Social Change

• Collins Dictionary of Sociology,• The difference between the current and

antecedent conditions of any selected aspect of social structure.

• Dictionary of B. Bhushan,• Social change refers to any modification in a

society, in any of its institution or patterns of social roles.

• Anthony Giddens,Social change is the transformation over time of the institutions and culture of a society.

• Change is a constant in the universe, that is always presents.

• Social change is continuous and irresistible.

• For example, Changes in;• Relationship patterns • New inventions, discoveries when put to use• Addition of new words to our language• Changing concepts and trends• New forms of art• Age distribution• Average educational level• Birthrate of a population

Theories of social change

• Evolutionary theories (Linear)• Cyclic theories

• Evolutionary theories (Linear)• There is a consistent direction of social change

carrying all societies through a similar sequence of stages from the original to the final stage.

• When the final stage is reached evolutionary change will end.

• Auguste Comte

Theological Positive

• Karl Marx

Capitalist Communist

• Gerhard Lenski

Hunting Gathering Industria

Cyclic theories

• Societies pass through a series of stages but instead of ending in a final stage societies return to the starting point for another round.

• Societies go through a cycle of birth , growth and decline.

Processes of Social Change• William F. Ogburn described the three

processes of social change;1. Discovery2. Invention3. Diffusion

• A discovery is a shared human perception of an aspect of reality which already exists.

• A reality becomes part of culture only after its discovery.

• A discovery becomes a factor in social change only when it is put to use.

• When new knowledge is used to develop new technology vast changes follow.

• An invention is a new combination or new use of existing knowledge.

• Diffusion is the spread of culture traits from group to group.

• It is a two-way process

• FACTORS IN THE RATE OF CHANGE• Isolation and contacts• Traditional and homogenous Vs modern and

heterogeneous• Looking and not looking for new innovations

and technologies.• Progress and looking to the future Vs Fate and

looking to the past.• The culture base, accumulation of knowledge

and material available to an inventor.

Effects of social changes• William F. Ogburn distinguished three social

effects of invention.

• Dispersion• Succession• Convergence

• Dispersion is Multiple effects of a single invention• For example, many effects of automobile,

• Succession , the derivative social effects of a single invention.

• Steam Engine to industrialization to Urbanization to Nuclear Family to More Social Mobility to Class Consciousness

• Convergence , coming together of the several effects of different invention. For Example,

• Computer technology + Sand Rainbowing by dredging ships + under water survival made Palm Island possible.

Cultural Lag• Concept was developed by Ogburn (1922).• The time interval between the arrival of a

change and the completion of the adaptation it requires.

• A cultural lag exists whenever any aspect of the culture lags behind another aspect which it is related.

• The concept applies to differing rates of change within a society.