We explain what social processes are and how sociology studies them. Also, what types exist and the characteristics of each one.
What are social processes?
Social processes are a concept of sociology, which denotes the dynamics of interaction of individuals and the different groups that make up a society as they establish and readjust their patterns of behavior, responding to each other's influence in a reciprocal manner.
This sounds very complicated, but in reality it means that we call social processes the dynamics within a society that determine the behavior of the different groups within it. These groups can compete and generate conflict (then called “negative”) or collaborate, exchange and show solidarity (then called “positive”).
Social interaction is a complex, vast and diverse process that occurs within societies and is key to their formation. Social interaction is always mutual, whether in peaceful or conflictive terms, and is the key to the circulation of concepts such as identity, belonging, etc. Human life is not possible without social interaction.
So, Sociology is interested in the patterns that appear in this interaction social. They can be recognizable on a large scale, since they organize human groups in specific ways and put certain types of discourse into circulation.
Precisely, these arrangements are social processes. They are usually studied from a historical and/or political perspective. as they have a significant impact on the way societies govern themselves and the fate that awaits them.
Types of social processes
There is no single, universal way to classify social processes, since they tend to be very specific and to understand them you must always pay attention to their context. But from a generalization and an abstraction, that is, from thinking about them in isolation, we could differentiate them into:
- Cooperation processes. Those that are synergistic in nature, that is, a sum of energies, and that occur between human groups whose interaction tends to mutual benefit. Cooperation occurs much more easily when there are common objectives, and in the long run it usually produces lasting bonds of solidarity.
- Accommodation processes. They are those in which a social adjustment occurs, that is, a rearrangement of social forces, real or imaginary, around a new configuration of power or resources. This is what happens, for example, with the arrival of migrants, and it usually implies a social exchange, a loss and a gain, which does not necessarily imply that it occurs in harmonious terms.
- Assimilation processes. Typical of situations of colonization, long-term domination or absorption of human groups within others, it is the fusion – not necessarily in terms of equality or equivalence – of different human groups. In other disciplines it is known as transculturation or acculturation, and it usually also involves a certain exercise of violence.
- Competition processes. As its name suggests, these are social processes of a conflictive nature, in which two or more human groups compete for dominance of society or a sector of it, whether in economic, political, social or even military terms. . Seen this way, wars are social processes of enormous competition and conflict. It is, if you will, the opposite of cooperation.
Continue with: Social problems
References
- “History and social processes” in Wikiversidad.
- “Social structure and social processes” (audio) on Canal UNED.
- “Social processes” in Bible Dictionary.
- “Social Processes: The Meaning, Types, Characteristics of Social Processes” in YourArticleLibrary.
