factors affecting social change and major theories with case study.

1.  Submitted to:-
DR RASHMI SINGH
 Submitted by :-
RAHUL MANDAL
M.SC FIRSTYEAR
ROLL NO :-20771

2. EVOLUTION OF HUMAN BEING

3. WHAT IS SOCIAL CHANGE?
 Change is an important fact of social life.
 Social change is an omnipresent phenomena, it is
everywhere.
 Change is the law of nature and society is a part of nature.
The word “change” denotes a difference in anything
observed over some period of time.
Social change, therefore, would mean observable
differences in any social phenomena over any period of
time.

4. DEFINITIONSOF SOCIAL CHANGE
 Lundberg, “Social change refers to any
modifications in the established patterns of inter-
human relationship and standard of conduct.”
Horton and Hunt: Social change is meant change
in the social structure or function of societal forms.
 MacIver and Page, “change in social relationship
i.e changing ways in even human being relates
themselves to one another”.
 H.T Mazumdar, “Modification in social
technology, relationships , pattern & institutions”.

5.  Social change may be defined as the process which is discernible
in the alteration of the structure and functioning of a particular
social system.
 It is a term used to describe variation in, modifications of, any
aspect of social processes, social patterns, and social
interaction within a social organisation.
 Usually social change refers to a significant change in social
behaviour or a change in social system rather than minor changes
within a small group.
 It has been understood that social change as a term shall signify
such changes as affect the nature and structure of social groups
and institutions and the social relations between the individual,
the group and the institutions in a society.

6.  Social change vs social progress
progress term carries value judgment i.e change in any
direction that is considered desirable.
 Social change vs cultural change
social change is broader. cultural change means change in the
culture of society.
Both terms are complimentary.
Development’, ‘evolution’ and ‘progress’ are the different
modes of change and whenever we speak of social change
the importance of each of these modes has to be assessed, for
the changes brought about by each of these processes will
have distinct impressions upon the functioning’s of social
phenomena.

7. Characteristics of Social Change
 Social change takes place everywhere and it is continuous
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.
Social changes are neither stopped nor the societies are
kept in museum to save them from change. It is an on-going
process without any break.
 Social change is temporal
Sometimes some social changes may bring about
immediate results while some others may take years to
produce results. Similarly, some social changes spread
rapidly and also disappear rapidly. Movements, style, fashion
are the examples of this type.

8.  Degree or rate of change is not uniform
Though social change is an ever-present phenomenon, its degree or rate
or what we call the speed is not uniform. It varies from society to
society and even in the same society from time to time.
 Social Change may be planned or unplanned
plans, programmes and projects are made effective to bring change in
the society. This is called planned change. As it is consciously and
deliberately made, there is every possibility to have control on the
speed and direction of change.
For example, the five years plan made by the government.
The unplanned changes are spontaneous, accidental or the product of
sudden decision. Usually the change resulting from natural calamities
like flood; drought, famines, volcanic eruption, etc. are the instances
of unplanned changes. Here in this unplanned change there is no
control on the degree and direction of social change

9.  Social change is multi-causal: A single factor may cause a
particular change but it is always associated with a number
of factors. The physical, biological, demographical, cultural,
technological and many other factors interact to generate
change. This is due to mutual interdependence of social
phenomenon.
 Social change creates chain-reactions: Social change
produces not a single reaction but chain-reactions as all the
parts of the society are inter-related and interdependent. For
example, the economic independence of women has brought
changes not only in their status but also a series of changes
in home, family relationship and marriages etc.
 Prediction is uncertain: We can see some elements for
prediction in social change. But the prediction we make is
uncertain. It is because of three reasons. They are:

10. (a) There is no inherent law of social change,
(b) The forces of social change may not remain on the scene for all
times to come,
(c) The process of social change does not remain uniform.
 social change takes place in the form of modification and
replacements
e.g :- modification in basic diet.
replacement of material and ideas in society.
(vehicle) (techniques in agriculture)

11. Dimensions of social change
The major dimensions for analysis of social change identified by
Himes are:-
1. Structural dimension:-change in roles , emergence of new roles,
change in class/caste structure , change in social institution , shift
in location of roles.
2. Cultural dimension :- through discovery ,inventions , new
technology ,diffusion and borrowing i.e it involves integration of
new elements into the culture , replacement of old one , may be
rejection of some new elements and forms.
3. Interactional dimension:- change in social relationships which
involves
change of frequency of contact
change in social distance
change in directionality , form

12. How social change takes place:-example
 The 100th monkey theory:-by ken keyes
 The japanese monkey , MACACA FUSCATA had been observed in
the wild over a period of 30 years.
 In 1952,on the island of koshima scientists were providing sweet
potatoes dropped on the sand that the monkeys found dirty and
unpleasant.
 An 18th months old female named Imo solved the problem by washing
that in near by stream.
 In 1958 autumn,99 monkeys were practicing the same thing. later that
morning the100th monkey joined .
 But this was not over. By that evening almost everyone in that tribe
was washing sweet potato before eating .

13.  Later the scientist observed the habit of washing sweet potatoes
jumped over sea.
 Colonies of monkeys on other islands began washing their sweet
potato before eating.
Lesson
When a certain critical number achieves awareness, the new
awareness may be communicated from mind to mind.
Although the exact number may very , this phenomenon means that
when only a limited number of people know of a new way , it may
remain conscious property of these people ,
But
there is a point at which if only one more person turns into a new
awareness , the message is picked by almost everyone.

14. Main factors of Social Change:
Biological Factors:-
Human beings use animals, birds, plants and herbs according to
the direction of his own culture, own purpose.
Rapid population growth, food shortage and multiple health
problems and thereby brings changes in society. Migration
accelerates the process of urbanization. Urbanization creates
multiple problems like slum, quality of health and life style.
Cultural Factors:-
Singing, dancing, eating, playing etc. And also material culture.
However language, religion, philosophy, literature, faith and
values will take long time to change.

15. • Geographic factors:-
Due to floods, earthquake, excessive rain, drought, change of
season etc.. We can find imbalance in population which directly
affects the social relationship and these are modified by such
natural occurrences.
The abundance or scarcity of natural resources like gas , chemicals
, oil , minerals affect the development of industry and agriculture.
• Psychological factors: when physical forces like floods,
earthquakes and epidemics are considered as factors causing social
change, the importance of the psychological factor in that regard
cannot be ignored.
Change in attitude of society towards family planning, dowry,
caste system, women's education etc. which brought about radical
changes in society are primarily psychological in nature.

16. • New needs in society create a situation
conducive to change.
• Dissatisfaction with the present situation
provides a condition favourable for social
change.
• The accumulated store of knowledge and
techniques available in society is an important
factor for social change.

17. Theories of social change
1. Immanent change- sorokin , moore
2. Theory of differentiation and functionalism-E.durkheim,
Tonnis , MacIver , Talcott parsons, Loomis
3. Economic-Karl marx
4. Technological theory:- veblen , Willium ogburn
5. Historical , ideological theory- Spengler, Toynber, Max
weber
6. Evolutionary theory:-Kellar ,T. hobhouse

18. Theory of immanent change
Pitirim Sorokin (1889-1968), claimed that all great civilizations are
in an endless cycle of three cultural systems:-
1. The ideational culture- guided by supernatural beliefs and values ;
emphasis on non-material , spiritual and religious qualities, expressions
of art, literature, religion and ethics
2. The sensate culture:- In which sensations are the test of reality and the
goal of life, appeals to the senses and sensual desires.
3. Mixed type- ideal one
It is known as ‘pendular theory of social change’. But why it is so called?
Changed caused by
• external factors –technology, economic factors
• internal factors and
• mix of both

19. Theory of functionalism
Emile Durkheim(1858-1917):-
• His work focused on how traditional and modern societies evolved and
function.
• Functionalism emphasizes a societal equilibrium. If something
happens to disrupt the order and the flow of the system, society must
adjust to achieve a stable state.
• According to Durkheim, society should be analyzed and described in
terms of functional interrelationship of different parts where no one
part can function without the other. These parts make up the whole of
society. If one part changes, it has an impact on society as a whole.
• For example:-The state provides public education for children. The
family of the children pays taxes, which the state uses for public
education. The children who learn from public education go on to
become law-abiding and working citizens, who pay taxes to support
the state.

20. Division of Labor:-
Durkheim's concept of the division of labour focused on the shift in
societies from a simple society to one that is more complex. He
argued that traditional societies were made up of homogenous
people that were more or less the same in terms of values, religious
beliefs, and backgrounds. Modern societies, in contrast, are made up
of a complex division of labour, beliefs, and backgrounds.
He gave two types of solidarity
mechanical solidarity organic solidarity
individuals within structural units are
alike and self-sufficient. Traditional
societies, people grew their own food,
made their own clothes, and had little
need for extensive social contact
Large population is stratified into
smaller structural units. There's a
high level of interdependence
among individuals and structures,
increased communication, transportation, and interaction with
others resulted in the social change from a mechanical solidarity to
organic.

21. Economic theory of social change
• changes in the economic production of society are the prime movers of
social change.
• society consists of two structures.—’infra-structure’ and ‘super-structure.
• Infra-structure:-forces of production , mode of production
• superstructure:- Legal, ideological, political, religious institutions.
• production relations between means of production and mode of
production constitute the economic structure of society.
• Marx believed that the class struggle was the driving force of social change.
• The character of social and cultural forms is influenced by the mode of
production that is used and by the relationships that exist between those
who own and those who do not own the means of production.
• Marx viewed the class struggle and the transition from one social system to
another as a dialectical process in which the ruling class-‘thesis’, the
challenger class-‘antithesis’ and thus to a ‘synthesis’(adjustment) through
revolutionary transformation resulting in a higher organisation of elements
from the old order.

22. Technological theory of social change
T.veblen(1857-1929)
• Technology available to a society determines its culture.
• The social institutions found in a society represent the adaptation of
that society to past technologies.
• Social change depends on the conflict that exists between the class that
has vested interests in maintaining the old system and the class that
brings about the new technological changes.
• In his view social change occurs due to the conflict that arises between
advancing technology and the existing social institutions that tend to
retard this change.
• Invention of automobiles , airplane , radio , t v, satellite , computer had
tremendous impact on man’s way of life in both constructive and
destructive way.
• E.g:- industrial revolution- unemployment , nuclear bombs-
destruction(hiroshima , nagashaki).

23. W.Ogburn – ‘How Technology Changes Society’ (1947)
four stages of technological development
• Invention is the process by which new forms of technology are created.
• Accumulation is the growth of technology due to the fact that old inventions
become obsolete or are forgotten.
• Diffusion is the spread of an idea from one cultural group to another.
• Adjustment is the process by which the non-technical aspects of a culture
respond to invention. Any retardation of this adjustment process causes
cultural lag.
• Technological developments have affected a lot of changes in attitudes,
beliefs and even in traditions , institutions.
• These influence almost all aspects of our life and culture. These include
social customs and practical techniques for converting raw material to
finished products.

24. Historical and Ideological theory
Ideology:-Aggregation of ideas, beliefs and mode of thinking of a
group(political party, nation , religious group , class , caste) and the
change in idea constitutes the major bases for socio cultural change.
Oswald Spengler(1850-1936):-‘The Destiny of Civilisations’:
• In his book “The Decline of the West”-1918, pointed out that the fate
of civilisations was a matter of “destiny”.
• Each civilisation is like a biological organism and has a similar life-
cycle; birth, maturity old age and death.
• Society, after passing through all these stages of life cycle, returns to
the original stage and thus the cycle begins again.

25. Arnold Toynbee(1889-1975):- : ‘Challenge and Response’
• “Every society faces challenges-at first, challenges posed by the
environment; later challenges from internal and external enemies.
• The nature of the responses determines the society’s fate. those
who can cope with a changing environment survive and those who
cannot die.
• He has pointed out that history is a series of cycles of decay and
growth. But each new civilisation is able to learn from the
mistakes and tomorrow from cultures of others which was missing
in spengler’s theory.

26. Max weber -“the spirit of capitalism”
• He emphasized the influence of religious ideology for capital
change.
• Ideas constitute basic cause rather than economic means of
production.
• He told capitalism is not developing from within the virtue of its
inherent property but being influenced by religious factors.
• He also emphasized the role of charismatic leader in bringing
about social change. Weber believed that bureaucratic organisations
were essential for the operation of the industrial society .

27. Evolutionary theory
• Societies gradually change from simple beginnings into even more
complex forms.
• Charles Darwin (1859),biological evolution- origin of species ,
Survival of fittest,
• Showed that species of organisms have evolved from simpler
organisms to the more complicated organisms through the processes
of variations and natural selection.
• Herbert Spencer (1890)-His view, known as “social Darwinism”,
• He said that society has been gradually progressing towards a better
state. Society has evolved from military society to the industrial
society.
• He claimed that western races, classes or societies had survived
and evolved because they were better adapted to face the conditions
of life.
• Infant-youth-man-senior citizen like this
• Small community-large town-busting city-metropolis

28. • Auguste compte:-gave 3 stages of society development
• Theological:-people believe that all the phenomena of nature are the
creation of the divine or supernatural. Men and children failed to
discover the natural causes of various phenomena and hence
attributed them to a supernatural or divine power.
• Metaphysical stage is the extension of the theological stage. They
believe that an abstract power or force guides and determines events
in the world. Metaphysical thinking discards belief in a concrete
God rather god is an abstract being.
Example: The conception of re-birth, What we are enjoying is the
result of previous birth did.
• Positivity stage, also known as the scientific stage, refers to
scientific explanation based on observation, experiment, and
comparison. Today people attempt to establish cause and effect
relationships i. e purely intellectual way of looking at the world.
This is the highest, most evolved behaviour according to Comte.

29. IMPORTANCE OF STUDYING SOCIAL
CHANGE
• The main aim of agricultural extension is to bring desirable change
in the behaviour of human being.
• We can study the factors, those are barrier in bringing changes.
• We can know about the stimulants of social change.
• Through different theories of social change we came to know how
our society evolved from the ancient era and how the changes has
taken place.
• We can understand the role of different organisations , institutions ,
groups ,leadership in bringing social change.
• Study of social change will lead to a comprehension of the
behaviour the people with in their natural setting and changes
happening in physical and social aspects in the society.

30. Thank you