Social change is shaped by many forces, including collective behavior, social movements, technology, and unexpected events. This lesson introduces social change and explores how technology can create new opportunities as well as new challenges.
Social change is a shift in society’s structures, relationships, or ways of life. It can result from organized efforts, such as social movements, or from external forces. A change may be intentional or unintended, gradual or disruptive, and caused by people or by natural events. For example, a new communication technology may transform how people work, while a natural disaster may disrupt where people live and how institutions operate.
All flashcards
What is social change?
A shift in society’s structures, relationships, or ways of life. It may be intentional or unintended and may result from human activity or natural events.
What is the digital divide?
The increasing gap between people or communities that have access to digital technologies and those that do not.
What does crowdsourcing involve?
It involves obtaining needed services, ideas, or content by soliciting contributions from a large group, often through an online community.
What is electronic aggression?
Harassment or bullying conducted through electronic channels such as email, websites, chat rooms, instant messages, or text messages.
What does cultural lag mean?
It is the delay that occurs when technology or material culture changes faster than social norms, laws, and understanding can adapt.
Quiz questions
Which technology was especially important in the post-millennial period of globalization described by Thomas Friedman?Answer: The Internet and related digital technologies.
What is a social institution?Answer: An organized pattern of relationships and practices that helps meet important social needs.
Why did Hurricane Katrina’s consequences extend beyond the effects of the storm itself?Answer: Unequal vulnerability, institutional failures, and inadequate infrastructure compounded the hazard.
Why can judging every society by its resemblance to wealthy industrial nations be ethnocentric?Answer: It treats the development path and values of powerful industrial societies as a universal standard.
Based on Introduction to Sociology 3e by Tonja R. Conerly, Kathleen Holmes, Asha Lal Tamang (OpenStax), licensed CC BY 4.0. Adapted into a summary, flashcards and quizzes.