Impact of Technology on Social Change: A Sociological Perspective

Running head: SOCIOLOGY
SOCIOLOGY
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1SOCIOLOGY
Introduction
Social change discourse within the realm of sociology typically initiated with grievances
or accusation about the deficit of uniformity concerning its connotation. In a highly concrete
sense social change signifies that diverse range of individuals are engaging themselves in
collective performance and relationships which vary from those their parents have been engaged
in some time ago (Cowan). Sociologist CW Mills revealed that events occurring in the cause of
time to the rule the institutions constituting a social structure along with their emergence
development and decline. Society has been identified as multifaceted network of patterns of
associations whereby members participate in varying degrees (Thompson). These associations
transform and behaviour develops at the same time. Individuals within the society of encounter
new situations to which they exhibit their responsiveness. Such situations however signify
factors as the emergence of new techniques new ways of living life changes in place of residence
and new innovations ideas and social values. The primary aim of this essay is to identify the
impact of technology on social change through a sociological perspective.
Discussion
Sociologists often claim that change within the society proceeds in accordance to blind
forces over which individuals have no regulation. These claims centre on the determining force
of cultural aspects as well as social structure such as technology, the stratification system or the
economic system (Greenfield). However it is important to observe that the process of social
change is certainly inevitable into the factors associated with the emergence of the inevitability
of conflict in the society technological determinations technological inventions along with the
emergence of social movements. Furthermore in direct sense technology can be signified which
procedures which are essential to create and implement certain tools (Rolffs et al.). The

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sociological value of technology primarily lies on the importance which sets framework for its
non-material culture. Technology typically influences the approaches through which individuals
experience occurring in surroundings and the way they associate those events to each other
(Cowan). Classic example of such perspective can be gender relations whereby it has been a
customary factor for men to play a highly dominant role in the society and subjugate women and
constrain them within the four walls of the house in order to enjoy patriarchal relations (Howaldt
et al.). However with the advance of technologies in recent times along with the elevating rate of
instantaneous communications such as the material culture these dominant customs have been
losing its ground and are regarded to be highly difficult to sustain. In contemporary era the
persistent embraced notions to dominantly with hold rights and authority's on the essentials of an
individual's sex can no longer sustain its position within the society (Moore et al.).
What is typically invisible in this revolutionary transition of the society is the critical role
of technology which unifies the world nations into a global community network. It must further
be underscored that regardless of its particulars technology has been identified to artificial means
of expanding human competencies (Burrell, Gibson and Morgan). Though human groups create
and implement technology however the fundamental attribute of post Industrial society further
identified as postmodern society is dependent on technological abilities which efficiently
broaden the abilities of individuals to evaluate information proficiently communicate and travel
places without facing any forms of challenges. Moore et al. claim that such advanced
technologies facilitate individuals to perform activities which have never been imagined in
history and to communicate almost instantaneously anywhere within the world and for the travel
greater distances at rapid pace and analyse white extents of information.
Ogburn and Dorothy distinguish technology has been vital determinant of social change