Forces of Change HSB4U PDF

Forces of Change HSB4U Learning Goals Discuss and describe how the speed of social change differs from one place to another Describe conditions that speed up or slow down social change Discuss the roles of conformity and social deviance in social change Describe how values and norms bo...

Forces of Change HSB4U Learning Goals Discuss and describe how the speed of social change differs from one place to another Describe conditions that speed up or slow down social change Discuss the roles of conformity and social deviance in social change Describe how values and norms both inform societal behaviour and themselves, change over time Catalysts of Social Change Forces of Social Change: CATALYSTS All people must adapt to social change ◦ Margaret Mead said this is true for everyone over 40 –why? Change varies by society ◦ Political, economic, cultural and religious institutions influence the speed and direction of change Forces of Social Change: CATALYSTS Leadership ◦ A charismatic leader that people will follow can promote change –ex. Mandella, Hitler Social Elites (“modernizing elites”) ◦ Those with social, economic or spiritual power can promote change. Celebrities, business owners or otherwise socially powerful, can motivate people to action. (Elon Musk, Oprah Winfrey) Forces of Social Change: CATALYSTS A Population Ready for Change ◦ Undesirable conditions, such as economic depression, social discontent, oppression, injustice or inequality (though the opposite can be true) ◦ Presented with new ideas and learning (exogenous / endogenous) ◦ Education ◦ Embracing new technologies / discoveries Impediments to Social Change Forces of Social Change: Impediments Traditional Cultural Values ◦ Ideals and values passed from generation to generation in the home, school and society at large ◦ Religious beliefs maintain norms and values Little Cultural Interaction ◦ Low exposure to other cultures, practices and ideals ◦ Reduces exogenous influences Forces of Social Change: Impediments Those in Power Maintaining the Status Quo ◦ Workers staying employed at low wages/power, leaders staying in power, religious leaders as intermediaries between God and man ◦ “The rich getting richer and the poor getting poorer” Little Education/Innovation/Emerging Technologies ◦ Limited learning and exposure to practices and ideals ◦ Looking at things the same way ◦ “In the box thinking” Forces of Social Change: Impediments The Expense of Change ◦ Economic change and investment required ◦ Social change may require new institutions, systems and order ◦ A fundamental shift in ideologies may be hard to accept ◦ Absence of research does not promote change ◦ It’s often easier to do nothing Examples of Social Change #metoomovement Black Lives Matter Movement Indigenous Land Rights Movement Women’s Suffrage Adapting to Change Adapting to Change Adapting to Change Adapting to Change Emile Durkheim ◦ Anomie –to be left behind in the wake of social change Ease of communicating by digital means and accessing services online: ◦ Teens vs. the Elderly ◦ Literate vs. illiterate Those who are left behind become alienated from society Conformity vs. Deviance Conformity Vs. Deviance Conformity ◦ To follow or adhere to social norms ◦ Subjective validity = believing your ideas/attitudes are “right” based on your judgment and similarity to the ideas/attitudes of others ◦ Normative influence = the social pressure/influence to follow norms Influences in conformity: ◦ Parents, friends, school, law, behaviours of other people Conformity vs. Deviance Deviance ◦ To ignore or go against social norms ◦ Deviant behaviour influences society and can reinforce or change norms ◦ Challenges traditional norms/values ◦ Can be constructive or destructive Influences in deviance: ◦ Friends, education, behaviours of other people, other cultures/ideas, differing perspectives Conformity, Deviance and Social Change What are some of the reasons people might be socially excluded? What do all of these factors have in common? Conformity, Deviance and Social Change Social exclusion or alienation creates a social group all its own. ◦ Think of the workers (proletariat) and the factory owners (bourgeoisie) These groups can create social change or accept their alienated position in society ◦ Alienated teens falling into negative/self- destructive behaviours ◦ Alienated teens/young adults revolting in Egypt due to high youth unemployment rates Conformity, Deviance and Social Change  Conformity generally helps to discourage social change The nail that sticks out gets Conformity, hammered down –Japanese Proverb Deviance ◦ Asch’s conformity experiment and Social ◦ The desire to fit in outweighs the desire to not conform Change When was a time that you went along with the crowd? Conformity, Deviance and Social Change As we watch this video think about: What it means to conform Factors that contribute to conformity Experiment Social Conformity: ◦ For the next 5 minutes try to conform to everyone else in this room as much as possible. ◦ Act the same ◦ Talk the same ◦ Think the same What was that like? ◦ How did you feel? ◦ Was it hard to be the same? ◦ Why? Perspectives on Deviance Take notes on the following as you watch the video: Differential Association Labeling Theory Strain Theory Experiment continued Social Deviance: ◦ For the next 5 minutes try to be different from everyone else in this room as much as possible. ◦ DO NOT act the same ◦ DO NOT talk the same ◦ DO NOT think the same What was that like? ◦ How did you feel? ◦ Was it hard to be different? ◦ Why? When Deviance Becomes the Norm When Deviance Becomes the Norm When Deviance Becomes the Norm When Deviance Becomes the Norm  Social change varies from place to place in it’s: ◦ Speed (fast or slow) ◦ Direction (towards certain values or norms) ◦ Impact (either positive or negative) To A society must be ready for change for it Summarize to occur (at any significant speed). Conditions promoting change can include: ◦ Political leadership ◦ Leadership of social elites ◦ Undesirable social conditions ◦ Education ◦ Exposure to new ideas / technologies  Social change can also be slowed by: ◦ Cultural traditions and values ◦ Religious values and beliefs ◦ Little interaction with other cultures ◦ Those in power maintaining the status quo To ◦ Few technological advances, little education or innovation Summarize ◦ A fear of the social and economic costs (electric cars vs. oil industry) Anomie (Emile Durkheim) is being socially left behind in the wake of change. Think of a king in a newly communist society, or a factory worker who has just been replaced by machines  Conformity is to adhere to or follow a set of rules/values/norms in society. We experience pressure to conform from: ◦ Parents ◦ Friends ◦ School To ◦ Television Summarize Deviance can lead to exclusion from society ◦ Exclusion or alienation can lead to action or acceptance Conformity reduces social change Deviance can lead to a change in norms or reinforce them