Social change refers to changes in human interactions and social relationships over time. It is a universal and continuous process that occurs at uneven rates across societies due to multiple interrelated factors. Some key characteristics of social change are that it is social, universal, occurs through time factors, and shows chain reactions across different aspects of society. Major factors influencing social change include physical environment changes, population changes, technological advances, industrialization, urbanization, modernization, improved transportation and communication, and events like wars and diseases.

1. SOCIAL CHANGE
• Subject : Sociology
• Unit : IV
• Topic : Social Change
• Presented By
P.THIRUNAGLINGA PANDIAN
M.Sc., (N) .,M.A .,( Sociology)

2. DEFINITION
• The term social change is defined as the changes that
take place in human interactions and interrelations.
• Society is made-up of social relationships and hence
social change means change in the system of social
relationships
Change is Unchanged – Karl Marx

3. Characteristics of Social Change
• 1. Social Change is Social
Society is a “web of social relationships” and hence
social change obviously means a change in the system
of social relationships.

4. Characteristics of Social Change
• 2. Social Change is Universal
• Social change occurs in all societies and at all times.
• No society remains completely static.

5. Characteristics of Social Change
• 3. Social Change occurs as an Essential law
• Change is the law of nature. Social change is also
natural.
• Change is an unavoidable and unchangeable law of
nature.

6. Characteristics of Social Change
4. Social Change is Continuous
• Society is an ever-changing phenomenon.
• It is undergoing endless changes.
• It is an “ongoing process”.
• These changes cannot be stopped.

7. Characteristics of Social Change
• 5.Social Change is made by Time Factors
• Social change is happens through time, because
society exists only as a time-sequences.

8. Characteristics of Social Change
• 6.Rate and Tempo of Social Change is Uneven
• Though social change is a must for each and every
society, the rate, tempo, speed and extent of change
is not uniform.
• It differs from society to society.

9. Characteristics of Social Change
• 7.Definite Prediction of Social Change is
Impossible
• It is very much difficult to make out any prediction
on the exact forms of social change

10. Characteristics of Social Change
• 8.Social Change Shows Chain-Reaction
Sequences
• Society is a dynamic system of interrelated parts.
• Changes in one aspect of life may induce a series of
changes in other aspects.

11. Characteristics of Social Change
• 9.Social Change takes place due to Multi-
Number of Factors
• Social change is the consequence of a number of
factors.
• A special factor may trigger a change but it is always
associated with other factors that make the possible.

12. Characteristics of Social Change
• 10.Social Change may be Planned or Unplanned
• Social change may occur in the natural course or it is
done by plan
• Unplanned change refers to change resulting from
natural calamities, such as floods, earthquakes ,etc

13. Theories of Social Change
1. Evolutionary Theories
• Evolutionary theories are based on the assumption
that societies gradually change from simple
beginnings into even more complex forms.

14. Theories of Social Change
2. Cyclical Theories
• Cyclical theories of social change focus on changes is
occur like cycle
• Example as biological organism and has a similar
life-cycle, birth, maturity, old-age and death.

15. Factors Influencing Social Change
1. Physical Environment
• Major changes in the physical environment makes the
social change.
• Climates change, soil and rain influence the social
change

16. Factors Influencing Social Change
2. Population changes
Change in the population change the society. Birth
rate, death rate, migration of the population make
the social change

17. Factors Influencing Social Change
3. Social Structure
• The structure of a society affects its rate of change.
Any change in the social structure make the change
in the society

18. Factors Influencing Social Change
4.Biological factor
• Plants and animals are important part of human
environment. So change in the plants and animals
influence the social change

19. Factors Influencing Social Change
5. Technological Factors
• When technology improve the society utilize the
new technology and remove the old one
• Change in the technology causes social change

20. Factors Influencing Social Change
• 6. Industrialization
Industries are place for new job opportunity. So
people want to reside around the industries. So
development of industry make social change

21. Factors Influencing Social Change
• 7.Urbanization
Now a days small cities are developing as urban area
with all facilities. Change in the urbanization leads
social change

22. Factors Influencing Social Change
• 8.Modernization
• Modernization is a process which indicates the
adoption of the modern ways of life and values.
• It indicates a change in people's food habits, dress
habits, speaking styles, tastes, choices, preferences,
ideas, values, recreational activities and so on

23. Factors Influencing Social Change
• 9.Transport and communication
• Development of transport and communication has
led to the national and international trade on a large
scale.
• Post and telegraph, radio and television, newspapers
and magazines, telephone and wireless and the like
have developed a great deal.

24. Factors Influencing Social Change
• 10. War and Disease
War and diseases make great fall in economic growth
and rise in death among population and cause social
change