Sociology is the study of association, group, society and social interaction.

Sociology
begins with the idea that “humans are to be understood in the context of their social
life, that we are social animals influenced by interaction, social patterns, and
socialization”. Sociology’s subject matter is diverse, ranging from crime to religion, from
the family to the state, from the divisions of race and social class to the shared beliefs
of a common culture, and from social stability to radical change in whole societies.
Etymology
The word sociology derives from the French word, sociologie, a hybrid coined in 1830 by
French philosopher Isidore Auguste Comte (1798-1857), from the Latin: socius, meaning
"companion"; and the suffix -ology, meaning "the study of", from the Greek λόγος, lógos,
"knowledge".
Importance of Sociology
The progress made by physical sciences has brought the nations of the world nearer to
each other. But in the social field the world has been left behind by the revolutionary
progress of the science. The world is divided politically giving rise to stress and conflict.
Men have failed to bring in peace. Sociology can help us in understanding the underlying
causes and tensions.
Sociology has given us training to have rational approach to questions concerning
oneself, one's religion, customs, morals and institutions. It has further taught us to be
objective, critical and dispassionate. It enables man to have better understanding both
of himself and of others. By comparative study of societies and groups other than his
existence, his life becomes richer and fuller than it would otherwise be. Sociology also
impresses upon us the necessity of overcoming narrow personal prejudices, ambitions
and class hatred.
The study of society contributes to the formulation of social policies which required
certain amount of knowledge about that society. Descriptive sociology provides a great
deal of information that is helpful in making decisions on social policy.