What is Social Change?

Social change can not be defined as a new fashion or mode in the life of people or in the operation of a society. Social change includes modification in social techniques, relationships, behaviour patterns, folkways, more and institutions, sometimes leading to change in philosophic outlook.

In other words, social change refers to change that occurs in the structure and functioning of the social system comprising the following areas:

  • Social structures and institutions
  • Roles performed by individuals
  • Social relationships among people
  • Patterns of social interactions
  • V alues and norms, and
  • Functions of different groups and institutions.

Hence, social change signifies social Growth, Social Development, Social Evolution, Social Progress, Social Revolution, Social Reform etc.

Social Change Definition by Different Authors

According to Davis: “By social change is meant only such alterations as occur in social organization, that is, structure and functions of society.”

According to Gillin and Gillin: “Social changes are variations from the accepted modes of life; whether due to alterations in geographical conditions, in cultural equipment, composition of the population, or ideologies and whether brought about by diffusion or invention within the group.”

According to Jones: “Social changes are a term used to describe variations in, or modifications of any aspect of social processes, social patterns, social interaction or social organization.”

According to Fairchild: “Social change means variations or modifications in any aspect of social processes, patterns or form.”

According to Jenson: “Social change may be defined as modification in the ways of doing and thinking of people.”

According to MacIver and Page: “Change in social structure is social change.” Social structure is the network of relationship in a society involving social status, social roles and social norms.

According to Dawson and Gettys: “Cultural change is social change, since culture is social in its origin.”

According to Merril and Eldredge: “Social change means that large number of persons are engaged in activities that differ from those which they or their immediate forefathers engaged in sometime before. When human behaviour is in the process of modification, that is only another way of indicating that social change is occurring.”

According to Ginsberg’s view: “By social change I understand change in social structures such as the size of a society, the composition or balance of its parts or the type of its organization.”

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