Page 250 - DSOC201_SOCIAL_STRUCTURE_AND_SOCIAL_CHANGE_ENGLISH

Unit 11: Theories of Social Change

• Social change is caused by vaious factors-biological (non-human and human), geographic, Notes
technological, and socio-cultural factors. We also find variant rates of social change depending
on various conditions and situations. Sociologists are also concerned about the various impacts
of change on human society.
11.8 Key-Words

1. Assimilation : a perceptual process in which a message which is actually close to an listener’s
own attitude (in the latitude of acceptance) is misperceived as closer to the
attitude than it really is
2. Contrast : a perceptual process in which a message which is far away from an listener’s
own attitude (in the latitude of rejection) is misperceived as further from the
attitude than it really is
3. Curvilinear : a relationship that is not a simple, straight line; increases in the size of one
variable (discrepancy) first create increases in another variable (persuasion),
but further increases in the first variable cause decreases in the other variable*
4. Discrepancy : the amount of difference between a message and a listener’s own attitude
5. Involvement : the extent to which a topic is relevant, important, or salient to an listener
11.9 Review Questions

1. Discuss cyclical theory.
2. Explain the various theories of social change.
3. What do you mean by the mechanisms of social change? Explain.
Answers: Self-Assessment

1. (i)(a) (ii)(b) (iii)(c) (iv) Yes
(v) Social change occurs when the style of living of a community undergoes modification for
better or worse. It is a team used to indicate that the pattern of culture has evolved to another
stage.
11.10 Further Readings

1. Ahuja, Ram, 1994: Indian Social System, Rawat Publication.
2. Srinivas, M.N., 1963: Social Change in Modern India, University of California
Press.
3. Sharma, K.L., 2007: Indian Social Structure and Change, Rawat Publication.

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