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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.Discovery
2.Invention
3.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.

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