SOCIAL CHANGE

• SOCIAL CHANGE 


  the processes by which society changes beliefs, attitudes and behaviour to create new social norms (expected modes of thought and behaviour). 

  Social change can be positive, E.G. suffragette movement gaining votes for women. 

  Social change can also be negative, E.G the genocide inflicted upon millions by the Nazis. 
• HOW IT OCCURS


  Social change starts with a minority influence, who changes the majority influence over time (gradual process), incurring a strong, long lasting form of conformity, involving fundamental changes in belief systems. 
• HOW IT OCCURS 


  Individuals direct their thinking at understanding why a minority holds a particular viewpoint. A conversion to the minority takes place, as the individual looks at the issue in the same way as the minority. 
• HOW IT OCCURS


  Innovations occur and new ideas and behaviours are adopted as mainstream practices. The majority will conform to the new viewpoint through compliance (public not private). For a permanent change, people need to conform through internalisation (public and private). 
• 6 STAGES 


  • drawing attention
  • consistency
  • deeper processing
  • augmentation principle
  • snowball effect
  • social cryptomnesia
• Drawing attention 


  Segregation in 1950s America - places such as certain schools and restaurants in the southern states were exclusive to whites. Civil rights marches drew attention to the situation by providing social proof of the problem. 
• Consistency 


  People took part in the marches on a large scale. Even though it was a minority of the american population, they displayed consistency of message and intent. 
• Deeper processing 


   

  This activism meant than many people who had accepted the status quo began thinking deeply about the unjustness of it.
• Augmentation principle 


   

  ‘freedom riders’ were both white as well as black people who boarded buses in the south to challenge separate seating for black people. Many were beaten. The personal risk strengthened (augmented) their message.
• Snowball effect 


   

  Civil rights activists (E.G martin luther king) gradually got the attention of the US government. In 1964 the civil rights act was passed. Change happens bit by bit just as a rolling snowball grows as it gathers more snow.
• Social cryptomnesia 


  Social change came about but some people have no memory (cryptomnesia) of the events leading to the change.