Sociologists study different levels of society: the macro level, the meso level, and the micro level.
Sociologists define three major levels of society. They use data to understand types of behavior that occur at the different levels and the interconnections of these levels. Micro-level analysis, detailed examination of one-to-one interactions between individuals, includes studying people's behavior during negotiations, confrontations, and everyday conversations. Micro-level analysis allows for nuanced analysis of particular dynamics of social phenomena but may fail to consider broader social forces that impact such processes. Meso-level analysis, detailed examination of a specific group, community, or organization, studies certain parts of a society. Also referred to as network analysis, this approach examines the patterns of social ties among people in a group and how those patterns affect the overall group. Macro-level analysis, examination of society as a whole, looks at the broad systems, institutions, hierarchies, and patterns that shape a society. Macro-level analysis takes into account the social, political, economic, and other forces that impact societies and individuals but might not capture important facets of social interactions that occur on the micro level.
Macro-level analysis is used to look at societies at large. Meso-level analysis involves the study of groups, communities, and institutions. Micro-level analysis focuses on the social interactions of individuals or very small groups.
