Social Change

SANDERSON CHAPTER 1 –

SOME "TRANSLATION"

Social Change

Social change is studied differently by sociologists, historians, and

anthropologists modern instis unique events human instis

Evolutionary materialism -- a theoretical strategy - for explaining

large-scale (institutional) social change

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Propositions:

I. There are regularities in history that can be explained causally (nomothetic approach), Stability and change are both part of these regularities,

Social change is not teleological (progressing toward a given end, perfect society, etc.).

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II. Evolutionary processes occur at every level

of social organization.

Increasing complexity is a common result of

evolution, but is not inevitable.

There are both similarities and differences between social and biological evolution.

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Basic diffs between soc and bio evol:

a. bio evol leads in different directions (development of diff species)

soc evol leads in similar directions. (humans are one species with similar needs)

b. bio evol is based on random variations soc evol is partly purposive.

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c. soc evol often leads to similar results (because human problems are similar)

d. soc evol is much more rapid than bio evol

e. soc evol includes diffusion (culture passed from place to place, gen to gen)

f. natural selection is only part of the causal process of soc evol (culture too)

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Soc evol consists of processes different from

bio evol.

Co-evolution is important but we don't understand it very well yet.

Soc evol and individual development must be

studied separately (deceptive parallels) (“ontogeny recapitulates phylogeny”)

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III. The main causal factors of soc evol are demographic, ecological, technological, economic

Causal factors operate probabilistically – "A makes B more likely" (not "A always leads to B")

These factors are primary because they relate to meeting basic human needs.

Different patterns of social change occur because of

different combinations of these factors.

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IV. Much of soc evol results from attempts at adaptation (humans trying to meet needs).

Not all of these attempts work/keep working). Adaptedness refers to those that work.

Individuals are egoistic - and this is important in understanding social evolution - but to what extent is this a cultural product?

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V. Egoistic individuals create social structure and change but not necessarily as they

intend.

Egoistic individuals act partly in response to structures/changes that they have created.

Egoistic indivs always act within constraints of

their biopsychology and social structure.

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VI. The social structures created by individuals

are the units of evolution - institutions

Social change is a response to a balance of endogenous and exogenous factors.

Endogenous factors are those existing within a

society - Exogenous factors result from contact between different societies.

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VII. Soc evol is sometimes slow (gradualist)

and sometimes rather sudden (punctualist).

Soc evol is generally faster and more punctualist now than in previous eras -

(cumulative effects of culture)

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VIII. Evolutionary analysis is a form of historical analysis that must use theoretical analysis (synchronic data),

but only until the speculative parts can be replaced by empirical studies (diachronic

data)

Logical projection (circumstantial evidence) vs. physical evidence (e.g. archaeological)

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Next – Chaps 2 and 3