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Time For Change! Social Change & Collective Behavior
To view this presentation, first, turn up your volume and second, launch the self-running slide show.
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To view this presentation, first, turn up your volume and second, launch the self-running slide show. SOCIAL CHANGE
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What is Social Change? Change is one of the most constant features in America, but for Sociologists, social change occur when members of the society adopt new behaviors that have important long-term consequences It is difficult to predict if social change is going to occur, partly because the course of change in a society depends on the nature of the existing culture Great Britain & the United States Both adopted a democratic form of government, but they developed in different ways Britain prior to becoming a democracy was controlled by royal tradition; whereas, the U.S. was a colony and operated under self-rule throughout the colonies
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What is Social Change? Social change does not merely “happen;” people in a society can consciously decide for themselves how change will occur Why do some societies change faster than others? Very difficult task and no easy answer Sociologists have identified several social processes that influence the pace of social change as well as several specific factors that affect rates of change
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Social Processes Social processes – series of steps leading to change on a societal level Think about it like this… As you get closer to graduation from High School, you may decide to continue your education You begin a process of applying for acceptance to various colleges If you follow all the steps that meet their criteria for entrance, the end result of your application process will be acceptance Three major steps in the social process: Discovery Invention Diffusion
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Social Processes Discovery – process by which something is learned or reinterpreted How does discovery promote social change? Think about it like this… When early explorers didn’t fall off the edge of the earth, they changed what a lot of people thought about the shape of the earth This new geographical knowledge brought with it new patterns of migration, commerce, and colonization
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Social Processes Invention – the creation of something new from previously existing items or processes Of course the first things that come to mind are physical inventions The pace of social change through invention is closely tied to how complex the society or culture already is Think about it like this… Americans land on the moon less than 70 years after the first flight of the Wright brothers NASA was able to reach for the moon relatively quickly because the U.S. had become advanced in physics, aerodynamics and even manufacturing
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Social Processes Diffusion – process by which one culture or society borrows from another culture or society The extent or rate of diffusion depends on the degree of social contact Social contact has the same effect on diffusion that complexity has on invention Think about it like this… American colonists learned methods of growing cotton that were first developed in India Potatoes from Peru were transplanted across the Atlantic where they became a staple of Ireland
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Social Processes Before it is widely accepted, a borrowed element must complement the already existing group culture Think about it like this… Unisex fashion is widely accepted in the U.S…but show up on a construction job wearing a kilt and you’ll get laughed at because it conflicts with our idea of ‘manhood’ Diffusion may involve using only part of a borrowed characteristic or trait The Japanese accept capitalism, but resist the American form of a democratic government, style of conducting business and family structure While discovery and invention are important, by far, more elements enter a society through cultural diffusion
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Social Forces Besides the three process, Sociologists have also identified several factors that lead to change Technology – knowledge and tools used to achieve practical goals The appearance of new technology is generally a sign that social change will soon follow Population Birth rates and death rates (…think back to chapter 15!) Natural environment Interaction with the natural environment shapes historical events Revolution – sudden and complete overthrow of a social and political order – and War – organized, armed conflict that occurs within a society or between nations Most revolutionaries expect that the revolution will bring about fundamental changes
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Social Forces Technology is a prime promoter of social change
The creation of the silicon chip (which led to the computer revolution) has brought about technological change at an astounding rate Think about it like this… Took more than a century for telephones to spread to 94% of homes in the U.S. In less than 5 years, the internet had reached 25% of homes in the U.S. The changes that came about from the use of computers are almost impossible to list – telecommunications, medical advancements, even detecting traffic problems!
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Social Forces Changing demographics are another important factor for creating social change Think about it like this… Huge spike in birth rate following the return of soldiers after WWII Caused major expansion of child healthcare facilities, the need for more teachers and schools, etc. On the other hand, the generation following the baby boomers (now in their 40s) in the labor market are experiencing increased competition for jobs, problems of deduction in Social Security, and adequate health care problems
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Social Forces Interaction with the natural environment has also transformed American life Think about it like this… The vast territory west of the 13 colonies allowed the nation to expand ultimately to the Pacific Ocean Natural disasters – The Dust Bowl during the 1930s and impact on the economy 1970s and OPEC launched an embargo, refusing to sell its oil to other countries contributing to the economic inflation in the U.S. As a result, Americans began driving smaller, more fuel efficient cars
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Social Forces Revolution is often, but not always, accompanied by violence with most revolutionaries expecting that the revolution will bring about fundamental changes It begs the question, are revolutions usually followed by radical changes? Think about it like this… A revolution results in the replacement of one set of power holders by another A post-revolutionary society is eventually replaced by a society that looks much like the original one Radical changes are rarely permanent because people tend to revert to more familiar customs and behaviors in part because of the past provides security
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Social Forces What sort of changes follow revolutions?
In most cases, the new social order that has been created is likely to be a compromise between the new and the old Think about it like this… China The revolution in 1949 did not result in the wholesale changes promised by is leaders (i.e. one of the revolutionary reforms promised liberation from sexism…while conditions approved, sexism did not dissipate)
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Social Forces How does war promote social change?
Sociologist Robert Nisbet described how war brings about social change through diffusion, discovery and invention Think about it like this… Diffusion Wars break down barriers between societies, bringing people from different societies together and ultimately the adoption of new ways of thinking, behaving, feeling, etc. Invention & Discovery WWII the pressure of war enabled the U.S. government to promote and finance the development of technologies like the atomic bomb, synthetic rubber and antibiotics
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Social processes – series of steps leading to change on a societal level
DISCOVERY INVENTION DIFFUSION So there are the rules.
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SOCIAL FACTORS Social factors – general forces that lead to change
TECHNOLOGY NATURAL ENVIRONMENT POPULATION REVOLUTION & WAR So there are the rules.
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To view this presentation, first, turn up your volume and second, launch the self-running slide show. COLLECTIVE BEHAVIOR
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Collective Behavior Collective behavior – the spontaneous behavior of a group of people responding to similar stimuli What exactly is collective? Think about it like this… Collectivity – collection of people who don’t normally interact and who don’t share clearly defined norms Stimuli are outside events or persons that cause a response Naturally, studying collective behavior poses some problems because they’re used to studying structured behavior, not unplanned events So the question arises, how do researchers investigate something that occurs spontaneously? In spite of the difficulties, Sociologists have actually discovered that collective behavior has more structure and rationality than what appears on the surface
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Collective Behavior Dispersed collectivity – collectivity made up of people who are not physically connected, but who follow common rules or respond to common stimuli Rumors Legends Fads Fashions Mass Hysteria & Panics
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Rumors Rumor – a widely circulating story of questionable truth
Usually spread by people about events, other people that are of great interest, etc. Media exploits the public’s fascination with rumors Tabloids are loaded with suggestive guesswork, half-truths, innuendos Mainstream media offer accounts of the rich and famous suggesting that rumors and gossip are closely related
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Rumors Urban legends – moralistic tales which focus on current concerns and fears that are passed along by people who swear the stories happened to someone they know or an acquaintance of a friend Urban legends warn us against engaging in risky behaviors by pointing out what supposedly happened to others who did what we were considering doing Mainstream media offer accounts of the rich and famous suggesting that rumors and gossip are closely related Alligators in the sewer systems of big cities
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Fads Fad – an unusual behavior pattern that spreads rapidly, is embraced zealously, and then disappears after a short time A few examples… Streaking Body piercing Tattoos Snowboarding Flag pole sitting Hula hooping
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Fashions Fashion – a behavior pattern that is widely approved but is expected to change periodically Fashion changes show up most often in items that involve personal appearance like clothing, jewelry and hairstyles HOWEVER, automobile design, home decorating, architecture and politics are also subject to fashion Language can also be considered fashion in terms of slang A few examples… Groovy Radical Cool Sick Phat Are you joshing me Applesauce LOL, BRB, TGIF, JK, WTF, etc.
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Mass Hysteria Mass hysteria – collective anxiety created by the acceptance of one or more false beliefs The classic example that comes to mind is the Salem Witch trials and Arthur Miller’s play, The Crucible 1980s Americans had mass hysteria about AIDS 1987 Gallup poll showed that 30% of Americans believed insect bites could spread AIDS 26% thought AIDS could be spread via drinking glasses 25% saw a risk in being coughed or sneezed on 18% believed it could be contracted through toilet seats
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Panic Panic – reaction to a real threat in fearful, anxious, and often self-damaging ways Panics usually occur in response to unexpected events such as fires, invasions, ships sinking, etc. Interestingly, people often do NOT panic after natural disasters (i.e. earthquakes or floods) Panic may occur in the outset, but major natural disaster catastrophes usually lead to highly structured behavior
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Crowds Crowds – a temporary collection of people who share an immediate common interest People in a crowd often have no predefined ideas about the way they should behave; however, they do share the urgent feeling that something is either about to happen or should be made to happen Sociologist Herbert Blumer has distinguished 4 basic types of crowds: Casual crowd Conventional crowd Expressive crowd Acting crowd Mobs Riots
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Crowds Casual crowd – people who happen to be in the same place at the same time who share only a momentary interest Think about it like this… Gather to observe the aftermath of an accident Watch someone threating to jump from a building Street music group
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Crowds Conventional crowd – people who come together for a scheduled event sharing a common focus Think about it like this… People watching a film People observing a tennis math
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Crowds Expressive crowd – people releasing similar emotions
Think about it like this… Hysterical fans at a concert like Coachella NYE Times Square gathered
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Crowds Acting crowd – people who are emotionally focused on erupting into violent behavior Think about it like this… Fans after a Super Bowl win turning over cars Protesters
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Crowds Acting crowd – people who are emotionally focused on erupting into violent behavior Mob – emotional crowd ready to use violence for a specific purpose A long violent history Destructive behavior with a common purpose Riot – episode of largely random destruction and violence carried out by a crowd Wider range than mob Direct their violence and destructiveness at targets simply because they’re convenient
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Theories of Crowd Behavior
Contagion Theory – theory stating that members of crowds stimulate each other to higher and higher levels of emotion and irrational behavior There is a hypnotic influence over the members This hypnotic behavior, combined with the anonymity of belonging to a large group of people, results in irrational and emotionally charged behavior
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Theories of Crowd Behavior
Emergent Norm Theory – theory stating that norms develop to guide crowd behavior Created by Sociologists Turner and Killian People in a crowd are present for a variety of reasons; so, they do NOT all behave in the same way
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Theories of Crowd Behavior
Convergence Theory – theory that states that crowds are formed by people who deliberately congregate with like-minded others Crowds gathering in front of clinics o discourage abortions People in a crowd are present for a variety of reasons; so, they do NOT all behave in the same way
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Collective behavior – the spontaneous behavior of a group of people responding to similar stimuli
RUMORS LEGENDS FADS FASHIONS MASS HYSTERIA PANICS CROWDS So there are the rules.
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To view this presentation, first, turn up your volume and second, launch the self-running slide show. SOCIAL MOVEMENTS
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Social Movements Social movement – movement whose goal is to promote or prevent social change; the most structured and rational form of collective behavior Several defining elements characterize social movements: Large number of people Structured organization with commonly recognized leaders Activity sustained over a relatively long period of time Think about it like this: American Revolution Abolitionism Women’s Suffrage Environmental movement Most are started to stimulate change, but despite commonalities, various social movements have unique characteristics How can you really compare the Civil Rights movement to the Environmental movement?
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Social Movements Revolutionary movement – social movement that attempts to change the total structure of society American Revolution Bolshevik Revolution Mao’s Chinese Revolution
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Social Movements Reformative movement – social movement that attempts to make limited changes in society Women’s Christian Temperance Union (1874) Anti-Vietnam War movement
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Social Movements Redemptive movement – social movement which seeks to change people completely Alcoholics Anonymous The Branch Davidians
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Social Movements Alternative movement – social movement that focuses on bringing about limited changes to people ZPG – attempts to persuade people to limit the size of their families, but does NOT advocate sweeping lifestyle changes, nor does it advocate for penalties for large families
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Theories of Social Movements
Value-Added Theory Resource Mobilization Theory Value-added theory – theory holding that certain conditions must exist for social movements to occur 6 conditions that must exist in order for social movements to occur: Structural conduciveness – environment must be social-movement friendly Structural strains – presence of conflicts, ambiguities, and discrepancies Generalized beliefs – general recognition that there is a problem and it needs fixing Precipitating factors – one or more significant events push people into action Mobilization of participants for action – get the people moving Social control – Actions of the media, police, courts, community leaders, etc. can lead to the success or failure of a social movement Resource mobilization theory – theory of social movements that focuses on the use of resources to achieve goals Resources include human skills (i.e. leadership, organizational ability, labor power, etc.) as well as material goods (i.e. money, property, equipment, etc.)
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