What is Sociology?

Sociology is the scientific study of human behavior. It studies the larger forces outside the individual that affect people's personal experience and lives. It also studies those larger forces themselves, such as families, organizations, social classes, ethnic groups, nations and the world system.

There is virtually no aspect of social life that is not studied by sociologists. That said, there are some common specialties. These include:

• Criminology
• Social Psychology
• Race and Ethnicity
• Sociology of Culture
• Demography (The Study of Populations)
• Economic Sociology
• Political Sociology