What is social fact?

Social facts, a concept introduced by French sociologist Emile Durkheim, refer to external and objective aspects of social life that exist independently of individuals but exert a significant influence on their behavior. These facts are external to individuals yet shape their actions and attitudes through socialization.

Social facts can manifest in various forms, including institutions, norms, values, customs, and structures within society. They have a coercive power, influencing individuals to conform to established patterns of behavior. Examples of social facts include legal systems, language, religious beliefs, and economic structures.

Durkheim argued that social facts are sui generis, meaning they are a unique category of phenomena distinct from individual psychology. They have an objective existence, and their impact is observable in the collective behavior and structures of societies. The study of social facts is crucial in understanding how societies maintain order, coherence, and continuity through shared norms and institutions. Durkheim emphasized the need for sociologists to analyze these external, observable phenomena to comprehend the dynamics of social life and the forces that shape individual behavior within a collective context.