Following periodic discussions, mostly at annual conferences of the Pacific Sociological Association, several sociologists interested in research on Mormon topics finally organized the Mormon Social Science Association in 1975. Its original name, from its origin until 1995, was "The Society for the Sociological Study of Mormon Life" (SSSML). Among the founding members and earliest leaders of the SSML were its first president, Glenn M. Vernon of the University of Utah, Armand L. Mauss, Washington State University (second president), and James T. Duke and Wilford E. Smith, both of BYU. As time went on later generations of scholars interested in Mormons actively contributed to the growth and visibility of this organization, especially Marie Cornwall, Tim Heaton, and Lawrence Young from the Department of Sociology of BYU, plus Perry Cunningham, Lynn Payne, and Mary Lou McNamara of the LDS Church's Research and Information Division. Meanwhile, many other scholars not affiliated with the BYU or with the LDS Church also became very active for many years. These included two sets of brothers, O. Kendall and Daryl White, and Gary and Gordon Shepherd. During the 1980s, the SSSML experimented with holding it annual meetings in the same times and places as various other sociological societies, but eventually found more compatible an affiliation with the Society for the Scientific Study of Religion. MSSA publishes a newsletter 2 or 3 times a year which is circulated to members.

The Committee on Mormon Society and Culture was formed by John L. Sorenson at BYU. The organization was supported by the Anthropology Dept. at BYU, but is now defunct.