formal sociology

Formal sociology is a branch of sociology focused on the recurring patterns of social relationships, such as competition and hierarchy, that appear in any human association. It analyzes social structures, which are the stable arrangements of institutions that shape how people interact and live together. This approach is abstract and not directly concerned with individual behavior, but rather with the underlying patterns that result from human interactions and their environments.12

Sociology as a discipline emerged in the 18th and 19th centuries, separating from moral philosophy to become a specialized field. Early sociologists, like Émile Durkheim, emphasized studying "social facts" on a societal level, arguing that collective sentiments and institutions shape individual behavior. This perspective, sometimes called functionalism, views society as an integrated system where different parts are interdependent.342