university of phoenix

Social Change and Modernization

Checkpoint Assignment

Sociology 120

Professor Lee Daffin

Mechelle Davidson

1/4/2012

Social Change and ModernizationJanuary 4, 2012

Social Change

Social Change defined as community-based responses that address underlying social

problems on an individual, institutional, community, national, or international level. Social

change can affect attitudes, behaviors, laws, policies, and institutions to reflect improved values

of inclusion, fairness, diversity, and opportunity through the transformation of culture and

social institutions over periods.

Max Weber contributed to this understanding of social change, by acknowledging that

just as conflict can bring change, most social changes originate from ideas (Macionis, 2006, p.

453). Four characteristics of this process are (a) social change happens all the time, (b) social

change is sometimes intentional but unplanned, (c) social change is controversial, and (d) some

changes matter more than others.

Causes

Three important causes for change is inventions, when new objects, ideas, help to

produce new social patterns for society, (b) discovery, as people take notice of existing

elements within their society, and (c) diffusion, when these changes from inventions, people,

and products travel from one society to others classifying these social movements according to

the type of change sought. Social movements are classified through variables of how many,

who, and how much change is wanted. Alterative social movement has limited change for a

portion of a population, Redemptive social movement is specific individuals seeking radical

change, such as helping to redeem their life. Reformative social movement is limited change

for everyone, while Revolutionary social movement seeks the extreme, major transformation

from an entire society (Macionis, 2006).

Social Change and ModernizationJanuary 4, 2012

Modernization

Modernization is a concept of broad meanings describing an explanation of the

processes in transformation from traditional underdeveloped societies to that of modern

societies through major social changes. When a preindustrial society develops economically, a

shift begins in the process of change towards their social, economic, and political systems. Pre-

modern societies that develop past and present become modern through these processes of

economic growth and change in their social, political, and cultural structures (Macionis, 2006).

Characteristics

Modernization being the process of social change resulting from the beginning of

industrialization has four major characteristics. The first characteristic of modernization is the

decline of small, traditional communities. Lost are the cohesive communities of past, revolving

around family and neighborhoods, progressive awakening is these communities futures, as

technology helps to connect rural families with the entire world. Another characteristic of

modernization is the expansion of personal choice, by providing many people with unending

series of options, giving many choices in particular lifestyles, showing openness for changes

while increasing social diversity, and extending personal control over life choices.

Modernization is more orientated toward futures and growing awareness of time, thinking

more to one’s future than that of one’s past as pre-modern societies did. Max Weber saw

“modernity as replacing a traditional worldview with a rational way of thinking,” (Macionis,

2006, p. 458). Within pre-industrial society, traditions perform as the brake pedal for social

change, where a modern society offers value in personal freedoms contribution through

rational calculation that help to achieve their goals is adopted as the modern truth.

Social Change and ModernizationJanuary 4, 2012

ReferencesMacionis, J. J. (2006). Society: The basics (8th ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson

Prentice Hall.