This theory is all about each individual having a mind of their own. Making their own decisions on free will. it is believed that we are all born "good" and that our morals and self values are created through our journey of growth. We are conditioned to learn behaviors yet ultimately have the decision of what to do and how we want to act as a individual. We are all born the same and develop our own views on society.
The 7 Social Change Theories Explained
After investigating the Seven social theories learned in this lesson i believe each of these theories helps to explain events of change through their own lenses.
They each encourage change to occur both negative and positve.
To truly try to grasp why society works the way it does and why change occurs it is important to look at the situation through a series of lenses.
A lot of these theories are very alike yet with specific differences that throw them in completely different directions.
Conflict is present everywhere in the world around us. We experience conflict on a daily basis, and it can be minor or major.
Conflict in a story is a struggle between opposing forces. Characters must act to confront those forces and there is where conflict is born. If there is nothing to overcome, there is no story. Conflict in a story creates and drives the plot forward.
Humanism
Impact on Social Change
It is believed that we taught morals, values and self discipline as we grow up. Humanist believe in order to create a caring well put together society children must be raised in a ideal society where they are taught important values and morals. People growing up in broken homes and third world countries would have different values and self value then some0me coming from a picture perfect family or america.
Cultural Materialism
In this type of conflict, a character must take on society itself, and not a single person. The character stands at odds with societal norms and realizes the necessity to work against these norms. This is an external conflict.
Give examples of man versus society conflict in the real world.
All societies must live within the constraints of their enviorment
When one part of society changes, or the environment changes, society must re adapt to its new surrounding. When one part changes the other must change as well to maintain the equilibrium.
Give examples of man versus society conflict in a literary work.
This theory can be broken down and looked through different perspectives. Cultural materialist believe all society is integrated in some way through their environment. Each society has a infrastructure, structure and super strucrure.
Cultural materialism is based on the idea that the environment is the foundation of society. This theory is the belief that each society must ultimately exist within the constraints created by its environment.
Cognitive Theory
This situation results from a protagonist working against what has been foretold for that person. While this conflict was more prevalent in stories where gods could control fate, such as in ancient Greek dramas, there are still examples of this type of conflict in more contemporary literature.
Impact On Social Change
Since in real life we can't say that such examples of man versus supernatural, there are some superstitions that can influence a person's life.
Give examples of these superstitions.
Opinions and self beliefs may be created through mental process linked with learned behaviors from specific situations.
Past experiences may affect peoples reactions to certain situations. To understand how you are feeling you put thoughts and words to that emotion.
Give examples of man versus fate conflict in a literary work.
The cognitive theory focuses on the mental process that occurs when somebody feels a certain emotion or opinion. The thoughts they put together may effects how they react to certain situations.
The congnitibe theory belives we learn behavior through peoples reacitons. We first msut understand our emtion to express how we are feeling. Positive and negative reifincforment. If a baby gets food everytime time it crys ir will cry when it is hungry.
Internsectionality
A more contemporary type of conflict, this situation results from humans involved in a struggle with man-made machines. This is an external conflict.
Affect on social Change
As this conflict is more science fiction based, in real life we can't find such examples.
However, as technology became a big part of our lives there are some situations that man made machines affects our lives.
Find such examples.
Different opinions are created off a self bias when not taking everyone's perspective into account. Some white person may idolize a person a african hates, this could be due to racist remarks that lead the coloured individual to hold anger towards this individual. Who we are effects the way we are treated. We learn different values in our own cultures that shape our views on society.
Give examples of man versus machine conflict in a literary work.
Differences would include topics such as gender, race, sexuality, disabilities, culture and origin.
The thweory of internsectionality focuses on seeing the world through diffrent lenses. These "lenses" includewhat opions and expericnes diffrent individuals gface that shape their views on the larger parts of society.
Feminist Theory
This conflict develops from a protagonist’s inner struggles and may depend on a character trying to decide between good and evil or overcoming self-doubt. This conflict has both internal and external aspects, as obstacles outside the protagonist's force them to deal with inner issues.
Impact on understanding social change
Give examples of man versus self conflict in the real world.
Examines social issues and focuses on the experiences of gender. This theory focuses on women's experiences, gender roles, social economic inequalities between men and women
Current examples/focuses include discrimination, rights and equal status of the LGBTQ+ community
Give examples of man versus self conflict in a literary work.
This theory is focused on the idea that women have been marginalized in society, it works towards reframing the study of sociology and reflects the realities and experiences of people beyond traditional constructs of gender, race and economic status.
This theory takes both a micro and macro approach. Macro - studies economic systems and societal ideologies that contribute to inequality. Micro - Studies communication, attitudes and values of both men and women.
Conflict Theory
In this type of conflict, a character is tormented by natural forces such as storms or animals. This is also an external conflict.
Impact on understanding Social Change
Give examples of man versus nature conflict in the real world.
Those with power have the most wealth, prestige and privileged and are able to limit the less powerful. This often ends with exploitation. This theory surrounds the idea that power is tightly controlled by the few individuals at the top.
Examples of this theory in real life include, rich vs poor, men vs women and government vs religion
Definition
Give examples of man versus nature conflict in a literary work.
The idea that power ( not functions) hold society together. This theory organizes society into two groups; those with power and those without.
This theory takes a macro approach, the conflict theory examines the roles of power plays in society and how it can be used to have control over others.
Structural Functionalism
A situation in which two characters have opposing desires or interests. The typical scenario is a conflict between the protagonist and antagonist. This is an external conflict.
Impact On Understanding Social Change
Give examples of man versus man conflict in the real world.
Institutions and people are interconnected, when one shifts, the other has to change in order to restore equilibrium. Functionalists compare society to the human body. Just like our bodies each part of society serves a function.
Examples to look at that follow this theory include, Education, health care, family, legal system, economy and religion.
Defintion
Give examples of man versus man conflict in a literary work.
Society is seen as a integrated whole, where all parts are connected. Every structure in society works together to function to maintain stability and well being of its members. This theory focuses on the roles people perform and the idea that behavior follows established norms, which help to maintain social order.
This theory is a Macro theory, it looks at how all structures or institutions in society work together for the society as a whole.
