Social & Cultural Change Gul-e-Nayab

Social change Social change refers to an alteration in the social order of a society. Social change may include changes in nature, social institutions, social behaviours, or social relations Social change refers to any significant alteration over time in behavior patterns and cultural values and norms.

Social change By “significant” alteration, sociologists mean changes yielding profound social consequences. Examples of significant social changes having long‐term effects include the industrial revolution, the abolition of slavery, and the feminist movement. Social change is the transformation of culture and social institutions over time.

different definitions Kingsley Davis meant only such alterations that affect the organisation, structure and functions of society. John J. social change is “the transformation of culture and social institutions over time.”

Main causes of social change

Causes Social change happens everywhere, but the rate of change varies from place to place social change is sometimes intentional but often unplanned social change may generate controversy; that some changes matter more than others do. These are some of the major factors that highlight the causes of social change:

i. A large part of change in society is caused by change in culture i. A large part of change in society is caused by change in culture. Culture is a system that constantly loses and gains components. Invention, discovery and diffusion are considered to be the main sources of cultural change. Inventions produce new products, ideas, and social patterns. It is a new combination or a new use of existing knowledge.

Inventions may be classified into material (telephone, aero plane), and social inventions (alphabet, language, government, etc.). Each invention is new in form, function and meaning and has long-term possibilities of impact. Discovery is finding something that has never been found before, or finding something new in something that already exists.

A discovery adds something new to the culture and becomes a factor in social change only when it is put to use. Diffusion is a process of the spreading of ideas, culture and objects to other societies. It operates both within societies and between societies involving trading, migration, and mass communication.

ii. New ideas and modification of old ideas in a new context bring wide-scale changes in society. iii. Demographic change is caused by an increase in birth and decline in death and migration of populations. Change occurs from the demographic transition in society. iv. Social change is also caused by tension and conflict. Again social division based on class, caste, gender, ethnicity, estate, etc. have also been important sources of conflict in society.

v. Social movements are organized efforts of groups of people to bring about deliberate change in the values, norms, institutions, culture relationships and traditions of the society. They also generate new identities and a new perspective.

Causes of Social Change: sum up 1. Technological and Economic Changes: (Agriculture advancement, industrialization) 2. Modernization: standardizing as towards modern tools (Life Style, Technology) 3. Urbanization: Moving population from ruler areas to urban (Cities) areas. 4. Bureaucratization: Extreme emphasize on rules and regulation, impersonality.

Causes of Social Change: sum up 5. Conflict and Competition: War: due to religion, ethnic tensions, competition for resources. Gender and Women’s Movement: equal pay, property: Today; day care, occupational segregation. 6. Political and Legal Power: Elected Official (Government) & Unelected Officials (Corporative Force) 7. Ideology: Religious Belief, Political or Regional Conviction.

Causes of Social Change: sum up 8. Diffusion: Spreading the ones cultural to another culture. 9. Acculturation: the process in which a minority is absorbed into the majority and entirely loses its distinctiveness.

Physical Environment Major changes in the physical environment are very compelling when they happen. Climates change, soil erodes and lakes gradually turn into swamps and finally plains. A culture is greatly affected by such changes although sometimes they come about so slowly that they are largely unnoticed.

Physical Environment Human misuse can bring very rapid changes in physical environment which in turn change the social and cultural life of a people. Deforestation brings land erosion and reduces rainfall. Environmental destruction has been at least a contributing factor in the fall of most great civilization.

Physical Environment Many human groups throughout history have changed their physical environment through migration. In the primitive societies whose members are very directly dependent upon their physical environment migration to a different environment brings major changes in the culture. Civilization makes it easy to transport a culture and practice it in a new and different environment.

Population changes A population change is itself a social change but also becomes a casual factor in further social and cultural changes. When a thinly settled frontier fills up with people the hospitality pattern fades away, secondary group relations multiply, institutional structures grow more elaborate and many other changes follow.

Population changes A stable population may be able to resist change but a rapidly growing population must migrate, improve its productivity or starve.

Population changes Migration encourages further change for it brings a group into a new environment subjects it to new social contacts and confronts it with new problems. No major population change leaves the culture unchanged.

Attitudes and Values To people in developed nations and societies change is normal. socialized people anticipate and appreciate change. People who are preoccupied with past traditions and rituals will change slowly and unwillingly.

Attitudes and Values When a culture has been relatively static for a long time the people are likely to assume that it should remain so indefinitely. They are intensely and unconsciously ethnocentric; they assume that their customs and techniques are correct and everlasting. Rapidly changing societies are aware of the social change.

Attitudes and Values attitudes powerfully stimulate the proposal and acceptance of changes by individuals within the society. Attitudes and values affect both the amount and the direction of social change.

Technological Factors The technological factors represent the conditions created by man which have a profound influence on his life. In the attempt to satisfy his wants, fulfill his needs and to make his life more comfortable man creates civilization. Technology is a byproduct of civilization .

Technological Factors When the scientific knowledge is applied to the problems in life it becomes technology. Technology is a systematic knowledge which is put into practice that is to use tools and run machines to serve human purpose. Science and technology go together. In utilizing the products of technology man brings social change.

Technological Factors According to Karl Marx even the formation of social relations and mental conceptions and attitudes are dependent upon technology. He has regarded technology as a sole explanation of social change. W.F Ogburn says technology changes society by changing our environment to which we in turn adapt.

resistance to change Misunderstanding about the need for change/when the reason for the change is unclear — If staff do not understand the need for change you can expect resistance. Especially from those who strongly believe the current way of doing things works well…and has done for twenty years! Fear of the unknown — One of the most common reasons for resistance is fear of the unknown.

resistance to change People will only take active steps toward the unknown if they genuinely believe – and perhaps more importantly, feel – that the risks of standing still are greater than those of moving forward in a new direction

Lack of competence — This is a fear people will seldom admit Lack of competence — This is a fear people will seldom admit. But sometimes, change in organizations necessitates changes in skills, and some people will feel that they won’t be able to make the transition very well Connected to the old way — If you ask people in an organization to do things in a new way, as rational as that new way may seem to you, you will be setting yourself up against hard wiring.

Low trust — When people don’t believe that they, or the company, can competently manage the change there is likely to be resistance Temporary fad — When people belief that the change initiative is a temporary fad Not being consulted — If people are allowed to be part of the change there is less resistance. People like to know what’s going on, especially if their jobs may be affected .Informed employees tend to have higher levels of job satisfaction than uninformed employees

Poor communication —When it comes to change management there’s no such thing as too much communication objections. Not dealing proactively is one pitfall – but there are many other common mistakes. Changes to routines — When we talk about comfort zones we’re really referring to routines. We love them. They make us secure. So there’s bound to be resistance whenever change requires us to do things differently

Benefits and rewards — When the benefits and rewards for making the change are not seen as adequate for the trouble involved. Expecting resistance to change and planning for it from the start of your change management program will allow you to deal effectively for change.

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