Sociology 3260A/B Chapter Notes - Chapter 7: Selective Perception, Fatalism, Social Contract
3 Oct 2018
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Resistance to change: often change is resisted because it conflicts with traditional values and beliefs and/or prevailing customs, change may simply cost too much money, or it interferes with people"s habits and makes them feel frightened. Social factors: vested interests: change may be resisted by individuals or groups who fear a loss of power should a new proposal gain acceptance, social class: rigid class and caste patterns tend to hinder the acceptance of change. In highly stratified societies, people are expected to obey and take order form those in superior positions of authority or power. Social contract stage (legalistic orientation) and individual principles (conscience: the internalized-principle orientation stages, cultural factors, fatalism: feelings of resignation or powerlessness. Fatalistic outlook undoubtedly results in resistance to change, for change is seen as human-initiated rather than having a divine origin: ethnocentrism: constitutes a bulwark against change in that it encourages groups to consider themselves as "superior" to others.
