core

• continuity

  the persistence or consistent existence of cultural elements in a society across time. Can be referred to as the maintenance of the traditions and social structures that bring stability to a society.
• change: the alteration or modification of cultural elements in society. Can occur at micro, meso and macro levels. Can be brought about by modernisation processes including technological innovation - this force results in an alteration to culture.
• modernisation: dynamic social change resulting from the diffusion and adoption of the characteristics of apparently more advanced societies by other societies that are apparently less advanced. Involves social transformation whereby the society becomes technologically advanced.
• sustainability: the required development to meet current human needs, whether economic, social or environmental without jeopardising the needs of future generations or the health of the planet for all species depending on it for their existence.
• tradition: cultural practices and beliefs that are passed down from generation to generation, often by word of mouth and behavioural modelling, that are integral to the socialisation process and that represent stability and continuity of the society or culture.
• beliefs: a set of opinions or convictions; ideas we believe in as the truth - can come from one's own experience and reflection, or from what one is told by others.
• values: deeply held ideals or beliefs that guide our thinking, language and behaviour. Differences in values exist among groups of people in society and a part of one's culture. Values can be challenged.
• empowerment: a social process that gives power or authority to people at a micro level, to groups at a meso level, and to institutions at a macro level, allowing us to think, behave, take action, control and make decisions.
• westernisation: a social process where the values, customs and practices of western industrial capitalism are adopted to form the basis of cultural change.
• cooperation: the ability of individual members of a group to work together to achieve a common goal that is in the group's interests and that contributes to the continued existence of the group.
• confict: a perceived incompatibility of goals or actions. Can occur at all levels in society and its resolution can involve modification to what was previously in place.
• primary research: the information collected by the researcher
• secondary research: the information collected by the researcher from previous investigations, interpreted for the research topic 
• quantitative: the information gained through numerical data
• STRENGTHS of a focus group

  • Follow up questions can be asked
  • Responses can be more honest
• WEAKNESSES of a focus group

  • Time consuming
  • Participants may be unwilling to share their answer due to surrounding members
  • Can go off topic
  • Hard to quantify
• STRENGTHS of observation

  • Allows deeper insight into an issue
  • Immediate data
• WEAKNESSES of observation

  • demand characteristics
  • multiple observers may obtain different perspectives
• STRENGTHS of personal reflection

  • demonstrates impact at micro level
• WEAKNESSES of personal reflection

  • bias
  • highly subjective
• STRENGTHS of secondary research

  • allows researcher to gain a wider, academic perspective
• WEAKNESSES of secondary research

  • prone to bias
  • subjective judgements by researcher
• STRENGTHS of content analysis

  • quantitative data
• WEAKNESSES of content analysis

  • time consuming
  • prone to subjective judgements
• STRENGTHS of interview

  • allows follow up questions
  • detailed findings
• STRENGTHS of participant observation

  • immediate data obtained
  • deeper insight into topic
• WEAKNESSES of participant observation

  • demand characteristics
• STRENGTHS of questionnaire

  • less chance of researcher bias
  • quick and easy to distribute
  • both qualitative and quantitative
  • anonymous
  • honest responses
• WEAKNESSES of questionnaire

  • does not allow follow up questions
  • invalid responses due to anonymity
• STRENGTHS of statistical analysis

  • data is easily quantified
  • unbiased
• WEAKNESSES of statistical analysis

  • easy to obtain inaccurate responses
  • cannot obtain perspectives, behaviours, attitudes
  • insight into macro world, not micro or meso
• Why is change is a complex process

  Non-linear/multi-directional: may be regressive and rates of change may differ within and between societies
• Why is change is a complex process


  Resistance: not everyone agrees, technological advancements, pandemics
• Why is change a complex process?

  Many facets and contributing forces
• Why is change a complex process?

  Different power structures: will almost always benefit one group more than another ; Different benefits lead to different structures
• Why is change a complex process?

  Different levels of society:

  Macro changes (new internet laws) may filter down to affect persons on the micro level (changing behaviours when using the internet)

  Meso changes can affect micro and macro levels of society
• What is evolutionary change?

  The process of structural change that creates a slow alteration in the institutions or social roles of society that are then integrated into that society
• Evolutionary change is characterized by incremental alterations that accumulate over a long period of time.
• Evolutionary change is a process rather than an 'event'.
• Evolutionary change is large scale in nature.