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Social Change Social change as a sociological term is defined as, alterations in basic structures of a social group or society.

Social change is an ever present phenomenon in social life, but has become especially intense in the modern era. The origins of modern sociology can be traced to attempts to understand the dramatic changes shattering the modern world and promoting new forms of social order. According to M. Ginsberg,
A change in social structure e.g. the size of a society, the composition or balance of its parts or the type of its organization.

According to R. T. Schaefer,
Significant alteration over time in behavior patterns and culture, including norms and values.

According to Collins Dictionary of Sociology,


The difference between the current and antecedent condition of any selected aspect of social organization or structure.

Reaching the conclusion, social change is the modifications and alterations of the structure and functioning of societal forms or processes themselves. Jena and Mahapatra, in their book Social Change, mentioned the following Characteristics of Social Change
(a) (b) (c) (d) (e) (f) (g)

Social change is asocial. Social change involves elements of predictability as well as unpredictability. Social change is a process of synchronization. Speed and rate of social change is not uniform. Change in different aspects of society takes different modes. Social change is cumulative and follows a chain-reaction pattern. Social change is ubiquitous.
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Source: Jena & Mahapatra, Macionis, Schaefer, Collins Dictionary of Sociology, Wikipedia

Social Change
(h) (i)

Social change is comparative. Social change involves shock.

There are four main characteristics of social change (Macionis 1996) (1)

It happens everywhere, but the rate of change varies from place to place. For example, the United States would experience faster change, than a third world country that has limited access to technology and information.

(2)

Social change is sometimes intentional but often unplanned. For example, when the airplane was invented people knew that this would increase and speed travel. However, it was probably not realized how this invention would affect society in the future.

(3)

Social change often generates controversy. For example, the move over the recent years to accept homosexual rights has caused controversy involving the military, religion, and society overall.

(4)

Some changes matter more than others do. For example, the invention of personal computers was more important than Cabbage Patch dolls.

2 Source: Jena & Mahapatra, Macionis, Schaefer, Collins Dictionary of Sociology, Wikipedia

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