Sociology is the study of society, patterns of social relationships, social interaction, and the culture of everyday life. Sociology uses various methods of empirical research and critical analysis to develop a body of knowledge about social order, acceptance, change, or social evolution. Sociology is also known as the general science of society. While some sociologists conduct research that can be directly applied to social policy and welfare, others focus primarily on improving a theoretical understanding of social processes. The topic ranges from the micro level of sociology of individual agency and interaction to the macro level of social systems and structure. Various traditional aspects of sociology include social stratification, social class, social mobility, religion, secularization, law, gender, and deviance. As all areas of human activity are affected by the interaction between social structure and individual agency, sociology has gradually expanded its focus to include other topics, such as health, medicine, economics, military institutions, punishment, the Internet, education, social capital, and the role of social activism in the development of scientific knowledge.