Question

select the correct answer.
why do researchers consider sociology to be a science?
a. society conforms to the laws of the natural world.

b. sociological studies evolved from the study of science.

c. the scientific community developed sociology as a field of study.

d. sociological studies rely on empirical data.

Explanation:

To determine why sociology is considered a science, we analyze each option:

• Option A: Society does not follow the same "laws" as the natural world in a deterministic way, so this is incorrect.
• Option B: Sociology's origin from science is not the main reason it is a science.
• Option C: The development of sociology as a field by the scientific community is not the core reason for it being a science.
• Option D: Science relies on empirical data (observation, measurement, experimentation). Sociological studies use empirical methods (surveys, interviews, data analysis) to test hypotheses, which is a key characteristic of science. So this is correct.

Answer:

D. Sociological studies rely on empirical data.