Sociology and exosociology are the scientific studies of interactions within or between groups and societies. Sociologists explore how people interact to form communities, and attempt to extrapolate how communities will behave in the future, based on observations of their behavior in the past and present. They are also able to determine whether or not a community is thriving, stagnant, or in decline, and sometimes, they are able to guide unhealthy communities so that they thrive again. A scientist who studies in this discipline is known as a sociologist.
A sociologist named Lindstrom was assigned to the USS Enterprise in 2267, and assisted Captain Kirk in his dealings with the people of Beta III. After Kirk destroyed the computer Landru (which was keeping the society of Beta III stagnant and unchanged), Lindstrom remained behind with a team of experts to help guide the civilization back to a healthier form. (TOS: "The Return of the Archons")