2 - introduction to social change.pptx

8/19/2019 2 - Introduction to Social Change.pptx

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Introduction - Social Change inSociology,

Anthropology,and Psychology

Unit 2 – Social Change


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What is Social Change?

Social change refers to changes in the way society isorganized, the beliefs, and/or practices of the people who live in that society.

Alterations in basic structures of a social group orsociety.

Change in the social institutions, the rules of social behavior, value syste s or the social relations of asociety or co unity


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Social Change

!efinition" ay refer to the notion of social progressor sociocultural evolution or paradig atic change orsocial revolution or social ove ents.

Sociocultural evolution " #he idea that society oves forward by loo$ing fro different perspectives and arguing a certainpoint of view. Paradigmatic " %hen society shifts fro one point of view or way of thin$ing to another &eg. 'eudalis to capitalis (.

Social revolution " )n order to change the foundation of asociety, a large uprising ust occur. Social movement " %hen the *people+ within a society begin toadvocate change.


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Sociology and Change

Focus of Studies:assive shifts in behaviour and attitudes of

groups or whole societies

The Process:Change is inevitable

Should be predictable patterned


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Sociology: E a!ple "uestions

-ow does social change co e about

-ow can a society restrict or control change

-ow can societies reduce negative social trends suchas physical or substance abuse


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Sociology Theories for E plaining Change

#ecay – a$en fro Ada 0ve 1enesis story(all societies began in an ideal state and as societiesinevitably beco e ore aterialistic and less spiritual,they beco e less able to provide for and protect itscitizens

Cycles of $ro%th and #ecay –societies are not always headed for destruction, but theyhave ups and downs

Progress –change as the result of continual progress &build on thee perience of past societies(


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Sociology Theories cont&d

#here is a debate whether change is the resultof one factor or any

'eductionist(#eter!inist Theories "3elieve that social change was caused&deter ined( by a single factor &i.e., 4ar –struggle for econo ic power – led to fe inisttheory(

Interactionist Theories " 3elieve that socialchange is caused by any factors


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Sociology: Characteristics of Change

#irection of Change – positive or negative

'ate of Change – slow, oderate, or fast %hatfactors are affecting rate

Sources – what factors are behind change0 ogenous &fro another society( or 0ndogenous&fro within the society(

Controlla)ility – loo$ at the degree to which socialchange can be controlled or engineered &e.g.eli inating racis and discri ination(


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Sociology Theories of Social Change

#ension &Adaptation #heory(" %hen a part of society diverges fro the rest and causes adisturbance.

Accu ulation"-u ans gathering increasing a ounts of $nowledge andtechnology – this leads to change

!iffusion of innovation"

an innovation is developed and beco es ainstrea&integrated into society(


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Anthropology and Change

Focus of Studies: Culture

The Process:Constantly changing &continuous(1radual process &slow(

Change process is gradual unless a culture is

destroyed by another culture


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Anthropology: E a!ple "uestions

%as a cultural change caused by a change in thesociety5s leadership

%hat ideas or e planations can we use to describe what causes cultures to change

%as it caused by a shift in the values and nor s ofthe culture5s e bership

)s the technological change a factor in an observedcultural change


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Culture is 4ade Up of 6 )nterrelated 7arts "

*+ Physical En iron!ent –&e.g. length of seasons(

+ .e el of Technology – depends on the need ofthat society and its e isting culture&e.g. light rail transit seen as solution to overcrowded highways but notin culture where foot transportation still co on(

/+ Social 0rgani1ation&e.g. $inship syste , division of labor, etc.(

2+ Syste!s of Sy!)ols

&e.g. clothing physical ob8ects, gestures, writing, etc.(

9ey #er " Enculturation "#he process by which e bers of a culture learn andinternalize shared ideas, values, and beliefs.


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Anthropology

According to an anthropologist, social changehappens because of…

)nvention" new innovations that change the way culturesfunction!iscovery" finding infor ation that changes a culture that waspreviously un$nown!iffusion" distribution of ideas and infor ation betweencultures

Acculturation" blending of certain beliefs and custo s between2 cultures after close interaction over ti e


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Acculturation can occur in / %ays:

)ncorporation")t can be freely borrowed

!irected change"

)t can be unavoidable: when one culture overta$es another andsuppresses its people

Cultural evolution" ;iew that cultures develop due to co on patterns in ways

that are predictable


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Psychology and Change

Focus of Studies:3ehaviours and attitudes of individuals

3a4or Focus:


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Psychology: E a!ple "uestions

%hat ust people do to successfully change their behaviours

%hat factors a$e behaviour odificationprogra s successful

!o ost people need help changing behaviour, orcan they be self changers


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Psychological Theories of Attitude Change

Cogniti e Consistency Theory "7eople desire consistency in their beliefs.4ost people want to avoid attitudes that conflict with eachother – a$es people happier

Cogniti e #issonance Theory "7eople try to avoid conflicts between what people thin$ and what they do &i.e., if you s o$e you ay not s o$e in front of

a friend who is strongly against it(Can otivate change in behaviour to atch actions and beliefs


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'or e a ple, suppose you s o$e, but you also believe thats o$ing causes lung cancer. =ou are e periencing dissonance because what you do &behaviour – s o$ing( conflicts with what you thin$ &attitude – causing cancer(.

=ou ay avoid s o$ing in front of fa ily because they opposes o$ing. )f a friend who is a s o$er gets lung cancer, yourdissonance will increase. =our inner conflict between yourattitude and behaviour will ount – can cause an iety,depression etc...

7sychologists suggest that there are only two things that can bedone to lower dissonance. >ne is that you change your behaviourso it is consistent with your attitude &you stop s o$ing(, and theother is that you reinforce your attitude &you tell yourself cancer will never happen to you(.

2 - introduction to social change.pptx

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