Sociology
Sixth Edition
Chapter Twenty Two
Social Change and the
Environment
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Chapter Overview
 How Social Change
Transforms Society
 How Technology
Changes Society
 Theories and
Processes of Social
Change
 The Growth Machine
Versus the Earth
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How Social Change Transforms
Society
 Social change - a shift in the characteristics
of culture and society.
 The first revolution allowed hunting and
gathering societies to develop into
horticultural and pastoral societies.
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How Social Change Transforms
Society
 The plow allowed for agricultural societies
to emerge.
 With the steam engine came the Industrial
Revolution.
 Modernization - the sweeping changes
ushered in by the Industrial Revolution.
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Theories and Processes of
Social Change
 Cultural Evolution - each society evolves
from simpler to more complex forms.
 As they evolve, they will reach a higher
state.
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Theories and Processes of Social
Change
 Natural Cycles - assume that civilizations
are like organisms.
 They are born, come to maturity, and
decline.
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Theories and Processes of
Social Change
 Conflict over Power - Karl Marx
identified a recurring theme in human
history.
 A struggle develops between a current
arrangement of power and a new social
order.
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Theories and Processes of Social
Change
 Ogburn’s Theory - proposed a view of
change that is based on technology.
 Technology changes by three processes:



(1) invention
(2) discovery
(3) diffusion
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How Technology Changes
Society
 Technology - it refers to tools, and to the
skills needed to make or use these tools.
 The chief characteristic of postindustrial
societies is technology.
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How Technology Changes
Society
 Technology greatly extends our abilities to
analyze information, to communicate, and
to travel.
 These new technologies allow us to do what
had never been done.
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The Growth Machine Versus
the Earth
 Of all the problems
we face, perhaps
those that affect the
natural
environment hold
the most serious
implications.
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The Growth Machine Versus the
Earth
 Environmental problems:





acid rain
the greenhouse effect
global warming
energy shortages
environmental racism
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Environmental Sociology
 Environmental sociology - its focus is the
relationship between human societies and
the environment.
 The goal of environmental sociology is not
to stop pollution or nuclear power.
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Environmental Sociology
 The goal is to
study how
humans affect the
physical
environment, and
how the
environment
affects humans.
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The End
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