Sociology

Unit I

Sociology of
Nursing
Introduction

 Definition of Sociology

 Nature and Scope of

Sociology

 Importance and application

of Sociology in Nursing
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’.
 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”.
 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
 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
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
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.
 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.
–
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.
 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.
 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
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.
 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
 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.
 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
Specialist of
Formalistic School
 Simmel
 Small
 Vierkandt
 Max
Weber
 Von Wiese
 Tonnie
 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.
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.
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.
 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
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.
Synthetic
School
 Durkheim
 Hobhouse
 Sorokin
 Karl
mannheim
 Ginsberg
 Alex Inkeles
 J.B. Mckee
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
and the life.
distribution
– 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
 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
 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,
 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.
Importance and
application of
Sociology in Nursing
 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.
 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.
 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
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
 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
 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
 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
 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
 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.
 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.
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.
 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.
 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
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.
 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.
Thank
you