What is the relationship of Sociology with Psychology?

Sociology and Psychology are closely related with each other. Psychology is the study of human behaviour. The psychologists study such phenomena as perception, attitudes and values and their influence.

Psychology depends on sociology for understanding human nature properly. Sociology provides necessary materials regarding the structure, organization and culture of society, in which human behaviour is born. For examples, the structure of family, caste groups, class groups, etc. influence human behaviors. The psychologists must take into account those factors in explaining human behaviour. The psychologists while, studying the individuals’, development from early childhood onwards, should analyse the role of society and social customs relating to the development of social behaviour.

Similarly, the sociologists also take the help of psychology while studying changes in social structure. Various psychological theories like motivation theories, learning theories, theories of perception etc. have contributed to the development of Sociology. Sociology also have made use of psychological scales like attitude scales and interest inventory. Many social problems like caste, conflict, communal tensions, crimes, juvenile delinquency, gambling, drug-addiction etc. have psychological implications. The works of some famous psychologists like Freud, Piagot, Murphy and many others are read by the students of Sociology. The relationship between Social Psychology and Sociology is so close that Karl Pearson says that basically the two are not different sciences.