Which of the following best describes Emile Durkheim's contribution to sociology?

Emile Durkheim's contribution to sociology is best described by his role in establishing sociology as a distinct field of study, separate from psychology and politics. Durkheim emphasized the importance of understanding social phenomena through a lens that recognized the influence of social structures and collective behaviors on individual actions. He believed that societal forces shape individual experiences, which is foundational to the study of sociology.

Durkheim's focus on social facts—norms, values, and structures that exist outside the individual—enabled sociologists to study society systematically and scientifically. This separation from psychology was crucial because it allowed sociologists to develop their own methodologies and frameworks for understanding social behavior without conflating it with individual psychological processes.

His work laid the groundwork for future sociological inquiry by highlighting how social contexts influence behavior, thereby reinforcing the need for a discipline that addresses collective aspects of human life. This distinction is what solidified sociology as its own field in the social sciences.