Modification of attitudes.

44. Thank you