Republic of the Philippines

Don Honorio Ventura State University

College of Social Sciences and Philosophy
DEPARTMENT OF SOCIAL WORK

Course: Social Change and

Development Perspectives
(SW B6)

The FUTURE depends

“UNDERSTANDING on what we DO in
the PRESENT.
SOCIAL CHANGE AND – Mahatma Gandhi
SOCIAL
DEVELOPMENT” PETER PAUL R. CABRERA, RSW
Instructor
Understanding Social Change
- Social change is a change in the social structures
and functions of those Structures. The term social
change is also used to indicate the changes that
take place in human interactions and
interrelations. For example Change in Structure
and Functions of family.

- For Maciver and Page, Society is a web of social

relationships and hence social change means
change in the system of social relationships. These
are understood in terms of social processes and
social interactions and social organization.
Understanding Social Change
- Theorist of social change agree that in most
concrete sense of the word “change”,
every social system is changing all the time.
The composition of the population
changes through the life cycle and thus the
occupation or roles changes; the members
of the society undergo physiological
changes; the continuing interactions
among member modify attitudes and
expectations; new knowledge is constantly
being gained and transmitted.
Understanding Social Change
- According to F.E Merill, “Social Change
means that large number of persons
engaging in activities that differ from those
in which they or their parents were engage
some years before”.

- According to Jones, “Social Change is a

term used to described variations in, or
modifications of any aspect of social
processes, social patterns, social
interactions or social organization”.
Understanding Social Change
Social change occurs when societies change their
conditions according to their needs:

✓ Change in Climate
✓ Change in Material
✓ Change in Culture
✓ Change in Governance
✓ Change in Environment

All these things causes society to change into a new

and better living conditions to make life easier.
Understanding Social Change
- Change is the law of nature. What is today
shall be different from what it would be
tomorrow. The social structure is subject to
incessant change.. Individuals may strive for
stability, societies may create the illusion of
permanence, the quest for certainty may
continue unabated, yet the fact remains that
society is an ever changing phenomenon,
growing, decaying, renewing and
accommodating itself to changing conditions
and suffering vast modifications in the course
of time.
Causes of Social Change
- Social change is brought about not by one factor
alone. To be considered are interplay of various social
and non-social factors like geographical location,
topography of the land, climate, soil type, plant and
animal life, and other natural resources, the people’s
motor skills and other abilities, technology,
philosophical, religious, moral, and ethical values,
beliefs, social organization, and other social norms. It is
not only the occurrence and combination of these
factors in a given situation at a given time that brings
about social change. It is also important to take into
account their synchronization harmony, correlation or
reciprocity, coordination or unity, and strains, stresses,
dysfunctions.
Causes of Social Change

- The physical environment does not by itself

cause social or cultural change. It provides
conditions that may or may not induce
change. History gives innumerable
example of the physical environment on
change. Natural disaster have periodically
disrupted life for large populations – loss of
life, destruction of property, migration
patterns, reorientation to different life style.
Factors Influencing Social Change
- SOCIAL MOVEMENT AND SOCIAL REVOLUTION

A social movement originates when either people

are discontent and unhappy with the existing social
system or social order, when people try to establish a new
order of life or a new style of living or when the social
system is established in a condition of unrest.

According to Blumer (1946), social movements

derive their motive from dissatisfaction with the current
form of life and also from wishes and hopes for a new
scheme or system of living.

According to Turner and Killian (1957), a social

movement is a collective acting with some continuity to
promote changes or resist a change in the society or
group of which it is a part.
Factors Influencing Social Change
- COMMON MOTIVATION

In order to make a social movement successful

there is a need to coordinate local attempts and to
make a comprehensive formulation of the causes of
discontentment, the purpose and forms of action to
achieve the goal. A social movement breaks down
without a leader with leadership qualities and its
success also depends upon the co-ordination and
cooperation of the affected members.

A social movement which is the basic cause

behind social change stands on its motivational
base.
Factors Influencing Social Change
- COMMON NEED

Common motivation originates from common

need. When a particular social movement includes
several spheres of living like change in working condition,
right to vote, right to earn, right to information etc. it will
fight for broad changes in social system either through
evolutionary or revolutionary method.

Interested participants of the social movements are

usually those who are directly affected by the existing
social order. But sometimes social and human rights
activities take leading part in social movements without
being directly affected.
Factors Influencing Social Change

- SUFFERING FROM SUPPRESSION AND OPPRESSION

Suppression by the higher socio economic

class of the lower socioeconomic group, suppression
of the low caste by the high caste, by the high rank
employees of its low rank counterparts, rejection of
the genuine demands of the various socially
economically and psychologically disadvantaged
class, and many more problems of a caste and class
based society, racial and communal feeling
produce the urge for social change.
Factors Influencing Social Change
- IMPACT OF COMMUNICATION

Many social changes are influenced by various

electronic and mass medias like TV, Radio, news paper etc.
These agents highlight the woes and sufferings of needy
people and encourage a change in the social order.
People who read papers, listen to Radio or view television;
people who are educated are influenced. They actively or
passively directly or indirectly participate in the process of
social change.

These medias make the common man aware of their

problems, their rights and demands. Their clouded mind is
lighted through their information. Modern day information
technology has helped a lot in this regard.
Factors Influencing Social Change
- EDUCATION

Notwithstanding the fact that education is a

means of communication, education is discussed here
separately as a means of social change because of its
specific importance. Educated people are more
conscious and aware of the positive and negative
points of any social system.

Since education provides knowledge and

knowledge increases mans outlook as well as
rationality and judgment, education acts as a very
powerful force of social change.
Factors Influencing Social Change
- TECHNOLOGICAL CHANGES

Technological advances do influence

the life style, way of living, conduct and day-
to-day behavior of a person becomes more
urbanized than traditional and more
complex than simple. His needs, desire and
life style change suddenly. Under such
circumstances he experiences the urgent
need for a social change.
DEFINITIONS:
Social Welfare – covers practically
everything that men do for the good of
society. “An organized concern of all
people for all people.” Gertrude Wilson.
 “The organized system of social services
and institutions designed to aid
individuals and groups to attain
satisfying standards of life and health.
Walter Friedlander .
DEFINITIONS:
Social Welfare includes those
laws, programs, benefits, and
services which assure or
strenghen provisions for meeting
social needs recognized as basic
to the well-being of the
population and the better
functioning of the social order.
Elizabeth Wickenden.
UNDERSTANDING SOCIAL
DEVELOPMENT

- Social development is a multi-disciplinary and cross

sectoral field of practice that seeks to improve the
social and material well-being of people
everywhere (Estes, 1993b; Jones & Pandey, 1981; Lowe, 1995;
Meinert & Kohn, 1987; Midgley, 1995). Social development is
practiced across all geo-political borders and at
all levels of social, political, and economic
organization (Estes, 1990; Hokenstad & Midgley, 1997; Midgley,
1997).
UNDERSTANDING SOCIAL
DEVELOPMENT
- Social development is defined as an approach to
social welfare which offers an effective response to
current social problems (Midgley, 1995).

- Social development differs from social philantrophy,

social work and social administration in several ways.
Unlike philantrophy and scial work, social development
does not deal with individuals either by providing them
with goods or services, or treating or rehabilitating
them. Instead, social development focuses on the
community or the society, and on wider social
processes or structure (Midgley, 1995).
UNDERSTANDING SOCIAL
DEVELOPMENT
- The social development approach is also
comprehensive and universalistic. Unlike social
philanthropy and social work, social development
does not cater only to needy individuals but seeks
to enhance the well-being of the whole
population. Social development is also dynamic,
involving a process of growth and change. Unlike
the other approaches which are primarily
concerned with maintaining adequate levels of
welfare, social development transcends this static
posture by actively promoting a developmental
process.
UNDERSTANDING SOCIAL
DEVELOPMENT

- Social development is a process of planned social

change designed to promote the well-being of
the population as a whole in conjunction with a
dynamic process of economic development
(Midgley, 1995).
UNDERSTANDING SOCIAL
DEVELOPMENT
- The social development approach is also
comprehensive and universalistic. Unlike social
philanthropy and social work, social development
does not cater only to needy individuals but seeks
to enhance the well-being of the whole
population. Social development is also dynamic,
involving a process of growth and change. Unlike
the other approaches which are primarily
concerned with maintaining adequate levels of
welfare, social development transcends this static
posture by actively promoting a developmental
process.
UNDERSTANDING SOCIAL
DEVELOPMENT
- The social development approach is also
comprehensive and universalistic. Unlike social
philanthropy and social work, social development
does not cater only to needy individuals but seeks
to enhance the well-being of the whole
population. Social development is also dynamic,
involving a process of growth and change. Unlike
the other approaches which are primarily
concerned with maintaining adequate levels of
welfare, social development transcends this static
posture by actively promoting a developmental
process.
References:
 Midgley, 1995
 https://www.slideshare.net/shimilabraham1/social-change-68237326
 https://www.snhu.edu/about-us/newsroom/social-sciences/what-is-social-
change
 https://www.humanrightscareers.com/issues/what-is-social-change/
 https://triumphias.com/blog/social-change/
 https://www.psychologydiscussion.net/social-psychology-2/social-
change/social-change-meaning-types-and-characteristics/1446