Lesson 6 - SOCIAL CONTROL AND SOCIAL CHANGE
TERMS TO KNOW
internalization--a process by which people accept as binding learned ways of thinking, appearing, and behaving.
Cultural relativism a point of view advocating that a foreign not be judged by the standards ofa home culture, and that a behavior or way of thinking must be
examined in its cultural context-that is, in terms of that culture's values norms, beliefs, environmental challenges, and history. Cultural diffusion the process by which an idea, an invention, or a way of behaving is borowed from a foreign soutce and then adapted the culture by the borrowing people Cultural lag a situation in which adaptive culture fails to adjust In necessary ways to a material innovation and its disruptive consequences
INTERNALIZATION OF NORMS
o There are two main ways in which norms are enforced-- internalization and sanctions. o An individual's following of a norm without actively thinking is internalization.
o Sanctions rewards or punishments used to enforce the conformity to norms.
TYPES OF SANCTIONS
o Positive sanctions= an action that rewards a particular kind of behavior.
o Negative sanctionsa= punishment, or the threat of punishment used to ensure conformity.
-The more important the norm, the more serious the negative sanction.
o Formal sanctions= reward or punishment given by a formal organization or agency, such as a school, business or gov. Can be negative or positive.
o Informal sanctions= spontaneous expression of approval or disapproval. Compliments, smiles, laughing, etc.
ENFORCING NORMS
o Social control occurs when norms are enforced either internally or externally.
-Levels of social control:
oSelf-control
o Authority figures w/ use of sanctions
o Social order becomes jeopardized when norms are not followed.
SOCIAL CHANGE
o All cultures encounter change at some point in time or another.
o When a change occurs in one area of society, it leads to changes elsewhere.
SOURCES OF CHANGE. VALUES AND BELIEFS
o The push for acceptance of an ideology leads to social movements
-Long-term conscious effort to promote or prevent social change
-Involve large numbers of people.
-Examples: civil rights, environmental , women’s rights.
SOURCES OF CHANGE- DIFFUSION
o Diffusion spreadin cultural traits from one society to another.
-More contact more traits borrowed.
-Certain cultural traits(especially technology) spread more rapidly than others
RESISTANCE TO CHANGE
o There is always some form of opposition to social change.
-Social changes are often the result of societal compromises.
1. Ethnocentrism
2. Cultural lag= occurs when certain cultural traits change quicker than others.
3. vested interests ->if an individual is satisfied with the way things are, they would be against change.