1. SOCIAL CHANGE
Study Unit 10.1
By C Settley

2. Learning Outcomes
 Define the concept social change
 Theories of social change
 Discuss the characteristics of social change
 Discuss the following sources of social change
 Cultural innovation
 Population
 Define the concept modernity
 Explore the key dimensions to modernisation

3. The concept: 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.

4. Theories of social change
 Evolutionary theory
 Evolutionary theories are based on the
assumption that societies gradually change from
simple beginnings into even more complex
forms.
 According to them social change meant progress
toward something better. They saw change as
positive and beneficial. To them the evolutionary
process implied that societies would necessarily
reach new and higher levels of civilization.

5. Theories of social change
 Cyclical theory
 Focusses on the rise and fall of civilizations
attempting to discover and account for these
patterns of growth and decay.

6. Theories of social change
 Equilibrium theory
 Functional approach- arguing that the various
institutions, groups and cultural patterns within a
particular society mutually support one another.

7. Theories of social change
 Conflict theory
 Conflict theory emphasizes the role of coercion
and power in producing social order. This
perspective is derived from the works of
Karl Marx, who saw society as fragmented into
groups that compete for social and economic
resources. Social order is maintained by
domination, with power in the hands of those with
the greatest political, economic, and social
resources.

8. Characteristics of
Social Change
 (1) Social change takes place everywhere
 It means that social change is not confined to a particular
society or group. It occurs in every society, sociologically,
speaking an unchangeable society is considered as a
dead society. Thus, no society is free from the impact of
social change.

9. Characteristics of
Social Change
 (2) Social change may be intentional but is mostly
unplanned
 Planned changes are those which occur by some
deliberate or conscious effort. On the other hand,
unplanned change refers to the change which occurs
without any deliberate effort like earth-quake, war,
political revolution and other natural calamities. Thus,
social change occurs both in planned and unplanned
manner.

10. Characteristics of
Social Change
 (3) Social change generates controversy
 Has both positive and negative effects. Advanced technology
increases productivity and leads to larger bank balances.
 (4)Certain changes are more meaningful than others
 Some changes are rapid, while some stretch over generations.

11. Sources of Social Change
Why does Social change occur?
 CULTURAL INNOVATION
 - Is the development of new material or nonmaterial elements in
culture. 3 means by which it occurs: discovery, invention & diffusion
 Tradition orientated societies do not encourage discoveries and
inventions. They lack technology and resist change.
 This is because they regard maintenance of stability as important
 Inventions which endanger the tradition might be negatively
sanctioned

12. Sources of Social Change
 CULTURAL INNOVATION
 Inventions and discoveries lead to further ones.
 The applications of invention increases all the time
 Eg glass –jewellery-lenses-test tubes-light bulbs- television tubes etc
 The size and content of a society plays a role here
 Challenge is an important source of change: without challenge there
is no innovation
 It allows for searching of new ideas
 Inventions and discovery leads to social change

13. Sources of Social Change
 CULTURAL INNOVATION
 diffusion- where certain cultural elements are incorporated into
others
 Readily accepted
 Two way process
 Social change may have negative effects when occurring too rapidly
 Eg cultural lag- inability to keep the pace

14. Sources of Social Change
 POPULATION
 Rapid growth destructive social change
 Results in hunger, poor housing, poverty, political conflict,
inadequate health services, job competition,
unemployment

15. The concept Modernity
 Refers to social patterns linked to increasing
industrialization and modernization to the
process of social change initiated by
industrialization

16. Dimensions of Modernization
according to Berger
The decline of small,
traditional communities
 Disappearance of
communities
 Experience solidarity
(mutual decision)
- Changes in initial beliefs
The expansion of personal
choice
 In traditional communities,
human life was shaped and
influenced by forces beyond
human control- gods and
spirits
 Therefore, people had few
choices but to act
traditionally
 Modernisation has
influenced this- lifestyles etc
Increasing diversity in beliefs

17. Dimensions of Modernization
according to Berger
 Future orientation and awareness of time
- Modern people think more about the future
- They are optimistic that discoveries will enricher their lives
- In modern life, time has become important
- People think in terms of hours and minutes
- ‘time is money’
- Punctuality and productive use of every possible minute is the
rule
- Due to growing importance of economy, people no longer think
of time in terms of sunlight and seasons

18. References
 Bhatt, A. (2012). Complete information on social
change and its characteristics. Retrieved on 14
October 2015. Available at:
http://www.preservearticles.com/copyright-
infringement-takedown-notification-policy-
preservearticlescom.html
 Du Toit, D.A. & Van Staden S.J. (2014). Nursing
Sociology. 4th Edition. Pretoria: Van Schaik