Why should engineering students study sociology?

Sociology and engineering^[1] are, on the surface, two
disciplines that are worlds apart. But through a basic
understanding of some of sociology’s principles, an engineer can
super boost their skill set.

Here we explore what sociology is and see how an appreciation
for it can help engineers. 

RELATED: NOBEL PRIZE IN MEDICINE
AWARDED FOR THE DISCOVERY OF HOW OUR CELLS TRACK
TIME^[2]

Why should engineering students study
sociology?

Sociology and engineering^[3] are two fields that
might, on the surface, appear to be completely incompatible. But,
in fact, there are some important reasons why engineers might want
to acquire an appreciation for sociology in their profession.

Source: Geralt/Needpix^[4]

But, understandably (and given its origins^[5]) you may also feel that
sociology is unscientific and politically motivated at its
core.

While there is some truth to this, after all, it is a humanities subject (though some claim it to
be a social science), not a true science^[6], and many aspects of it have
been hijacked^[7]
by various political factions, some aspects of the field are of
great utility to engineers. 

But what is sociology? According to the American Sociological Association^[8], sociology is, at its
core: –

• The study of society involving the study of the social
  lives of people, groups, and societies,

• The study of our behavior as social beings, covering everything
  from the analysis of short contacts between anonymous individuals
  on the street to the study of global social processes,

• The study of social aggregations, the entities through which
  humans move throughout their lives’, and;

• An overarching unification of all studies of humankind,
  including history, psychology, and economics.

By learning about sociology you, as an engineer, will gain an
understanding of the social, moral and human values of a society.
This will help you better manage and deal with colleagues, clients,
and the general public.

It can also be argued, that by gaining an understanding of
someone’s problems, grievances, welfare, and security it will
improve the way engineers create a solution to a problem.

By integrating other points of view, an engineer’s labors (the
final product – – machines, infrastructure, etc.) will be more
utilitarian for the end-user and better for society as a whole.

Is sociology a good degree?

Sociology also has some other interesting benefits for an
engineer. Here are a few examples: –

1. You will gain a better understanding of mankind

The main benefit of learning sociology is that
you will glean a great understanding of the complex and often
confusing nature of man as an individual and as a collective. The
results from studies into the societal behavior of
people will enable an engineer to better plan and design their
work.^[9]

It could also make you more employable, due to the fact
that in the U.K. for example, the workforce has a broad
demographic. A better understanding of other cultures would be
beneficial to you as a potential employee or business
owner.

It will also help you to foster a positive working
atmosphere and gain a greater understanding of potential, or real,
frictions between coworkers and the public at
large. 

2. You might actually enjoy it!

Since engineers are human beings (fact!), you may find that
sociology is of interest to you. Many sociology students tend to
report that they have a high level of satisfaction^[10] with their courses.

“This means that a degree in Sociology is generally seen
as rewarding and stimulating by students, very important factors
we’re sure you’ll agree. Sociology is, therefore, a course which
requires students to put the effort in, and subsequently get a high
return through teaching, assessment, and knowledge.” – thecompleteuniversityguide.co.uk.^[11]

3. You will add more strings to your bow

Sociology, like many other academic subjects, will help you
broaden your skillset. Many of the skills you acquire within it are
readily transferable to other areas of your work and life.

You will gain experience in critical thinking that can help you
make more rational and measured decisions when it comes to issues
of fairness, for example. 

Source: Sergio Boscaino/Flickr^[12]

4. It will help you better cope with changes in society

Society, by its very nature, is constantly changing. Sociology
will help you understand what is going on and assist you to adapt
and cope with it.

5. You can combine it with many other subjects

Sociology doesn’t need to be taken as a pure degree. It can
readily be combined as a joint honor subject in many
institutions. 

“Another reason to study Sociology is the potential for
combining it with another course. For example, you might want to
study both Sociology and Mathematics – or, if you have a flair for
foreign languages, try Sociology and Spanish, and for those
sociologists, with a musical side there is even Sociology with
Music. Variety to your degree can help make your university
experience that much more vibrant, and Sociology complements this
very well” – thecompleteuniversityguide.co.uk.^[13]

Source: eko1810/Pixabay^[14]

6. It’s good for business!

Sociology, as we have already seen, can prepare a student
for a lifetime of change by developing their appreciation of
diversity, love of learning, writing and study skills, and
knowledge base about human behavior, social organization, culture,
and social change.

“A degree in sociology is an excellent springboard for
entering the world of business, industry, and organizations. Career
opportunities for students completing the Bachelor of Science (BS)
degree in sociology include employment in local, state, and federal
social and community service agencies, such as housing agencies,
juvenile courts and juvenile and adult correctional institutions,
urban and community planning agencies, mental health and drug
counseling centers, youth guidance agencies, and community
organizations.

In short, the career opportunities available to
those with a sociology degree are numerous and diverse.” –
Tennesse State
University.^[15]

7. It may help you make the world a better place

An appreciation for the forces that affect attitudes,
values, and behaviors in society might offer opportunities for
innovation.

Source: 534131/Pixabay^[16]

“While we are all creatures of the various groups,
organizations, and governments in our environments, we are also
their creators.  Sociology provides the tools and skills we
need to take a more active role in creating, participating in,
managing, and advancing such groups.” – Tennesse State
University. ^[17]

By learning and integrating these insights, engineers will be
able to create new solutions to help solve many of the problems
faced by societies around the world through technology and
innovation. 

What is social engineering in sociology?

Social engineering^[18] is a discipline of
“social science” that attempts to understand and, at times,
influence social behaviors on a large scale. Whether that be
through better governance, through using mass media or through
private organizations. 

The general idea is to attempt to produce desired
characteristics within a target population. Any social engineering
strategy relies on a large, and good quality, body of information
in order to enable a reliable method of artificially affecting
change within a target demographic. 

While it can be used for worthwhile causes, human history is
littered with examples of social engineering being used for
nefarious, and frankly, genocidal outcomes.

Many authoritarian governments in the past, from the National
Socialists in Germany to the Soviet Union in Russia, have used
social engineering techniques to fundamentally alter the behavior
and attitudes of their citizens.

Both these examples used media like newspapers, books, films,
the arts, and even architecture to change personal values and
private relationships amongst the general public. 

In some circumstances, forceful relocation or the upheaval of
traditional systems have been employed in countries like China and
Cambodia to name but a few. These have, all too often, led to great
suffering and tragedy.

But social engineering^[19] is regularly used by
many other non-authoritarian countries around the world. These
strategies tend to be more sustainable, gradual affairs whose
outcomes can be as far-reaching as those employed in the past by
authoritarian regimes (e.g. “The War on Drugs”, anti-smoking
campaigns etc). 

It is also regularly employed by criminals^[20] both offline and online
on a regular basis. 

What is a societal engineer?

Social engineers^[21] are specialists
that conduct a range of activities to either persuade or deceive a
target person or demographic to make them perform a specific task
or action.  This could be through disclosing personal, or
other sensitive information, or enabling the social engineer to
gain unauthorized access to it.

Social engineers can either be criminals, government agents or
can work for private organizations. With regard to the latter,
social engineers employ a range of activities to attempt to
engineer “calls to action” by customers^[22]. 

This can be either through digital means (like email),
marketing campaigns, or physically in the real world.

When referring to criminal activities, social engineers
are nothing new. In common parlance, they are more commonly known
as “con-men” or “confidence
tricksters.”