Unit 1 Introduction to sociology - B. Sc Nursing

B.Sc Nursing

SOCIOLOGY OF NURSING

Unit 1: INTRODUCTION TO SOCIOLOGY

Contents:▪️ Introduction▪️Definition of Sociology▪️Nature and Scope of Sociology▪️Importance and application of Sociology in Nursing

I. 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.

II. 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”.

NATURE OF SOCIOLOGY

1. 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.

2. 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.

3. 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 isknowledge 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.

4. 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.

5. Sociology is Relatively an Abstract Science 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.

6. Sociology is a Generalising and not a Particularsing or Individualising 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.

7. Sociology is Both a Rational and an Empirical:

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.

III. 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.

1. Specialistic or Formalistic School

Sociology has a limited field of enquiry and deals those problems which are not dealt with other social science.

• Simmel views sociology is confined to the enquiry of certain defined aspects of human relationship and they consider sociology as pure and independent.

• Small’s views - sociology does not study all the activities of society. 

• 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.

• 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.

• Von Wiese’s view – the scope of sociology is the study of forms of social relationships.

2. Synthetic School 

Sociology studies everything and anything under the sun.

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.

Hobhouse’s view – sociology is a synthesis of many social studies. 

It has 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 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.

Karl Mannheim’s view 

It has two branches. – Systematic and General Sociology. 

Systematic 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.

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.

IV. 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. 

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.

It helps the nurse to approach the patient at various level. – Emotional level – Cultural level – Intellectual level

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.

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.

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.

V. 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.

Man is an integral part of society – Man does not exist alone.  

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.

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.

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.

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.