Sociology is the study of social life, social change, and the social causes and consequences of
human behavior. Sociologists investigate the structure of groups, organizations, and societies,
and how people interact within these contexts. Since all human behavior is social, the subject
matter of sociology ranges from the intimate family to the hostile mob; from organized crime to
religious cults; from the divisions of race, gender and social class to the shared beliefs of a
common culture; and from the sociology of work to the sociology of sports. In fact, few fields
have such broad scope and relevance for research, theory, and application of knowledge.