Social Change | Definitions | Characteristics of Social Change.

Summary

This video delves into the concept of social change, highlighting its inevitability and impact on human interactions. It discusses society's dual tendencies of conservation and progress, emphasizing our innate desire for improvement. The script explores the continuous, temporal, and environmental nature of change, noting its human-driven and unplanned aspects. It also touches on the potential for social change to trigger a chain reaction, affecting various facets of life, as exemplified by shifts in women's rights and societal structures.

Takeaways

• 🌐 Social change refers to alterations in human interactions and the system of social relationships within a society.
• 🔍 The term encompasses both desirable variations in social interaction, processes, and organization.
• 🏛 Society has two tendencies: conservative, which seeks to preserve social heritage, and progressive, which aims for change and improvement.
• 👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 Human nature includes an innate desire for new knowledge and experiences, leading to dissatisfaction with the status quo and driving social change.
• ⏳ Social change is continuous and temporal, indicating a sequence over time, and society is in a state of perpetual flux.
• 🌱 Innovation and the discarding of old behaviors are part of the natural progression of social change.
• 🌍 Social change is environmental, influenced by geographic, physical, and cultural contexts, which in turn are affected by human behavior.
• 🤔 Social change involves human aspects and is composed of changing elements within the society.
• 🛠️ Social change can be planned, influenced by human intentions and programs, or unplanned, such as changes resulting from natural disasters.
• 📈 The study of social change is objective and amoral, without value judgments attached to the phenomenon.
• 🔄 Social change can create a chain reaction, where a change in one aspect can lead to a series of changes in other aspects of society.

Q & A

What is the definition of social change according to the video?

Social change refers to the alterations that occur in social organization, including the structure and functions of society, as well as changes in attitudes, beliefs, and man-made conditions of life.

What are the two distinct tendencies in a society as mentioned in the video?

The two tendencies are conservative and progressive. The conservative tendency is the desire to preserve social heritage from the past, while the progressive tendency is the desire to change, modify, and improve the existing social heritage.

Why is social change considered inevitable in human society?

Social change is inevitable because it is a natural law and an instinctive human tendency to seek new knowledge and experiences, leading to dissatisfaction with the existing state of affairs and the desire for improvement.

What does Kingsley Davis define social change as?

Kingsley Davis defines social change as alterations that occur in social organization, focusing on the structure and functions of society.

How does MacIver and Page describe social change?

MacIver and Page describe social change as a process responsive to various types of changes, including changes in attitudes and beliefs, as well as changes beyond human control, such as biological and physical aspects.

What are the characteristics of social change mentioned in the video?

The characteristics of social change include its continuity, temporal nature, environmental context, human involvement, and the potential for being planned or unplanned.

Why is it said that society cannot be preserved in a museum?

Society cannot be preserved in a museum because it is always undergoing changes and exists only as a time sequence, with continuous flux from the dawn of history.

How does the environment impact social change?

The environment impacts social change because it provides the geographic, physical, and cultural context within which social change takes place, and these contexts influence human behavior, which in turn can alter them.

What does it mean for social change to be 'human change'?

Social change being 'human change' signifies that it involves the human aspect, as the composition of society is not constant but changing, with people being the agents and recipients of change.

Why is social change considered an 'objective term' by sociologists?

Social change is considered an 'objective term' because it describes a categorical process without value judgments attached to it, allowing sociologists to study change without being for or against it.

Can social change create a chain reaction? If yes, how?

Yes, social change can create a chain reaction, where a change in one aspect of life may lead to a series of changes in other aspects. An example given is the change in rights, privileges, and status of women, which has resulted in changes in family relationships and structures, as well as economic and political patterns.