Social Change and Research Models

Social Change

• Social change encompasses significant shifts in societies, impacting various aspects of life.
• It involves the alteration of social structures, cultural norms, and values.

Inquiry Model for Social Scientists

• Social scientists use an inquiry model to study social change.
• This model involves primary and secondary research methods, including participant-observation, surveys, and interviews.
• Developing research questions and hypotheses is crucial in this process.

How Social Change Occurs

• Social change can be analyzed through the concept of social epidemics, characterized by a tipping point where behavior spreads rapidly.
• Gladwell's three rules for social epidemics:
• The 'stickiness' of an idea in affecting others
• The 'power of contexts', in providing the setting for spreading.
• The 'power of the few', in who initially carry the idea.

Foundations of Social Change

• Social change involves inventions, diffusion of ideas, acculturation, and even the demise of established systems.
• Several sociological theories explain social change, including:
• Cultural materialism
• Structural-functionalism
• Conflict theory (Marxist and Weberian perspectives)

Factors Influencing Social Change

• Social change is influenced by social, physical, and population factors.
• Proximity, social environment, physical environment, and technological advancements all contribute.

Inequality and Social Change

• Social stratification, including class, status, and power, significantly impacts social change.
• Theories, such as Marx's and Weber's conflict theories, explain how inequalities drive social change.
• Occupy Wall Street is a case study illustrating social change related to economic inequality.

Technology and Social Change

• Technology plays a major role in shaping social change.
• The Arab Spring is a case study to explore social change with technology.
• Similarities and differences with the "Freedom Convoy" can be analyzed in terms of technology's impact.

Evaluating Sources

• Research skills include critically evaluating and citing sources.
• Relevant sources are recent, reliable, and pertinent to the research topic.

Physical Environment and Social Change

• Physical environment also influences social change.

Technology Change Theories

• Various theories explain technological change, including evolutionary theory, White's cultural evolution theory, and Toffler's wave theory.

Impact of Technology

• New technologies have significant impacts on individuals and society, including:
• Changes in communications and lifestyles.
• Impact on knowledge acquisition and dissemination.
• Advancements in various fields/areas.