Explanations of Social Change - Reid's Spot · 2018. 9. 9. · Sociologist believe that human...
Transcript of Explanations of Social Change - Reid's Spot · 2018. 9. 9. · Sociologist believe that human...
Explanations of Social Change
Focus on people’s behaviour and attitudes
Look at Drinking and Driving for example:
(sociology) send this population to prison to protect public during their sentence.
But what about after prison: Can society successfully design programs to change (psychology) problem behaviour.
Psychologist would ask questions like:
What must people do to successfully change their behaviour?
What factors make behaviour-modification programs successful?
Do most people need help changing behaviour, or can they be self-changers?
Much of their research involves strong links between people’s attitudes (what they think) and their behaviours (what they do).
Is it necessary to change individuals attitudes before their behaviour can be changed.
Social psychologist have discovered that most individuals desire cognitive consistency in their beliefs.
(avoid attitudes that conflict with each other)
The most favoured theory of attitude change
What you are doing conflicts with what you are think.
While look at why & how individuals change their behaviour...
Sociologist focus on the massive shifts in behaviour and attitudes of groups and whole societies
Want to determine if Social change can be patterned and predictable or arbitrary and irregular
Early sociologist offered 3 explanations 1. From decay- change was
caused by decline or degeneration.
All societies began in a pure ideal state but as societies become more materialist and less spiritual they decline.
Early sociologist offered 3 explanations 2. From cycles of growth and
decay
Variation of decay- some sociologist believed that not all societies inevitably are headed for destruction
Early sociologist offered 3 explanations 3. Progress
social change is a result of the phenomenon of continuous progress
Each new society builds upon the experience of past generations
The 3 theories were losing popularity
New debate emerged asking-
Is social change a product of a single factor or were many factors.
Social scientists who believe this theories are know as:
reductionist or determinist
Believed the struggle for economic power was the cause of social change
Argued those with power would fight to keep it
Instead of just economic power feminist argued males had all social power
Feminist call society a patriarchy- place historical designed for the convenience of men structured accordingly with rules that make males comfortable
Sociologist believe that human behaviour is generally patterned and therefore potentially predictable
Ex people live with in acceptable “norms”
Not only are the behaviours predictable but the extent society will accept social change can be as well
1. Direction of Change-
Is the change positive or negative?
And who says so?
2. Rate of Change
Is the change slow, too fast just right?
Will the change happen over a short period of time or will it take a decades?
Is the rate of change slowing or picking up speed?
What factors are influencing the change?
3. Sources – What factors are behind the influence of change within society?
Are the exogenous? coming from another society
3. Sources – What factors are behind the influence of change within society?
Or endogenous? Coming from within
4. Controllability
To what degree is the social change controlled or engineered
..\..\..\..\Videos\RealPlayer Downloads\TM.flv
4. Controllability
To what degree is the social change controlled or engineered