Social structure and social change

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Society is a collectivity of groups and individuals. It exists for the welfare and advancement of the whole. The mutuality, on which it depends, is possible to sustain by adjustment of varied and contradictory interests. The structure pattern continues to exist because of its inbuilt mechanism and sanction system.

Social control which implies the social intercourse is regulated in accordance with established and recognised standards, is comprehensive, omnipotent and effective to stimulate order, discipline and mutuality; and to discourage, and if need be, to punish the deviance.

The aim of social order, Parsons has well said, is “nipping deviant tendencies in the bud”. If that be not done, social order would cease to exist; the law of the brute would prevail. The world would be that ‘brutish’ and ‘nasty’ state will prevail in society. Just the opposite is the process and influence that regulated social action.

social control is nothing but control of the society over individuals. In order to maintain the organisation and the order of the society, man has to be kept under some sort of control. This control is necessary in order to have desired behaviour from the individual and enable him to develop social qualities.

The following are the agencies of social control:

Custom

Custom denotes habit not in the sense an individual acquires a habit. It is a social habit in the sense that once the members of a group form a habit, it becomes a recognized custom only if it is backed by social sanctions. While Ginsberg states that custom gets so ingrained in life that we follow it almost instinctively, McIver and Page Stress the inter-relationship of habit and custom.

An individual habit like taking tea or coffee with morning breakfast is not a custom; when a habit becomes socially expressed and when it carries social and external sanction, it becomes a custom. For example, holding celebrations and festivals are a custom but having a get-together of friends on holidays is a habit.

Folkways and Folkmores

According to Sumner, man has obtained from his ancestors certain proclivities, skills and habits by way of heritage, which enable him to solve several of his problems, like those relating to production of food or food habits, sex relationships I and his aesthetic sensibilities. These become the ‘folkways’ of his society for, in formation of these unwritten rules, deliberation by exchange of thoughts between different Elements of the society took a very important role.

Law

Law as an agency of social control is a much later development than custom, folkways or folkmores; it is more recent and more liberal than religious precepts. Law may take the shape of unwritten conventions or codified commands made by a recognized authority and, in either case, there must be a well-defined machinery for enforcing the provisions.

Religion

In order to understand religion and religious precepts as an agency of social control, we must first try to appreciate the meaning of the word. The word ‘religion’ appears to have been taken from a Latin root which stands for a ‘bond’ The Indian word Dharma standing for religion emphasizes the quality of ‘holding together’. Hence, religion does not merely connote a belief in God, or a relationship between man and his Creator; it appears that the quality of religious practices that hold society together has a greater significance for the word.

In a sense, Education is an informal process of acquiring knowledge throughout one’s life and such process is never completed until death. According to the Latin root educare meaning to bring up and educere, which stands for bringing forth, the word ‘education’ would fit in with the idea of all the knowledge earned by ac individual for facing life as a whole with the sense of confidence of preparedness.

Social Change

Social change, is the alteration of mechanisms within the social structure, characterized by changes in cultural symbols, rules of behaviour, social organizations, or value systems.

Throughout the historical development of their discipline, sociologists have borrowed models of social change from other academic fields. In the late 19th century, when evolution became the predominant model for understanding biological change, ideas of social change took on an evolutionary cast, and, though other models have refined modern notions of social change, evolution persists as an underlying principle.

Other sociological models created analogies between social change and the West’s Technological Progress. In the mid-20th century, anthropologists borrowed from the linguistic theory of structuralism to elaborate an approach to social change called structural functionalism. This theory postulated the existence of certain basic institutions (including kinship relations and division of labour) that determine social behaviour. Because of their interrelated nature, a change in one institution will affect other institutions.

social change occurs in culture and cultural evolution is the result of the following is the process of social change which includes:

• Invention
• Accumulation
• Diffusion
• Adjustment

Invention

Linton says that “an invention is a new application of knowledge”. When a thing which is already exists in a culture comes to front and appear before the masses, is invention in social change. Invention occurs due to the following three factors.

Mental Ability

An invention required mental ability of an individual in a society. Larger the Population, greater would be the number of talented people. So, mental ability is a source for social change in society.

Demand

A demand of the people for anything which is in scarcity results in an invention, which leads to social change. Greater the demand of people for material object, faster would be the process of invention.

Existence of Cultural Elements

If compare small culture to large, small culture change slowly. When there are more cultural elements the invention will be faster. Cultural elements and Resources are very important for an invention and social change.

Accumulation

In the result of innovation more new elements are added to a culture. These cultural elements combined with the old elements which results in the process of accumulation. When there is the invention of new elements combined to the already existing elements, the accumulation will be greater.

Diffusion

Cultural diffusion is an important source of social change. The process of diffusion starts when an invention or cultural element spread from one culture to another. Quick means of Communication and transportation made possible an invention or to diffuse a cultural element to another culture.

Adjustment

Last but not the least adjustment is the last factor in the process of social change. After invention, accumulation and diffusion of cultural elements the adjustment of an individual takes place in that culture. All the cultural elements are interrelated with one another but when a material change occurs in a culture it bring slow change in material culture. But with the passage of time the space fills and the adjustment of new elements takes place in that culture. So, the invention of new element becomes a part of the culture as a result of adjustment process of social change.

Factors of social change

Physical Environment

Certain geographic changes sometimes produce great social change. Climate, storms, social erosion, Earthquakes, floods, droughts etc., definitely affect social life and induce social change. Human life is closely bound up with the geographical conditions of the earth.  Human history is full of examples that flourishing civilisations fell prey to natural calamities. The distribution of population over various regions, the variations in the population densities, the agricultural production, Flora and Fauna, the joys and hardships—all indicate a change when a change in the physical environment occurs.

Demographic (biological) Factor

Broadly speaking, demography is concerned with the size and structure of human population. The social structure of a society is closely related with the changes in the size, composition and distri­bution of population. The size of the population is based mainly upon three factors—birth rate, death rate and Migration (immigration and emigration).

The composition of population depends upon variables like age, sex, marital status, Literacy etc. Changes in demographic structure, which may be caused by changes in mortality rates, will produce changes in the ratio of breadwinners to dependents.

Cultural Factor

It is an established fact that there is an intimate connection between our beliefs and Social Institutions, our values and social relationships. Values, beliefs, ideas, institutions are the basic elements of a culture. Certainly, all cultural changes involve social change.  Social and the cultural aspects are closely interwoven. Thus, any change in the culture (ideas, values, beliefs etc.) brings a corresponding change in the whole social order. Social institutions cannot live on life shells within which life is extinct.

Ideational Factor

Among the cultural factors affecting social change in modern times, the development of science and secularisation of thought have contributed a lot to the development of the critical and innovative character of the modern outlook. We no longer follow many customs or habits merely because they have the age-old authority of tradition. On the contrary, our ways of life have increasingly become on the basis of rationality.,

Social structure is the framework of relationships that holds society together. It is made up of social institutions, social groups, and social statuses. Social institutions are the basic building blocks of society. They provide the essential functions that society needs to survive, such as education, healthcare, and government. Social groups are collections of individuals who share common characteristics or interests. They can be formal or informal, and they can be large or small. Social statuses are positions in society that are associated with certain rights and responsibilities. They can be ascribed (assigned at birth) or achieved (earned through personal effort).

Social stratification is the system by which a society ranks categories of people in a hierarchy. It is based on factors such as wealth, power, and prestige. Social class is a category of people who share a similar position in the social hierarchy. Social mobility is the movement of individuals or groups from one social class to another. Social inequality is the unequal distribution of resources and opportunities in society.

Social change is the process by which society changes over time. It can be caused by a variety of factors, such as technological innovation, Economic Development, and political upheaval. Revolution is a radical change in the social order, usually brought about by violence. Social movements are organized efforts to bring about social change. Collective behavior is spontaneous, unstructured behavior that occurs when people are faced with a common problem or situation.

Demography is the study of human populations. It includes the study of population size, Growth, and distribution. Urbanization is the process by which people move from rural areas to cities. Globalization/”>Globalization-3/”>Globalization is the process by which the world is becoming increasingly interconnected. Social policy is the government’s attempt to address social problems. Social work is a profession that helps people solve and cope with problems in their everyday lives. Sociology is the study of human society.

Social structure and social change are two of the most important concepts in sociology. They help us to understand how society works and how it changes over time. Social structure provides the framework for social interaction, while social change is the process by which that framework changes. Both concepts are essential for understanding the world around us.

Social structure is a complex and ever-changing phenomenon. It is influenced by a variety of factors, including culture, history, and economics. Social change can be brought about by a variety of factors, including technological innovation, political upheaval, and natural disasters.

Social structure and social change are both important concepts in sociology. They help us to understand how society works and how it changes over time. By understanding these concepts, we can better understand the world around us and our place in it.

Social structure

1. What is social structure?

Social structure is the framework of society that consists of institutions and social relationships. It is the way in which society is organized and how people interact with each other.

1. What are the different types of social structure?

There are many different types of social structure, but some of the most common include:

• Social institutions: These are the basic units of society that provide essential goods and Services, such as the family, the economy, and the government.
• Social groups: These are collections of people who share common characteristics or interests, such as families, friendship groups, and religious groups.

• Social networks: These are the webs of social relationships that connect people to each other, such as the networks of friends and colleagues that we all have.

• What are the functions of social structure?

Social structure serves a number of important functions in society, including:

• Providing order and stability: Social structure helps to keep society running smoothly by providing a set of rules and norms that people can follow.
• Regulating social behavior: Social structure helps to control and regulate social behavior by providing a set of sanctions that can be applied to those who violate the rules.
• Creating a sense of identity: Social structure helps people to develop a sense of identity by providing them with a place in society and a set of social roles to play.
• Transmitting culture: Social structure helps to transmit culture from one generation to the next by providing the channels through which culture is passed on.

Social change

1. What is social change?

Social change is the process by which society changes over time. It can be caused by a variety of factors, including technological innovation, economic development, and political upheaval.

1. What are the different types of social change?

There are many different types of social change, but some of the most common include:

• Evolutionary change: This is a slow, gradual process of change that occurs over time.
• Revolutionary change: This is a rapid, dramatic process of change that often results in a significant transformation of society.
• Reformative change: This is a type of change that seeks to improve society without fundamentally altering its structure.

• Regressive change: This is a type of change that results in a decline in social conditions.

• What are the causes of social change?

There are many different factors that can cause social change, including:

• Technological innovation: New technologies can have a profound impact on society, by creating new opportunities and challenges.
• Economic development: Economic growth can lead to changes in social structure, as people move from rural to urban areas and as new Social Classes emerge.
• Political upheaval: Political revolutions and other forms of political instability can lead to rapid social change.
• War and conflict: War and other forms of conflict can cause widespread social disruption and change.

• Natural disasters: Natural disasters can also cause significant social change, by destroying Infrastructure-2/”>INFRASTRUCTURE and displacing people.

• What are the consequences of social change?

Social change can have both positive and negative consequences. Some of the positive consequences of social change include:

• Improved living standards: Social change can lead to improvements in living standards, as people have access to new technologies and resources.
• Greater Equality: Social change can lead to greater equality, as people are given more opportunities to succeed.
• More freedom: Social change can lead to more freedom, as people are given more control over their lives.

Some of the negative consequences of social change include:

• Social disruption: Social change can lead to social disruption, as people struggle to adapt to new ways of life.
• Increased inequality: Social change can lead to increased inequality, as some people benefit more than others from the changes.
• Loss of traditional values: Social change can lead to the loss of traditional values, as people adopt new ways of thinking and behaving.

Social Structure

1. Which of the following is NOT a component of social structure?
   (A) Roles
   (B) Norms
   (C) Values
   (D) Social groups
   (E) Social institutions

2. Which of the following is NOT a type of social group?
   (A) Primary group
   (B) Secondary group
   (C) In-group
   (D) Out-group
   (E) Social Network

3. Which of the following is NOT a type of social institution?
   (A) Family
   (B) Religion
   (C) Education
   (D) Economy
   (E) Government

Social Change

1. Which of the following is NOT a type of social change?
   (A) Evolutionary change
   (B) Revolutionary change
   (C) Cyclical change
   (D) Linear change
   (E) None of the above

2. Which of the following is NOT a factor that can cause social change?
   (A) Technology
   (B) War
   (C) Economic development
   (D) Natural disasters
   (E) All of the above can cause social change

3. Which of the following is NOT a consequence of social change?
   (A) Increased social mobility
   (B) Increased social conflict
   (C) Increased social diversity
   (D) Increased social inequality
   (E) All of the above can be consequences of social change

Social Structure and Social Change

1. Which of the following is NOT a way in which social structure can influence social change?
   (A) Social structure can provide a framework for social change.
   (B) Social structure can act as a barrier to social change.
   (C) Social structure can be a source of social conflict that can lead to social change.
   (D) Social structure can be a source of social cohesion that can help to resist social change.
   (E) All of the above are ways in which social structure can influence social change.

2. Which of the following is NOT a way in which social change can influence social structure?
   (A) Social change can lead to changes in social structure.
   (B) Social change can lead to the creation of new social structures.
   (C) Social change can lead to the destruction of old social structures.
   (D) Social change can lead to the modification of existing social structures.
   (E) All of the above are ways in which social change can influence social structure.