According to Durkheim, which of the following is NOT a social fact?
A A religious belief
B A religious belief, law, and custom are all social facts
C A custom
D A law
The correct answer and explanation is :
The correct answer is B: A religious belief, law, and custom are all social facts.
Explanation:
Émile Durkheim, a founding figure in sociology, introduced the concept of “social facts” to help understand the forces that shape individual behavior in society. According to Durkheim, social facts are external to the individual and exert a coercive influence on people’s actions. They are aspects of social life that influence individuals, such as laws, customs, beliefs, and collective practices. These facts are not simply individual choices but are collective phenomena that exist outside the individual.
In Durkheim’s framework:
- Religious beliefs (A), customs (C), and laws (D) are all considered social facts because they are collective practices or systems that exist beyond the individual and shape individual behavior in society. They function as norms or rules that members of society are expected to follow, thus exerting external pressure.
However, option B is incorrect in Durkheim’s view. While religious beliefs, laws, and customs can be social facts, religious belief itself is not automatically a social fact. A religious belief could be a personal or individual conviction that is not necessarily shared by a larger group or society. Durkheim made a distinction between collective representations (which are social facts) and individual beliefs. Religious beliefs become social facts when they are widely shared and institutionalized within society, such as through organized religions or practices.
In summary:
- Social facts are external to the individual, have a coercive power, and shape societal norms and behaviors.
- Religious belief, when deeply embedded in a collective culture, becomes a social fact, but individual or personal beliefs, by themselves, are not automatically classified as such.