The theoretical background of the sociology of science as a separate branch of science in American sociology in the mid-20th century

This article analyzes the theoretical and methodological discourses in American sociology of the mid-20th century and defines the theoretical background of the sociology of science as a separate theoretical discipline. In addition, the author identifies the key concepts that formed its basis. R. Merton who considered science primarily as a social institution introduced the sociology of science as an independent theoretical study. Its substantive features were influenced by such prevailing theories of American sociology during that period as structural functionalism, symbolic interactionism, industrial sociology, theory of small groups. These conceptual approaches formed the fundamentals and the basic concepts of the sociology of science. Besides, the intensive development of the empirical sociological research in the United States during the period under review determined the development of the sociology of science as a middle range theory consisting of concepts that are close to the check data and suitable to guide the empirical research.