essay about change

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“If you do not create change, change will create you.” ~Unknown

We are often resistant to change , and we don’t realize that change itself is constant.

Even if you resist or avoid it, it will enter your life just the same. When you initiate the change yourself, it’s pretty easy to adapt to it, since it’s a wanted one.

But are the unplanned and unexpected changes bad? What if all changes were good by default?

I have been embracing change since a young age. During my life I have lived in five countries and in over twenty-five apartments, changed five schools and about five different careers.

At first it is a bit difficult and annoying, but after a while you get used to the change so much that if it doesn’t come for a while, you end up moving the furniture at home in order to feel something changing.

Changes connected with moving from country to country impacted my personality. Thanks to them I became more flexible and open-minded. Now I understand cultural differences and appreciate diversity.

Each of the career shifts brought knowledge and new experiences. As a result, apart from the professional experience I learned how to resolve conflicts with difficult colleagues and how to work with unbearable bosses.

Career related changes brought self-confidence. All those changes led me to the realization of what I wanted to do with my life.

The biggest change in life occured when I got married. The change brought love, peace, and comfort into my life. As a result, a new me was born—me being a wife, mother, and happy woman.

Finally, the big change I initiated by quitting a good job and embracing the passion of writing made me truly happy and satisfied.

In general, when looking back, I realize that all the good things in my life are the results of changes that occurred in the past.

People usually avoid changes and prefer to stay in their comfort zones , but I am true believer that once you get the courage and take the first step to change, your life will become much better.

Below are just few benefits of change:

1. Personal growth

You grow and learn new things every time something changes. You discover new insights about diffferent aspects of your life. You learn lessons even from changes that did not lead you to where you wanted to be.

2. Flexibility

Frequent changes make you easily adapt to new situations, new environments, and new people. As a result you do not freak out when something unexpectedly shifts.

3. Improvements

We all have things in our lives we’d like to improve—finances, job, partner, house, etc. All of us know that nothing will  improve by itself. We need to do things differently to make that happen. Without change, there’d be no improvements.

4. Life values

From time to time changes make you re-evaluate your life and look at certain things from a different perspective . Depending on what the change is, it may also reinforce your life values.

5. The Snowball effect

Often we give up because we cannot accomplish the difficult task of making a huge and immediate change. That is when small changes become extremely valuable. One shift at a time, small changes will eventually lead you to the desired big one.

6. Strength

Not all changes lead you to pleasant periods of life. Unfortunately we do not live in fairy tale and sad things happen, too. Overcoming the tough period will make you stronger.

7. Progress

Changes trigger progress. Things move forward and develop because of the them.

8. Opportunities

One never knows what each change may bring. When you turn from your usual path there will be plenty of different opportunities waiting for you. Changes will bring new choices for happiness and fulfillment.

9. New beginnings

Each change is a turning page. It is about closing one chapter and opening another one. Changes bring new beginnings and excitement to life.

10. Routine

Remember the movie Stranger than Fiction ? The main character Harold Crick does the same things in exactly same time for years. He leads a completely dull, extremely predictable, and uninteresting life. That is how your life would be without changes.

So next time you get the temptation to avoid or resist the change, aim instead to initiate the ones that will lead you to where you want be.

And remember—if there were no change, there would be no butterflies!

Old way, new way image via Shutterstock

About Ani Alexander

Ani Alexander has left her 10+-year career and is transforming her writings from hobby to profession. Her Blog is about how to increase possibilities of fulfilled, happy, successful life. Ani is also the bestselling author of  Emotional Moments , a book of short stories about life.

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When a Major Life Change Upends Your Sense of Self

• Madeline Toubiana,
• Trish Ruebottom,
• Luciana Turchick Hakak

Five research-backed strategies to help you embrace a new identity and move forward with confidence.

Whether we like it or not, change is a fact of life. Unfortunately, especially when a major change feels like it’s been forced on us, it can be easy to fall into identity paralysis: a feeling of stuck-ness in which your sense of self fails to keep up with your new role or situation. The authors conducted hundreds of interviews with people who had gone through various kinds of positive or negative identity shifts to explore why people experience identity paralysis and what can help to overcome it. Based on this research, they offer five tactical strategies to help anyone let go of the past, embrace a new identity, and move forward on a path towards growth.

Human beings have a complicated relationship with change. While it is both inevitable and essential for growth, change can also be deeply uncomfortable — especially if it feels involuntary, or out of our control.

• MT Madeline Toubiana is an associate professor and the Desmarais Chair in Entrepreneurship at Telfer School of Management at University of Ottawa. Her research program focuses on what stalls and supports social change. More specifically, she examines the role of emotions, entrepreneurship, institutional processes, and stigmatization in influencing the dynamics of social change.
• TR Trish Ruebottom is an associate professor at the DeGroote School of Business at McMaster University. Her research interests lie at the intersection of social innovation and organization, specifically exploring the ways we organize to create social change. Her recent work examines the role of entrepreneurship in stigmatized industries.
• LH Luciana Turchick Hakak is an assistant professor at the School of Business of the University of the Fraser Valley. Her research interests lie in the distinct but often complementary fields of diversity in the workplace, work-related identity, and stigmatized work, and she has specifically investigated these issues in the context of how immigrants fare in new work environments.

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Essay on A Positive Change in Your Life

Students are often asked to write an essay on A Positive Change in Your Life in their schools and colleges. And if you’re also looking for the same, we have created 100-word, 250-word, and 500-word essays on the topic.

Let’s take a look…

100 Words Essay on A Positive Change in Your Life

Introduction.

Change is a part of life. It can be challenging, but it often leads to growth. One positive change in my life was when I started reading books.

One day, I picked up a book from the library. It was a story about adventure and courage. I was instantly hooked.

Now, I read regularly. It has improved my vocabulary, imagination, and understanding of the world.

250 Words Essay on A Positive Change in Your Life

Life is a constant journey of growth and evolution. Positive changes are the stepping stones that lead to self-improvement and personal development. One such transformative change in my life was the introduction of mindfulness practices.

Mindfulness: A Catalyst for Change

The concept of mindfulness, derived from Buddhist traditions, emphasizes living in the present moment with non-judgmental awareness. It was during a particularly challenging phase of my life that I stumbled upon this concept, which eventually became a beacon of positivity.

The Transformation

The initial days of practicing mindfulness were challenging. However, as I continued to immerse myself in this practice, I began to notice a significant shift in my perspective. I found myself more in tune with my thoughts and emotions, which led to a profound understanding of my reactions to different situations.

Impact on Relationships

Mindfulness also greatly improved my interpersonal relationships. By being present and attentive, I was able to engage more deeply with people, fostering mutual respect and understanding. This positive change in my relationships was a direct result of my newfound mindfulness practice.

The positive change brought about by mindfulness in my life is immeasurable. It has not only enhanced my self-awareness but also enriched my relationships. This journey, though personal, is a testament to the transformative power of positive changes in our lives. The practice of mindfulness, thus, serves as a reminder that even in the face of adversity, we have the power to steer our lives towards positivity.

500 Words Essay on A Positive Change in Your Life

The catalyst of change.

The period of transition from high school to university was a significant turning point in my life. It was marked by a shift from a structured, familiar environment to an entirely new, independent setting. This change was daunting at first, but it eventually became the catalyst for my personal and academic transformation.

Academic Evolution

In high school, I was a passive recipient of knowledge, relying heavily on teachers for guidance. University, however, required a more proactive approach to learning. I was expected to independently research, analyze, and synthesize information. This change was initially overwhelming, but it gradually developed my critical thinking and problem-solving skills. I learned to question, challenge, and explore various perspectives, which fostered an intellectual curiosity that extended beyond the classroom.

Personal Growth

The power of adaptability.

The transition from high school to university was a significant change that profoundly influenced my personal and academic growth. It challenged me to become an active learner, fostered my intellectual curiosity, and enhanced my adaptability. This positive change has not only prepared me for the academic rigors of university but has also equipped me with the skills necessary to navigate the complexities of life. Therefore, I believe that change, though daunting, is an essential part of personal and academic development. It pushes us to evolve, adapt, and ultimately, to grow.

Apart from these, you can look at all the essays by clicking here .

Happy studying!

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Essays on Change

Faq about change.

Essays About Life-changing Experiences: 5 Examples

Discover our guide for writing essays about life-changing experiences that combine three different elements: narrative, description, and self-reflection. 

Each of us has gone through life-changing experiences that shaped us into the individuals we are today. Because of how powerful they are, these events make for fascinating topics in writing. This subject doesn’t only let us tell our life stories, and it also pushes us to evaluate our behavior and reflect on why an incident happened.

Attract your readers by creating an excellent introduction and choosing a unique or exciting encounter. Paint a picture of the events that describe your experience vividly and finish with a strong conclusion.

5 Essay Examples

1. long essay on experience that changed my life by prasanna, 2. life-changing events: personal experience by anonymous on studycorgi.com, 3. my example of a life-changing experience by anonymous on gradesfixer.com, 4. life-changing experience: death essay by writer annie, 5. a life-changing experience during the holiday season by anonymous on studymoose.com, 1. life-changing experience: defined, 2. the experience that changed my life, 3. life-changing events and how they impact lives, 4. everyday events that change a person’s life, 5. the person who change my life, 6. books or movies that changed my life, 7. a life-changing quote.

“Experiences can be good and sometimes terrible that results in a positive or negative impact on one’s life. Life is full of many unexpected challenges and unknown turning points that will come along any time. People must learn and grow from every experience that they go through in life rather than losing yourself.”

In this essay, Prasanna discusses her father’s death as her most challenging life-changing experience. She was cheerful, immature, and carefree when her father was still alive. However, when her father left, she became the decision-maker of their family because her mother was unable to.

Prasanna mentions that she lost not only a father but also a friend, motivator, and mentor. That sad and unexpected experience turned her into an introverted, mature, and responsible head of the family. Ultimately, she thanks her father for making her a better person, and because of the devastating incident, she realizes who she can trust and how she should handle the real world. You might also be interested in these essays about choice .

“In life, certain experiences present challenges that change the way people relate to themselves and their families. Certain life events mark life-changing moments that alter lives either positively or negatively. It matters how people handle their relationships at such critical moments.”

This essay contains two life events that helped the author become a better person. These events taught them to trust and appreciate people, be responsible, and value family. The first event is when their best friend passes away, leading to stress, loss of appetite, and depression. The second circumstance happened when the author postponed their studies because they were afraid to grow up and be accountable for their decisions and actions.

The writer’s family showed them love, support, and understanding through these events. These events changed their behavior, attitude, and perspective on life and guided them to strengthen family relationships.

For help picking your next essay topic, check out our 20 engaging essay topics about family .

“I thought it was awkward because he looked and acted very professional. In that moment I thought to myself, ‘this person is going to have a great impact in my life!’. I was very curious to meet him and get a chance to show him my personality.”

This essay proves that you should always believe in yourself and not be afraid to try something new. The author recalls when they had many problems and met an extraordinary person who changed their life. 

When they were in sixth grade, the writer had life issues that caused them to be anxious about any future endeavor. The author then says they don’t usually open up to teachers because they fear their reactions. Then they met Mr. Salazar, a mentor who respects and values them, and the writer considers him their best friend.

“When the funeral was over and he was laid to rest, I had a feeling I can’t even describe. It was almost an empty feeling. I knew I had lost someone that could never be replaced.”

Annie never thought that she’d go through a life-changing experience until the sudden death of her father. Her thoughts and feelings are all over the place, and she has many unanswered questions. She says that although she will never wish for anyone to experience the same. However, her father’s passing improved her life in some ways.

Her mother remarried and introduced a new father figure, who was very kind to her. Living with her stepdad allowed her to explore and do things she thought she couldn’t. Annie still mourns the loss of her birth father, but she is also grateful to have a stepdad she can lean on. She gradually accepts that she can’t bring her birth father back.

“This story as a whole has really changed me and made me an even better person in life, I’m so thankful that this happened to me because now I have a greater appreciation for the little things in life.”

The essay shows how a simple interaction on a cold day in December can completely change a person’s view on life. It starts with the writer being asked a small favor of an older man with Alzheimer’s disease to help him find his car. This experience teaches the writer to be more observant and appreciative of the things they have. The author was inspired to spend more time with loved ones, especially their grandfather, who also has Alzheimer’s disease, as they learned never to take anything for granted.

7 Prompts for Essays About Life-changing Experiences

Everyone has their definition of a life-changing experience. But in general, it is an event or series of events profoundly altering a person’s thinking, feelings, and behavior. Use this prompt to explain your understanding of the topic and discuss how a simple action, decision, or encounter can change someone’s life. You might also be interested in these essays about yourself .

For this prompt, choose a specific memory that made you re-evaluate your views, values, and morals. Then, discuss the impact of this event on your life. For example, you can discuss losing a loved one, moving to another country, or starting a new school. Your conclusion must contain the main lessons you learned from the experience and how it can help the readers.

Various positive and negative life-changing experiences happen anytime and anywhere. Sometimes, you don’t notice them until they substantially disturb your everyday life. 

To begin your essay, interview people and ask about a momentous event that happened to them and how it influenced their way of living. Then, pick the most potent life-changing experience shared. Talk about what you’d do if you were in the same situation.

Some life-changing events include common things such as marriage, parenthood, divorce, job loss, and death. Research and discuss the most common experiences that transform a person’s life. Include real-life situations and any personal encounters for an intriguing essay.

It’s normal to meet other people, but connecting with someone who will significantly impact your life is a blessing. Use this prompt to discuss that particular person, such as a parent, close friend, or romantic partner. Share who they are and how you met them, and discuss what they did or said that made a big difference in your life. 

Movies like “The Truman Show” help change your viewpoint in life. They open our minds and provide ideas for dealing with our struggles. Share how you reached an epiphany by reading a book or watching a movie. Include if it’s because of a particular dialogue, character action, or scenes you can relate to.

While others use inspirational quotes for comfort and to avoid negative thinking, some find a quote that gives them the courage to make drastic changes to better their lives. For this prompt, search for well-known personalities who discovered a quote that motivated them to turn their life around.  Essay Tip: When editing for grammar, we also recommend spending time and effort to improve the readability score of your essay before publishing or submitting it.

IELTS Essay: Change

by Dave | Real Past Tests | 6 Comments

This is an IELTS writing task 2 sample answer essay on the topic of change from the real IELTS recent exam.

Please consider supporting me on Patreon.com/howtodoielts to receive my full, exclusive IELTS Ebooks!

Some people prefer to spend their lives doing the same things and avoiding change. Others, however, think that change is always good .

Discuss both these views and give your own opinion.

Many people feel that change should be embraced without qualification while others believe it is better to avoid new situations. In my opinion, though change can be positive in certain contexts, it should not be pursued as valuable in itself.

Those in favor of change argue it is nearly always positive. Examples of good changes might include moving to a new city, starting a new job, finding a new life companion, or even something as simple as getting a pet. Each of these decisions is a means of addressing a desire or feeling of dissatisfaction. One change that has become prevalent in recent decades relates to nutrition and exercise. Such lifestyle changes are based on research that has definitively shown the importance of a healthy diet and identified foods low in certain kinds of fats and carbohydrates. Combined with weekly exercise, the results are superior fitness and improved longevity.

However, change is, more often than not, a means of disregarding one’s responsibilities. Many individuals change jobs or leave relationships simply because they feel they have lost their passion. This effort to re-energize is typically unsuccessful because outward changes do little to alleviate internal problems. Therefore, in the majority of cases, change is either an excuse to justify selfish behavior or a temporary and superficial solution. The best-known example of this would be the classic ‘mid-life crisis’ that particularly affects men as they age and decide their life is not fulfilling their most basic desires. Ultimately, most people would be better served by focusing on improving their current situation rather than seeking transitory and exaggerated new experiences.

In conclusion, change should not be sought as a means of escaping one’s primary duties. Change should be an organic process and it is therefore advisable individuals do not pursue it as a goal generally.

1. Many people feel that change should be embraced without qualification while others believe it is better to avoid new situations. 2. In my opinion, though change can be positive in certain contexts, it should not be pursued as valuable in itself.

• Paraphrase the overall essay topic.
• Write a clear opinion. Read more about introductions here .

1. Those in favor of change argue it is nearly always positive. 2. Examples of good changes might include moving to a new city, starting a new job, finding a new life companion, or even something as simple as getting a pet. 3. Each of these decisions is a means of addressing a desire or feeling of dissatisfaction. 4. One change that has become prevalent in recent decades relates to nutrition and exercise. 5. Such lifestyle changes are based on research that has definitively shown the importance of a healthy diet and identified foods low in certain kinds of fats and carbohydrates. 6. Combined with weekly exercise, the results are superior fitness and improved longevity.

• Write a topic sentence with a clear main idea at the end.
• Explain your main idea.
• Develop it with specific or hypothetical examples.
• Keep developing it fully.
• Vary long and short sentences.
• Finish the paragraph.

1. However, change is, more often than not, a means of disregarding one’s responsibilities. 2. Many individuals change jobs or leave relationships simply because they feel they have lost their passion. 3. This effort to re-energize is typically unsuccessful because outward changes do little to alleviate internal problems. 4. Therefore, in the majority of cases, change is either an excuse to justify selfish behavior or a temporary and superficial solution. 5. The best-known example of this would be the classic ‘mid-life crisis’ that particularly affects men as they age and decide their life is not fulfilling their most basic desires. 6. Ultimately, most people would be better served by focusing on improving their current situation rather than seeking transitory and exaggerated new experiences.

• Write a new topic sentence with a new main idea at the end.
• Explain your new main idea.
• Include specific details and examples.
• Add as much information as you can and make sure it links logically.
• Develop the example fully.
• State the results as well.

1. In conclusion, change should not be sought as a means of escaping one’s primary duties. 2. Change should be an organic process and it is therefore advisable individuals do not pursue it as a goal generally.

• Summarise your main ideas.
• Include a final thought. Read more about conclusions here .

What do the words in bold below mean? Make some notes on paper to aid memory and then check below.

Many people feel that change should be embraced without qualification while others believe it is better to avoid new situations . In my opinion, though change can be positive in certain contexts , it should not be pursued as valuable in itself .

Those in favor of change argue it is nearly always positive. Examples of good changes might include moving to a new city, starting a new job, finding a new life companion , or even something as simple as getting a pet. Each of these decisions is a means of addressing a desire or feeling of dissatisfaction . One change that has become prevalent in recent decades relates to nutrition and exercise . Such lifestyle changes are based on research that has definitively shown the importance of a healthy diet and identified foods low in certain kinds of fats and carbohydrates . Combined with weekly exercise, the results are superior fitness and improved longevity .

However, change is, more often than not , a means of disregarding one’s responsibilities. Many individuals change jobs or leave relationships simply because they feel they have lost their passion . This effort to re-energize is typically unsuccessful because outward changes do little to alleviate internal problems . Therefore, in the majority of cases , change is either an excuse to justify selfish behavior or a temporary and superficial solution . The best-known example of this would be the classic ‘mid-life crisis’ that particularly affects men as they age and decide their life is not fulfilling their most basic desires . Ultimately , most people would be better served by focusing on improving their current situation rather than seeking transitory and exaggerated new experiences.

In conclusion, change should not be sought as a means of escaping one’s primary duties . Change should be an organic process and it is therefore advisable individuals do not pursue it as a goal generally .

For extra practice, write an antonym (opposite word) on a piece of paper to help you remember the new vocabulary:

change embraced without qualification  new experiences and differences accepted without challenging their value

avoid  not do

situations contexts

positive  good

contexts situations

pursued  sought

valuable in itself good on its own

those in favor of  supporters

argue  say

nearly always usually

life companion husband/wife

even something as simple as  even for a minor area like

decisions  choices

means  ways

addressing  fixing

desire  need

dissatisfaction unhappy with

prevalent  common

recent decades  last 20 or so years

relates to  concerns

nutrition  diet

exercise working out

lifestyle  how you live your life

based on research  studies show

definitively shown  100% indicate

healthy diet  eating good foods

identified  recognized

certain kinds of  particular types of

fats  foods high in fat

carbohydrates breads, pasta, rice, etc.

Combined with  in conjunction with

results  what comes out of it

superior fitness  in better shape

improved longevity living longer

more often than not usually

a means of  a way of

disregarding  ignoring

lost their passion not caring about anymore

effort  try

re-energize get energy back 

unsuccessful  doesn’t work

outward changes  superficial differences

alleviate internal problems fix mental issues

in the majority of cases usually

excuse  justification

justify selfish behavior make you feel good about acting badly 

temporary  not permanent

superficial solution bad fix

best-known  most well-known

classic ‘mid-life crisis’  well-known instance of wanting change in your 40s

particularly affects especially impacts

fulfilling  satisfying

most basic desires fundamental wants

ultimately in the end

better served  best met

focusing on  caring more about

current situation  how things are now

rather than  instead of

seeking transitory  looking for temporary

exaggerated  out of control

sought  looked for

escaping  getting away from

primary duties main responsibilities

organic process  natural way

advisable  should happen

generally for all people

Pronunciation

Practice saying the vocabulary below and use this tip about Google voice search :

ʧeɪnʤ ɪmˈbreɪst wɪˈðaʊt ˌkwɒlɪfɪˈkeɪʃən   əˈvɔɪd   ˌsɪtjʊˈeɪʃənz ˈpɒzətɪv   ˈkɒntɛksts pəˈsjuːd   ˈvæljʊəbl ɪn ɪtˈsɛlf ðəʊz ɪn ˈfeɪvər ɒv   ˈɑːgjuː   ˈnɪəli ˈɔːlweɪz laɪf kəmˈpænjən ˈiːvən ˈsʌmθɪŋ æz ˈsɪmpl æz   dɪˈsɪʒənz   miːnz   əˈdrɛsɪŋ   dɪˈzaɪə   dɪsˌsætɪsˈfækʃən ˈprɛvələnt   ˈriːsnt ˈdɛkeɪdz   rɪˈleɪts tuː   nju(ː)ˈtrɪʃən   ˈɛksəsaɪz ˈlaɪfˌstaɪl   beɪst ɒn rɪˈsɜːʧ   dɪˈfɪnɪtɪvli ʃəʊn   ˈhɛlθi ˈdaɪət   aɪˈdɛntɪfaɪd   ˈsɜːtn kaɪndz ɒv   fæts   ˈkɑːbəʊˈhaɪdreɪts kəmˈbaɪnd wɪð   rɪˈzʌlts   sju(ː)ˈpɪərɪə ˈfɪtnɪs   ɪmˈpruːvd lɒnˈʤɛvɪti mɔːr ˈɒf(ə)n ðæn nɒt ə miːnz ɒv   ˌdɪsrɪˈgɑːdɪŋ   lɒst ðeə ˈpæʃən ˈɛfət   riː-ˈɛnəʤaɪz   ˌʌnsəkˈsɛsfʊl   ˈaʊtwəd ˈʧeɪnʤɪz   əˈliːvɪeɪt ɪnˈtɜːnl ˈprɒbləmz ɪn ðə məˈʤɒrɪti ɒv ˈkeɪsɪz ɪksˈkjuːs   ˈʤʌstɪfaɪ ˈsɛlfɪʃ bɪˈheɪvjə   ˈtɛmpərəri   ˌsjuːpəˈfɪʃəl səˈluːʃən bɛst-nəʊn   ˈklæsɪk mɪd-laɪf ˈkraɪsɪs   pəˈtɪkjʊləli əˈfɛkts fʊlˈfɪlɪŋ   məʊst ˈbeɪsɪk dɪˈzaɪəz ˈʌltɪmɪtli ˈbɛtə sɜːvd   ˈfəʊkəsɪŋ ɒn   ˈkʌrənt ˌsɪtjʊˈeɪʃən   ˈrɑːðə ðæn   ˈsiːkɪŋ ˈtrænsɪtəri   ɪgˈzæʤəreɪtɪd   sɔːt   ɪsˈkeɪpɪŋ   ˈpraɪməri ˈdjuːtiz ɔːˈgænɪk ˈprəʊsɛs   ədˈvaɪzəbl   ˈʤɛnərəli

Vocabulary Practice

I recommend getting a pencil and piece of paper because that aids memory. Then write down the missing vocabulary from my sample answer in your notebook:

Many people feel that c_______e should be e___________________________n while others believe it is better to a______d new s___________s . In my opinion, though change can be p_________e in certain c________s , it should not be p________d as v__________________f .

T_________________f change a_____e it is n__________s positive. Examples of good changes might include moving to a new city, starting a new job, finding a new l______________n , or e______________________s getting a pet. Each of these d_________s is a m_____s of a_____________g a d______e or feeling of d_______________n . One change that has become p_______t in r_____________s r____________o n__________n and e______e . Such l______e changes are b______________h that has d_______________n the importance of a h_____________t and i_________d foods low in c____________________s and c____________s . C______________h weekly exercise, the r________s are s___________s and i_________________y .

However, change is, m_____________________t , a_________________________g one’s responsibilities. Many individuals change jobs or leave relationships simply because they feel they have l_____________n . This e_____t to r____________e is typically u_____________l because o_______________s do little to a______________________s . Therefore, i_________________________s , change is either an e______e to j_______________________r or a t_____________y and s__________________n . The b____________n example of this would be the c_______________________s’ that p__________________s men as they age and decide their life is not f____________g their m___________________s . U___________y , most people would be b_______________d by f____________n improving their c____________n r_______________n s__________________y and e____________d new experiences.

In conclusion, change should not be s________t as a means of e_________g one’s p___________s . Change should be an o_____________s and it is therefore a__________e individuals do not pursue it as a goal g_________y .

Listening Practice

Learn more about this topic by watching videos from The New York Times YouTube channel below and practice with these activities :

Reading Practice

Read more about this topic and use these ideas to practice :

https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/toxic-relationships/202104/how-change-your-attachment-style-and-your-relationships

Speaking Practice

Practice with the following speaking questions from the real IELTS speaking exam :

Talk about a goal that you want to achieve in the future. Include:

What the goal is

When you thought of it

How you will accomplish it

Writing Practice

Practice with the related IELTS essay topic below:

The job market today is very competitive and it is best to choose a career or field of study early in order to get a good job later in life.

To what extent do you agree or disagree?

IELTS Writing Task 2 Sample Answer: Changing Jobs (Real Test)

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Some people prefer to spend their lives doing the same things and avoiding change. Others, however, think that change is always good. Discuss both these views and give your own opinion.

It is argued by some that people should not change the way of their lives and keep doing the same thing as they always do; however, others feel that there should be some alterations in one’s life since changing is a positive phenomenon overall. I believe that change is good for people’s mental health as it helps people to avoid the feeling of unhappiness.

On the one hand, some people are in favor of the same lifestyle and do not desire to distort their routes. This is mainly due to the fact that these people are risk-averse. In other words, they tend to avoid changing some parts of their life because they are uncertain what might be occurred later on in the future. By doing so, they would have zero risk since every step taken was planned and had certain consequences. Another factor is due to delight over their lifestyle. They are just as happy as what they are doing and what their contribution to the world, and simply would like to pursue it. A happy doctor, for instance, is not interested in changing his lifestyle because he has a sense of accomplishment and is in favor of practicing the same until his retirement.

Turning to the other part of the discussion, some believe that individuals should not spend their lives as they are accustomed to doing so. Their notion is that a bit of change would not hurt anyone and people should be open-minded to the new adjustments. Living at the same pace in this world and keep practicing the same things for a long time cause mental problems later on in life. People might feel the monotonous pace of lifestyle and this might develop to major depression after some time, and hence they realize that they cannot get any joy even from the small things. As a result, some feel that change is good and necessary for mental health.

To conclude, there is a hot debate on whether people should opt for some changes in their life or avoid them all the time. I believe that although some risks or unwanted events might occur as a result of alteration, people give it a try and should not live their lives the same.

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Home Essay Samples Life

Essay Samples on Life Changing Experience

Speaking of topics that you may consider as a student, there is a lot to choose from. It can be your college experience or volunteering work that you have done that became a life-changing experience or something that you have seen or understood as a child. In either case, see our free life changing experience essay example to see how you can shape your thoughts correctly and follow the structure of academic writing. It must have a strong introduction with a hook, at least two body paragraphs, and a conclusion part that sums up all the ideas and thoughts that you have outlined in your paper. Just be yourself and think about what has inspired you in life or what events have helped to shape who you are.

What Experiences Have Shaped My Life

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The Moment That Changed Everything: an Unpredictable Nature of Life

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An Unforgettable Day: A Chapter Etched in the Tapestry of My Life

Life is composed of a tapestry of moments, each weaving a unique story that contributes to the fabric of our existence. Among these moments, there are days that stand out as unforgettable, leaving an indelible mark on our hearts and memories. This essay chronicles one...

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An Important Event in My Life: a Reflection

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A Turning Point: An Event That Changed My Life Forever

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My Memorable Experience and How It Has Shaped My Perspective

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A Life Lesson I Have Learned and How It Continues to Shape Me

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A Life Changing Experience: The Transformative Power of Challenges

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A Life-Changing Experience About Respect and Being Respectful

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"A Whisper Of AIDS" By Mary Fisher: The Life-Changing Experience

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Our Life Experiences: Who We Are

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The Potential Father Figures in Stevenson's Treasure Island

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The Lessons Applied to Experiences Learned from Rich Dad, Poor Dad

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My Life Changing Experience of Losing My Old Job and Changing Careers

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How Living Independently Changed My Life

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Life Changing Moment that Encouraged Me to Help People Suffering from Cancer

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Best topics on Life Changing Experience

1. What Experiences Have Shaped My Life

2. The Moment That Changed Everything: an Unpredictable Nature of Life

3. An Unforgettable Day: A Chapter Etched in the Tapestry of My Life

4. An Important Event in My Life: a Reflection

5. A Turning Point: An Event That Changed My Life Forever

6. My Memorable Experience and How It Has Shaped My Perspective

7. A Life Lesson I Have Learned and How It Continues to Shape Me

8. A Life Changing Experience: The Transformative Power of Challenges

9. A Life-Changing Experience About Respect and Being Respectful

10. “A Whisper Of AIDS” By Mary Fisher: The Life-Changing Experience

11. Our Life Experiences: Who We Are

12. The Potential Father Figures in Stevenson’s Treasure Island

13. The Fictional Recreation of Vasco Da Gama’s Trip

14. The Lessons Applied to Experiences Learned from Rich Dad, Poor Dad

15. My Life Changing Experience of Losing My Old Job and Changing Careers

• Perseverance
• Personality
• Career Goals
• Electric Car

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Opinion David Wallace-Wells

Food as You Know It Is About to Change

Credit... Alma Haser

Supported by

By David Wallace-Wells

Opinion Writer

• July 28, 2024

This essay is part of What to Eat on a Burning Planet, a series exploring bold ideas to secure our food supply. Read more about this project in a note from Eliza Barclay, Opinion’s climate editor.

From the vantage of the American supermarket aisle, the modern food system looks like a kind of miracle. Everything has been carefully cultivated for taste and convenience — even those foods billed as organic or heirloom — and produce regarded as exotic luxuries just a few generations ago now seems more like staples, available on demand: avocados, mangoes, out-of-season blueberries imported from Uruguay.

But the supermarket is also increasingly a diorama of the fragility of a system — disrupted in recent years by the pandemic, conflict and, increasingly, climate change. What comes next? Almost certainly, more disruptions and more hazards, enough to remake the whole future of food.

The world as a whole is already facing what the Cornell agricultural economist Chris Barrett calls a “food polycrisis.” Over the past decade, he says, what had long been reliable global patterns of year-on-year improvements in hunger first stalled and then reversed. Rates of undernourishment have grown 21 percent since 2017. Agricultural yields are still growing, but not as quickly as they used to and not as quickly as demand is booming. Obesity has continued to rise, and the average micronutrient content of dozens of popular vegetables has continued to fall . The food system is contributing to the growing burden of diabetes and heart disease and to new spillovers of infectious diseases from animals to humans as well.

And then there are prices. Worldwide, wholesale food prices, adjusted for inflation, have grown about 50 percent since 1999, and those prices have also grown considerably more volatile, making not just markets but the whole agricultural Rube Goldberg network less reliable. Overall, American grocery prices have grown by almost 21 percen t since President Biden took office, a phenomenon central to the widespread perception that the cost of living has exploded on his watch. Between 2020 and 2023, the wholesale price of olive oil tripled ; the price of cocoa delivered to American ports jumped by even more in less than two years. The economist Isabella Weber has proposed maintaining the food equivalent of a strategic petroleum reserve, to buffer against shortages and ease inevitable bursts of market chaos.

Price spikes are like seismographs for the food system, registering much larger drama elsewhere — and sometimes suggesting more tectonic changes underway as well. More than three-quarters of the population of Africa, which has already surpassed one billion, cannot today afford a healthy diet; this is where most of our global population growth is expected to happen this century, and there has been little agricultural productivity growth there for 20 years. Over the same time period, there hasn’t been much growth in the United States either.

How climate change could transform yields of two major crops

Projected change in corn and wheat yields in 2050, based on an upper-middle scenario for global warming.

Change in crop yield in 2050

Corn production in 2050

Drought conditions have already led Mexico to import a record amount

of corn in recent years. Climate change could further decrease its yields.

China is the world’s second-largest

producer of corn, but yields are projected to decrease across most of the country.

Wheat production in 2050

Pakistan, where wheat accounts for nearly two-thirds

of all calories

consumed, could

see sharp declines.

The U.S., one of the largest exporters of wheat, could see increased yields, especially in more northern latitudes.

Drought conditions have already led Mexico to import a record amount of corn in recent years. Climate change could further decrease its yields.

Rising temperatures could make the highlands of Peru

a more productive area for corn.

Pakistan, where wheat accounts for nearly two-thirds of all calories consumed, could see sharp declines.

producer of corn,

but yields are

projected to decrease across most of the country.

consumed, could see sharp declines.

Sources: Jägermeyr et al. (2021) “ Climate Impacts on Global Agriculture Emerge Earlier in New Generation of Climate and Crop Models ,” Nature Food ; World Bank; U.S.D.A.

Note: Yields shown are for the SSP370 middle-upper warming scenario and are compared with a 1983-2013 baseline.

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Home — Essay Samples — Life — Life Experiences — Life Changing Experience

Essays About Life Changing Experience

What makes a good life changing experience essay topic.

• Significance: Select a topic that holds personal significance to you. The more you connect with the topic, the more authentic and engaging your essay will be.
• Impact: Choose an experience that had a significant impact on your life. This could be a moment that completely changed your perspective or led you to make important decisions.
• Uniqueness: Avoid common or cliché topics. Instead, opt for something unique and unexpected that will capture the attention of your readers.
• Emotional connection: Select a topic that evokes strong emotions. Whether it's joy, sadness, or triumph, an emotionally charged topic will resonate with your audience.
• Growth and reflection: Focus on experiences that have taught you valuable lessons or prompted personal growth. This will allow you to explore your journey of self-discovery in your essay.
• Relevance: Choose a topic that is relevant to your intended audience. Consider what aspects of your experience will resonate with them and make your essay relatable.

Best life changing experience essay topics

• The moment I discovered my passion for [insert hobby or interest].
• Escaping the grips of fear: How I conquered my biggest phobia.
• A chance encounter that changed the course of my life.
• The transformative power of traveling solo.
• Overcoming adversity: How I triumphed over a major life setback.
• The day I realized the importance of self-love and acceptance.
• Unveiling my hidden talent: Discovering my artistic side.
• The unexpected friendship that taught me the true meaning of loyalty.
• From failure to success: How I turned my biggest mistake into an opportunity.
• The life-altering impact of volunteering in a third-world country.
• Embracing vulnerability: How sharing my story empowered me.
• The transformative power of forgiveness: Healing old wounds.
• Breaking free from societal expectations: Embracing my true identity.
• The day I let go of toxic relationships and embraced self-care.
• From scarcity to abundance: Overcoming financial struggles.
• The power of mentorship: How a guiding figure changed my life.
• A life-changing decision: Choosing passion over stability.
• The moment I discovered my purpose in life.
• The unexpected life lessons learned from a pet.
• Embracing my roots: Reconnecting with my cultural heritage.

Best life changing experience essay questions

• How did this experience shape your perspective on life?
• What were the major challenges you faced during this transformative journey?
• In what ways did this experience inspire personal growth and self-discovery?
• How did this life-changing event impact your relationships with others?
• What lessons did you learn from this experience that you will carry with you forever?
• How did this event challenge your beliefs or values, and what did you learn from that?
• What steps did you take to overcome obstacles and achieve personal transformation?
• Describe the emotions you felt throughout this life-changing experience and how they evolved over time.
• How did this experience alter your goals and aspirations for the future?
• Reflecting on this transformative journey, what advice would you give to others facing similar circumstances?

Life changing experience essay prompts

• Imagine you wake up tomorrow with the ability to speak a new language fluently. How would this newfound skill change your life and impact your interactions with others?
• Write about a time when you had to step out of your comfort zone and face a fear head-on. How did this experience shape your outlook on life?
• If you could relive one day from your past, which day would you choose and why? How would you make different choices or approach the situation differently?
• Reflect on a moment when you had to make a difficult decision that ultimately changed the course of your life. What factors did you consider, and how did this decision impact your journey?
• Describe a time when you found inspiration in an unexpected place. How did this newfound inspiration ignite a transformation in your life?

Writing life changing experience essay FAQ

Q: What is a life changing experience essay?

A: A life changing experience essay is a personal narrative that focuses on a specific event or moment that had a profound impact on the writer's life.

Q: How do I choose a topic for a life changing experience essay?

A: To choose a topic, reflect on significant moments in your life, considering their impact, uniqueness, emotional connection, and relevance to your audience.

Q: Can I write about a negative life-changing experience?

A: Absolutely! Life-changing experiences can be both positive and negative. The key is to focus on the growth and lessons learned from the experience.

Q: How can I make my essay stand out?

A: Select a unique and unexpected topic, evoke emotions, and incorporate personal reflection and growth. Avoid clichés and strive for authenticity.

Q: Can I use creative writing techniques in my life changing experience essay?

A: Yes! Creative writing techniques such as vivid descriptions, dialogue, and storytelling can enhance the impact and engagement of your essay.

Q: Should I include a moral or lesson in my essay?

A: While it's not necessary, sharing the lessons you learned from your experience can add depth and significance to your essay.

Q: How long should a life changing experience essay be?

A: The length of your essay can vary depending on the requirements. However, aim for a concise and impactful essay that captures the essence of your experience.

Q: Can I seek feedback on my essay before submitting it?

A: Absolutely! Seeking feedback from trusted individuals can provide valuable insights and help you refine your essay for maximum impact.

Q: Can I include humor in my life changing experience essay?

A: Yes, if appropriate to your topic and writing style. However, ensure that the humor enhances the overall message and impact of your essay.

Q: How can I conclude my life changing experience essay effectively?

A: Conclude by summarizing the key lessons learned or personal growth experienced, leaving the reader with a lasting impression of your transformative journey.

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Essay on social change: meaning, characteristics and other details.

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Here is your essay on Social Change! 

Introduction:

Change is the internal law. History and science bear ample testimony to the fact that change is the law of life. Stagnation is death. They tell us stories of man’s rise and growth from the Paleolithic age to the Neolithic age, then to the Stone Age and next to the copper age etc. On the stage of the world, scenes follow scenes, acts follow acts, and drama follows drama. Nothing stands still.

Image Courtesy : 2.bp.blogspot.com/_1-xvEOICRwA/SHQeR5CcI3I/AAAAAAAAAVs/OUtRL2GLZXg/s1600-h/PontmorlaisWest_CircusParade_1948-49_CliveArthur.jpg

The wheel of time moves on and on. The old dies and the young steps into the world. We ring out the old and ring in the new. A child changes into a boy, a boy into a youth and then into a man. The bud changes into a flower. The dawn turns into morning, morning into noon, noon into afternoon and afternoon into night.

It is said, “Today is not yesterday, we ourselves change. No change is permanent, it is subject to change. This is observed in all spares of activity. Change indeed is painful, yet needful”. Flowing water is wholesome, and stagnant water is poisonous. Only when it flows through and alters with changes, it is able to refresh and recreate.

Change is an ever-present phenomenon. It is the law of nature. Society is not at all a static phenomenon, but it is a dynamic entity. It is an ongoing process. The social structure is subject to incessant changes. Individuals may strive for stability, yet the fact remains that society is an every changing phenomenon; growing, decaying, renewing and accommodating itself to changing conditions.

The human composition of societies changes over time, technologies expand, ideologies and values take on new components; institutional functions and structures undergo reshaping. Hence, no society remains complete static. Incessant changeability is very inherent nature of human society.

A social structure is a nexus of present relationships. It exists because social beings seek to maintain it. It continues to exist because men demand its continuance. But the existing social structure is influenced by many factors and forces that inevitably cause it to change. Society is thus subject to continuous change.

The change of man and society has been the central and quite dominant concern of sociology right from the time when it emerged as branch of learning. The concern for social change is of great importance not only in studying past changes but also in investigating ‘future’ developments.

Meaning of Social Change :

Change implies all variations in human societies. When changes occur in the modes of living of individuals and social relation gets influenced, such changes are called social changes.

Social change refers to the modifications which take place in life pattern of people. It occurs because all societies are in a constant state of disequilibrium.

The word ‘change’ denotes a difference in anything observed over some period of time. Hence, social change would mean observable differences in any social phenomena over any period of time.

Social change is the change in society and society is a web of social relationships. Hence, social change is a change in social relationships. Social relationships are social processes, social patterns and social interactions. These include the mutual activities and relations of the various parts of the society. Thus, the term ‘social change’ is used to describe variations of any aspect of social processes, social patterns, social interaction or social organization.

Social change may be defined as changes in the social organization, that is, the structure and functions of the society.

Whenever one finds that a large number of persons are engaged in activities that differ from those which their immediate forefathers were engaged in some time before, one finds a social change.

Whenever human behaviour is in the process of modification, one finds that social change is occurring. Human society is constituted of human beings. Social change means human change, since men are human beings. To change society, as says Davis, is to change man.

Theorists of social change agree that in most concrete sense of the word ‘change’, every social system is changing all the time. The composition of the population changes through the life cycle and thus the occupation or roles changes; the members of society undergo physiological changes; the continuing interactions among member modify attitudes and expectations; new knowledge is constantly being gained and transmitted.

Defining Change:

The question to what social change actually means is perhaps the most difficult one within the scientific study of change. It involves the often neglected query of what ‘kind’ and degree of change in what is to be considered social change.

Most analysts of social change deal with this question implicitly somewhere in their theoretical system or in the context of the latter’s application to some empirical case. For the present purpose it should suffice to examine definitions that are frequently used to conceptualise change.

According to Jones “Social change is a term used to describe variations in, or modifications of any aspect of social processes, social patterns, social interaction or social organization”.

As Kingsley Davis says, “By Social change is meant only such alternations as occur in social organization – that is, the structure and functions of society”.

According to Maclver and Page, “Social change refers to a process responsive to many types of changes; to changes the man in made condition of life; to changes in the attitudes and beliefs of men, and to the changes that go beyond the human control to the biological and the physical nature of things”.

Morris Ginsberg defines, “By social change, I understand a change in social structure, e.g., the size of the society, the composition or the balance of its parts or the type of its organization”.

P. Fairchild defines social change as “variations or modifications in any aspects of social process, pattern or form.

B. Kuppuswamy says, “Social change may be defined as the process in which is discernible significant alternation in the structure and functioning of a particular social system”.

H.M. Johnson says, “Social change is either change in the structure or quasi- structural aspects of a system of change in the relative importance of coexisting structural pattern”.

According to Merrill and Eldredge, “Change means that large number of persons are engaging in activities that differ from those which they or their immediate forefathers engaged in some time before”.

Anderson and Parker define, “Social change involves alternations in the structure or functioning of societal forms or processes themselves”.

According to M.D. Jenson, “Social change may be defined as modification in ways of doing and thinking of people.

As H.T. Mazumdar says, “Social change may be defined as a new fashion or mode, either modifying or replacing the old, in the life of people or in the operation of a society”.

According Gillin and Gillin, “Social changes are variations from the accepted modes of life; whether due to alternation in geographical conditions, in cultural equipment, composition of the population or ideologies and brought about by diffusion, or inventions within the group.

By analyzing all the definitions mentioned above, we reach at the conclusion that the two type of changes should be treated as two facts of the same social phenomenon. Two type of changes are e.g. (i) changes in the structure of society, (ii) changes in the values and social norms which bind the people together and help to maintain social order. These two type of changes should not, however, be treated separately because a change in one automatically induces changes in the other.

For example, a change in the attitude of the people may bring about changes in the social structure. Towards the close of the 19 century, there was a tendency in the countries of Western Europe for families to grow smaller in size. There is a general agreement that this has been brought about mainly by voluntary restriction of births”.

In this case, a change in the attitude of the people is mainly responsible for change in the social structure. On the other hand, a change in the social structure may bring about attitudinal change among the members of the society. Transformation of rural society into industrial society is not simply a change in the structure of society. For example, industrialisation has destroyed domestic system of production.

The destruction of domestic system of production has brought women from home to factory and office. The employment of women gave them a new independent outlook. The attitude of independence instead of dependence upon men has become the trait of women’s personally. Hence, these two type of changes should not be treated separately but both of them should be studied together.

The problem of social change is one of the central foci of sociological inquiry. It is so complex and so significant in the life of individual and of society that we have to explore the ‘why’ and ‘how’ of social change in all its ramifications.

Characteristics of Social Change :

The fact of social change has fascinated the keenest minds and still poses some of the great unsolved problems in social sciences. The phenomenon of social change is not simple but complex. It is difficult to understand this in its entirety. The unsolved problems are always pressurising us to find an appropriate answer. To understand social change well, we have to analyse the nature of social change which are as follows:

1. Social Change is Social:

Society is a “web of social relationships” and hence social change obviously means a change in the system of social relationships. Social relationships are understood in terms of social processes and social interactions and social organizations.

Thus, the term social change is used to describe variation in social interactions, processes and social organizations. Only that change can be called social change whose influence can be felt in a community form. The changes that have significance for all or considerable segment of population can be considered as social change.

2. Social Change is Universal:

Change is the universal law of nature. The social structure, social organization and social institutions are all dynamic. Social change occurs in all societies and at all times. No society remains completely static.

Each society, no matter how traditional and conservative, is constantly undergoing change. Just as man’s life cannot remain static, so does society of all places and times. Here adjustment take place and here conflict breaks down adjustment. Here there is revolution and here consent. Here men desire for achieving new goals, and here they return to old ones.

3. Social Change occurs as an Essential law:

Change is the law of nature. Social change is also natural. Change is an unavoidable and unchangeable law of nature. By nature we desire change. Our needs keep on changing to satisfy our desire for change and to satisfy these needs, social change becomes a necessity. The truth is that we are anxiously waiting for a change. According to Green, “The enthusiastic response of change has become almost way of life.

4. Social Change is Continuous:

Society is an ever-changing phenomenon. It is undergoing endless changes. It is an “ongoing process”. These changes cannot be stopped. Society is subject to continuous change. Here it grows and decays, there it finds renewal, accommodates itself to various changing conditions.

Society is a system of social relationship. But these social relationships are never permanent. They are subject to change. Society cannot be preserved in a museum to save it from the ravages of time. From the dawn of history, down to this day, society has been in flux.

Social change manifests itself in different stages of human history. In ancient times when life was confined to caves (Stone Age), the social system was different from that of the computer age today. There is no fixity in human relationships. Circumstances bring about many a change in the behaviour patterns.

5. Social Change Involves No-Value Judgement:

Social change does not attach any value judgement. It is neither moral nor immoral, it is amoral. The question of “what ought to be” is beyond the nature of social change. The study of social change involves no-value judgement. It is ethically neutral. A correct decision on what is empirically true is not the same as correct decision on what ought to be.

6. Social Change is Bound by Time Factors:

Social change is temporal. It happens through time, because society exists only as a time-sequences. We know its meaning fully only by understanding it through time factors. For example, the caste system which was a pillar of stability in traditional Indian society, is now undergoing considerable changes in the modern India.

There was less industrialisation in India during 50s. But in 90s, India has become more industrialized. Thus, the speed of social change differs from age to age. The reason is that the factors which cause social change do not remain uniform with the changes in time.

7. Rate and Tempo of Social Change is Uneven:

Though social change is a must for each and every society, the rate, tempo, speed and extent of change is not uniform. It differs from society to society. In some societies, its speed is rapid; in another it may be slow. And in some other societies it occurs so slowly that it may not be noticed by those who live in them. For example, in the modern, industrial urban society the speed and extent of change is faster than traditional, agricultural and rural society.

8. Definite Prediction of Social Change is Impossible:

It is very much difficult to make out any prediction on the exact forms of social change. A thousand years ago in Asia, Europe and Latin America the face of society was vastly different from that what exists today. But what the society will be in thousand years from now, no one can tell.

But a change there will be. For example, industrialisation and urbanisation has brought about a series of interrelated changes in our family and marriage system. But we cannot predict the exact forms which social relationships will assume in future. Similarly, what shall be our ideas, attitudes and value in future, it is unpredictable.

9. Social Change Shows Chain-Reaction Sequences:

Society is a dynamic system of interrelated parts. Changes in one aspect of life may induce a series of changes in other aspects. For example, with the emancipation of women, educated young women find the traditional type of family and marriage not quite fit to their liking.

They find it difficult to live with their parents-in-law, obeying the mother-in-law at every point. They desire separate homes. The stability of marriages can no longer be taken for granted. The changing values of women force men to change their values also. Therefore, society is a system of interrelated parts. Change in its one aspect may lead to a series of changes in other aspects of the society.

10. Social Change takes place due to Multi-Number of Factors:

Social change is the consequence of a number of factors. A special factor may trigger a change but it is always associated with other factors that make the triggering possible. Social change cannot be explained in terms of one or two factors only and that various factors actually combine and become the ’cause’ of the change. M. Ginsberg observes: “A cause is an assemblage of factors which, in interaction with each other, undergo a change”. There is no single master key by which we can unlock all the doors leading to social change. As a matter of fact, social change is the consequence of a number of factors.

11. Social Changes are Chiefly those of Modifications or of Replacement:

Social changes may be considered as modifications or replacements. It may be modification of physical goods or social relationships. For example, the form of our breakfast food has changed. Though we eat the same basic materials such as meats, eggs corn etc. which we ate earlier, their form has been changed.

Ready-to-eat cornflakes, breads, omelets are substituted for the form in which these same materials were consumed in earlier years. Further, there may be modifications of social relationships. For example, the old authoritarian family has become the small equalitarian family. Our attitudes towards women’s status and rights, religion, co-education etc. stand modified today.

12. Social Change may be Small-scale or Large-scale:

A line of distinction is drawn between small-scale and large scale social change. Small-scale change refers to changes within groups and organizations rather than societies, culture or civilization.

According W.E. Moore, by small-scale changes we shall mean changes in the characteristics of social structures that though comprised within the general system identifiable as a society, do not have any immediate and major consequences for the generalised structure (society) as such.

13. Short-term and Long-term Change:

The conceptualization of the magnitude of change involves the next attribute of change, the time span. That is to say, a change that may be classified as ‘small-scale from a short-term perspective may turn out to have large-scale consequences when viewed over a long period of time, as the decreasing death rate since the 1960 in India exemplifies.

14. Social Change may be Peaceful or Violent:

At times, the attribute ‘peaceful’ has been considered as practically synonymous with ‘gradual’ and ‘violent’ with ‘rapid’. The term ‘violence’ frequently refers to the threat or use of physical force involved in attaining a given change. In certain sense, rapid change may ‘violently’ affect the emotions, values and expectations of those involved.

According to W.E. Moore, “A ‘true’ revolution, a rapid and fundamental alternation in the institutions or normative codes of society and of its power distribution, is rapid and continuous by definition and is likely to be violent, but may well be orderly as opposed to erratic”.

‘Peaceful’ has to do with the changes that take place by consent, acceptance or acquisition and that are enforced by the normative restraints of society.

15. Social Change may be Planned or Unplanned:

Social change may occur in the natural course or it is done by man deliberately. Unplanned change refers to change resulting from natural calamities, such as famines and floods, earthquakes and volcanic eruption etc. So social change is called as the unchangeable law of nature. The nature is never at rest.

Planned social change occurs when social changes are conditioned by human engineering. Plans, programmes and projects are made by man in order to determine and control the direction of social change.

Besides that by nature human beings desire change. The curiosity of a man never rests; nothing checks his desire to know. There is always a curiosity about unknown. The needs of human beings are changing day by day. So to satisfy these needs they desire change.

16. Social Change may be Endogenous or Exogenous:

Endogenous social change refers to the change caused by the factors that are generated by society or a given subsystem of society. Conflict, communication, regionalism etc. are some of the examples of endogenous social change.

On the other hand, exogenous sources of social change generally view society as a basically stable, well-integrated system that is disrupted or altered only by the impact of forces external to the system (e.g., world situation, wars, famine) or by new factors introduced into the system from other societies. For example, technological transfer and brain drain, political and cultural imperialism may lead to the diffusion of cultural traits beyond the limits of single societies.

17. Change Within and Change of the System:

The distinction between kinds of change has been developed by Talcott Parsons in his analysis of change ‘within’ and change ‘of the system, i.e., the orderly process of ongoing change within the boundaries of a system, as opposed to the process resulting in changes of the structure of the system under consideration. Conflict theorists draw our attention to the fact that the cumulative effect of change ‘within’ the system may result in a change ‘of’ the system.

To conclude, some of the attributes most frequently used in describing change are: magnitude of change (small-scale, large-scale changes), time pan, direction, rate of change, amount of violence involved. These dimensions should not be taken as either/or attributes but rather as varying along a continuum from one extreme to another (e.g., revolutionary vs evolutionary).

Other categorization that have been devised involve division of changes on the basis of such characteristics as continuous vs spasmodic, orderly vs erratic and the number of people (or roles) affected by or involved in change.

Although no hard and fast categories have yet been developed into which we can fit different types of change, the use of the foregoing distinctions, may be helpful in clarifying one’s conceptualization of any type of change or at least, they can help one to understand the complexities involved in developing a definition of the subject of social change.

Social Evolution :

In explaining the concept of social change, sociologists from time to time used words and expressions like evolution, growth, progress, development, revolution, adaptation etc. discarding one in preference to the other.

Though the concept of evolution was known to the generation preceding the publication of Darwin’s “Origin of Species”, the notion of social evolution was taken directly from the theories of biological evolution. Evolution in biological science means the developing of an organism.

It is a process by which a thing continuously adopts itself to its environment and manifests its own nature. Consequently it is a change which permeates the whole character of the object. Many social theorists from Herbert Spencer to Sumner applied this conception of ‘organic evolution’ in various ways to the explanation of social change.

The term ‘evolution’ is borrowed from biological sciences to Sociology. The term ‘organic evolution’ is replaced by ‘social evolution’ in sociology. Whereas the term ‘organic evolution’ is used to denote the evolution of organism, the expression of ‘social evolution is used to explain the evolution of human society.

It was hoped that the theory of social evolution would explain the origin and development of man. Anthropologists and Sociologists wanted to find a satisfactory and significant explanation of how our society evolved.

They were very much impressed by the idea of organic evolution which explain how one species evolves into another, and wanted to apply the same to the social world. Hence, the concept of social evolution is quite popular in sociological discussion.

Sociologists adopted the word ‘evolution’ to convey the sense of growth and change in social institutions. Social institutions are the result of evolution. They began to work to trace the origin of the ideas, institutions and of the developments.

The term ‘evolution’ is derived from the Latin word ‘evolvere’ which means to ‘develop’ or ‘to unfold’. It is equivalent to the Sanskrit word ‘Vikas’. Evolution literally means gradually ‘unfolding’ or ‘unrolling’. It indicates changes from ‘within’ and not from ‘without’. The concept of evolution applies more precisely to the internal growth of an organism.

Evolution means more than growth. The word ‘growth’ connotes a direction of change but only of quantitative character e.g., we say population grows, town grows etc. But evolution involves something more intrinsic; change not merely in size but also in structure.

According to Maclver and Page, “Evolution involves something more intrinsic, a change not merely in size but at least in structure also”.

Ogburn and Nimkoff write, “Evolution is merely a change in a given direction”.

Ginsberg says, “Evolution is defined as a process of change which results in the production of something new but revealing “an orderly continuity in transition”. That is to say, we have evolution when” the series of changes that occur during a period of time appear to be, not a mere succession of changes, but a ‘continuous process’, through which a clear ‘thread of identity runs’.

Evolution describes a series of interrelated changes in a system of some kind. It is a process in which hidden or latent characters of a thing reveal themselves. It is a principle of internal growth. It shows not merely what happens to a thing but also what happens within it. “What is latent becomes manifest in it and what is potential is made actual.”

Evolution is an order to change which unfolds the variety of aspects belonging to the nature of changing object. We cannot speak of evolution when an object or system is changed by forces acting upon it from without. The change must occur within the changing unity.

Characteristics of Social Evolution :

According to Spencer, “Evolution is the integration of matter and concomitant dissipation of motion during which matter passes from an indefinite, incoherent homogeneity to a definite, coherent heterogeneity.” Society, according to his view, is also subject to a similar process of evolution; that is, changing from a state of ‘incoherent homogeneity’ to a state of ‘coherent heterogeneity.’

Evolution is, thus, a gradual growth or development from simple to complex existence. The laws of evolution which were initially fashioned after the findings of charters. Darwin, came to be known as social Darwinism during the nineteenth century.

Spencer’s point of view can best be illustrated by an example. In the beginning, the most primitive stage, every individual lived an individualistic life, trying to know and do things about himself alone.

Every man was more or less similar, in so far as his ignorance about organized social life was concerned. In this sense, the people were homogenous. At that stage, neither they were able to organize their social life, nor could they work together. There was no system; nothing definite, expect their incoherent or loose-group-formations.

Thus, they formed “an indefinite, incoherent homogeneity,” But gradually, their experiences, realizations and knowledge increased. They learnt to live and to work together. The task of social organisation was taken on, division of labour was elaborated; and each found a particular type of work which he could do best. All worked in an organized and definite way towards a definite goal. Thus, a state of “definite, coherent heterogeneity” was reached.

Herbert Spencer has prescribed four important principles of evolution. These principles are:

1. Social evolution is on cultural or human aspect of the law of change of cosmic evolution.

2. Hence, social evolution take place in the same way at all places and progress through some definite and inevitable stages.

3. Social evolution is gradual.

4. Social evolution is progressive.

In addition to this characteristics, other features of social evolution are clearly evident which are discussed below.

Evolution is a Process of Differentiation and Integration:

The concept of evolution as a process of differentiation cum-integration was first developed by the German Sociologists Von Baer and subsequently by Spencer and many others.

(i) In order to understand this statement, i.e. evolution takes place through differentiation and Integration; we have to study the history of a society over a long, period of time. Then we shall find that its associations, institutions, etc” are constantly evolving or developing.

In social evolution, new and ever newer circumstances and problems are constantly appearing. In order to cope with them, new associations and institutions are evolved. For example, a community in a town previously. When the town had been a small community, its management was the responsibility of a Panchayat or a town area committee.

Now that the town has become a big commercial centre, its management is in the hands of a dozer different committees. One of them looks after the educational facilities, another looks after the sanitation, a third is deputed to look after the octroi, while a fourth manages the markets and so on. In this way, this differentiation increases with the evolution of the town.

(ii) But without Integration, this differentiation cannot take one anywhere. Hence, synthesis along with differentiation is necessary. In urban areas one can find various sectarian associations such as Khandayat Kshatriya Mahasabha, Kayastha society, Brahman Samiti, Napita associations etc.

At the same time, one also can find institutions: ‘Arya Samaj’,” etc. which synthesize and compromise associations based on various caste and class distinctions. Today, while new nations are coming into being in the human society, equally strong efforts are being made to create a world society by compromising these nations.

(iii) By virtue of this double processes of differentiation and integration, the efficiency of the society is being constantly increased. Division of labour is the magic word of modern economic evolution. By an increase in the number of associations and institutions in society, work in various spheres is performed more successfully. And because of the process of synthesis, various spheres take advantage of each other’s efficiency also.

Maclver points it out in a very systematic manner. According to him, evolution or differentiation manifests itself in society by (a) a greater division of society by labour, so that thereby a more elaborate system of cooperation, because the energy of more individuals is concentrated on more specific tasks, a more intricate nexus of functional relationships, is sustained within the group; (b) an increase in the number and the variety of functional associations and institutions, so that each is more defined or more limited in the range or character of its service; and (c) a greater diversity and refinement in the instruments of social communication, perhaps above all in the medium of language.

Various sociologists have laid stress on one or another of these aspect of evolution. Thus, Emile Durkheim has insisted on the preeminent importance of the social division of labour as a criterion of social development. Other writers have taken the various aspects together and sought to show that society passes through a definite series of evolutionary stages.

Social Evolution does not always proceed by Differentiation:

Morris Ginsberg writes, “The notion that evolution is a movement from the simple to the complex can be and has been seriously disputed.” In every field where we find the forces of differentiation at work, there the opposite trends are also manifested. For example in the development of languages, where the process of differentiation has been stressed, we have many disconnecting facts.

The modern languages derived from Sanskrit Like Bengali, Gujarati, Telugu and Tamil cannot be compared in their structure with the richness and diversity of their origin. Here the process is not towards differentiation but towards simplification.

In the development of religion too, the transition from fusion to differentiation is difficult to see. On the whole we find that social evolution does not always proceed by differentiation.

However in spite of the various difficulties, the concept of evolution still retains its usefulness. Maclver has strongly supported the principle of social evolution. He has criticised the practice of believing social evolution to be imaginary. Social evolution is a reality. Maclver has given some arguments in favour of the reality of social evolution.

He emphasizes, if we open the pages of History, we find that in the beginning there was no differentiation of institutions within human society or the performance of diverse functions. But latter on, as culture and civilization progressed, differentiation increased and it is even now increasing. This historical fact is an evidence of the extent and element of reality in the principle of social evolution.

Social Evolution and Organic Evolution :

Though ‘social evolution’ is borrowed from the biological concept of ‘organic evolution’, still then these two terms are not one and the same. There are some basic differences between the two which are as follows:

Firstly, organic evolution implies the differentiation in the bodily structure, which is generally in the form of new organs to use for different purpose. But social evolution does not imply this. Man is the centre of social evolution.

He need not have to develop new organ to adjust himself with changed conditions of life. Because man has the capacity of inventing tools, making instruments and devising techniques to control the forces of nature and to adjust himself with the natural conditions. He can look before and after.

Secondly, in organic evolution, the transmission of qualities takes place through biological heredity, i.e. through ‘genes’. But social evolution takes place through ideas, discoveries, inventions and experiences. Here the changes are transmitted mostly through the mental ability and genius of man.

Thirdly, in case of organic evolution only the descending generation is affected by the structural modification, alterations. But in social evolution even the old as well as the new generations are affected by it. For example, invention of new techniques and devices is influencing the present as well as the future generations.

Lastly, the organic evolution is continuous. There can be no break in it. It is continuous because of the irresistible pressure within the organisation and of environment or natural forces. But such a continuity may not be observed in the case of social evolution. It is subject to disruption. It is an intermittent. It lacks continuity.

Social Change and Social Evolution :

Social change is an ever-present phenomenon everywhere. When we speak of social change, we suggest so far no law, no theory, no direction, even no continuity. Social change occurs in all societies and at all times. No society remains completely static. The term ‘social change’ itself is wholly neutral, implying nothing but differences that take place in human interactions and interrelations.

In explaining this concept of social change, modern sociologists from time to time used different words and expressions. Evolution is one of them. Many social theorists form Herbert Spencer to Sumner applied this conception of evolution in various ways to the interpretation of social change. But many modern theorists, particularly American, have abandoned the idea that social change takes place by evolutionary stages.

Evolution describes a series of interrelated changes in a system of some kind. It is a process in which hidden or latent characters of a thing reveal themselves. It shows not merely what happens to a thing but also what happens within it.

Evolution is an order of change which unfolds the variety of aspects belonging to the nature of changing object. We cannot speak of evolution when an object or system is changed by forces acting upon it from without.

The change must occur within the changing unity. Evolution is a process involving a changing adaptation of the object to its environment and a further manifestation of its own nature. Consequently, it is a change permeating the whole character of the object, a sequence in which the equilibrium of its entire structure undergoes modification.

According to Maclver, evolution is not mere change. It is an immanent process resulting in increased complexity and differentiation. He writes, “the Kernel of organic evolution is differentiation, a process in which latent or rudimentary characters take a distinct and variable form within the unity of the organism.”

Maclver further says, evolution or differentiation manifests itself in society by (a) a greater division of labour resulting in great specialization (b) an increase in the number and variety of functional associations, (c) a greater diversity and refinement in the means of social communication. “When these changes are proceeding, society is evolving”, concludes Maclver.

The concept of progress found notable expression in the writings of the French Philosophers such as Turgot, Condorcent and Fancis Bacon of the 18th century and has been a dynamic agent in the social activity of modern man. Sociologists such as Saint Simon, Auguste Comte and Herbert Spencer were the earlier exponents of the idea of progress. According Comte, it was the intellectual elite who could bring about an era of progress.

Etymologically, the word progress means “moving forward.” But moving forward or backward, progress or regress are relative terms. If it be remarked that such and such country has progressed, no meaningful information can be extracted from such a statement unless the direction towards which progress has been made be known.

In this way, progress is not mere change. It is a change in particular direction. The word progress cannot be appended to change in every direction. For example, if the condition of agriculture in a particular country worsens and a famine results, it is undeniably a change, but it will not be called progress. Progress means moving forward in the direction of achievement of some aim.

Different thinkers have defined progress in different ways. The important definitions are as follows:

Maclver writes, “By progress we imply not merely direction, but direction towards some final goal, some destination determined ideally not simply by the objective consideration at work.

Lumely defines, “Progress is a change, but it is a change in a desired or approved direction, not in any direction.”

Ginsberg defines progress as “A development or evolution in a direction which satisfies rational criterion of value”.

According to Ogburn, “Progress is a movement towards an objective thought to be desirable by the general group for the visible future.

Burgess writes, “Any change or adoption to an existent environment that makes it easier for a person or group of persons or other organized from of life to live may be said to represent progress”.

Progress means an advance towards some ideally desirable end. Since progress means change for the better it definitely implies a value judgement of highly subjective character. For value, like taste, has no measuring rod.

A particular social change may seem to be progressive to one person to another it may seem retrogression, because they have different values. The concept of social progress is, therefore, subjective but it has reference to an objective condition.

Criteria of Progress :

It is difficult to explain the criteria of progress which are relative to their temporal context. Social values determine progress. Whether any change will be considered as progress or not depends upon the social values. Social values change with time and place. The criteria of progress change with the change of social values. Hence, it is difficult to formulate a universally acceptable criterion of progress. However, the following can be tentatively suggested.

Health and Longevity of Life:

Average length of life is one index of progress whether the world is growing better. But it does not necessarily follow from this that a longer life must be more pleasurable and better.

In the opinion of some persons, wealth or economic progress is a criterion of progress.

Population:

Some people are of the view that an increase in population is a sign of progress. But over-population cannot be a sign of progress.

Moral Conduct:

According to some thinkers, moral conduct is the criterion of progress.

Since life has many facets, it is not possible to formulate any one criterion of progress. But is stated that the integrated development of society is the criterion of progress. Integrated development comprehends all mental, physical and spiritual aspects including above criteria.

Nature of Progress :

By analysing above definitions, we find that progress is a change, a change for the better. When we speak of progress, we simply not merely direction, but direction towards some final goal. The nature of the progress depends upon two factors, the nature of the end and the distance of which we are from it.

The modern writers today speak of social progress though they do not have a single satisfactory explanation of the concept. In order to have a better understanding of the meaning of progress, we have to analyse the following attributes.

1. Progress is Dependent upon Social Values:

Progress dependent upon and is determined by social values. It means that progress does not have precisely the same meaning at all times and places, because values change from time to time. There is no object which can uniformly or eternally be considered valuable irrespective of time and place.

Due to this reason, Maclver and Page have written, “The concept of progress is a chameleon that take on the colour of the environment when we feel adjusted to that environment, and some contrasting colour when we feel maladjusted.

2. There is a Change in Progress:

Change is one of its essential attributes. The concept of progress presupposes the presence of change. Without change, there can be no progress.

3. In Progress the Desired End is Achieved:

The progress is not mere change. It is a change in a particular direction. Broadly speaking, progress means an advance towards some ideally desirable end. It always refers to the changes that leads to human happiness. Not all changes imply progress.

4. Progress is Communal:

Progress from its ethical point of view, may be personal but from the sociological point of view, is communal since sociology is that science of society. In it, the individual is taken into consideration only as a part of society. Only that change, whose influence can be felt on entire community or society for its betterment or welfare, can be called social progress.

5. Progress is Volitional:

Progress does not come about through inactivity. Desire and volition are needed for progress. Efforts have to be made and when these efforts are successful it is called progress. It is an uphill task. It must be remembered that every effort is not progressive.

6. Progress is Variable:

The concept of progress varies from society to society, place to place and from time to time. It does not remain constant in all times and of all places. That which is today considered as the symbol or progress may tomorrow be considered and treated as a sign of regress. For example, in India, free mixing of young boys and girls may be interpreted as an indication of regress, whereas the same may symbolise progress in the Western Countries.

7. Criteria of Progress are Variable:

As stated earlier criteria of progress are relative to their temporal context. Social values determine progress. But social values change with time and place. Therefore, criteria of progress vary from place to place. Further, different scholars have prescribed different criteria of progress. For example, health and longevity have been considered as criteria of progress by some, while other have taken economic security, moral conduct as the criteria of progress.

8. Progress does not have a Measuring Rod:

The term progress is very much subjective and value-loaded. It is not demonstrable with a degree of certainty. We cannot show it to others unless they first accept our evaluations. We may or may not agree that there is progress, but we cannot prove it. Progress is a reality which is immeasurable and undemonstrable. Anything that cannot be demonstrated and measured scientifically cannot be rejected socially. It is especially true in the case of progress.

To conclude, progress conveys the sense of something better and improved. The advancement in technology was opposed to contribute to progress. But, these developments did not carry the sense of progress. It was advancement only in a particular direction.

The comprehensiveness of progress was missing. The extremes of poverty and health, of ignorance and enlightenment had continued to coexist as ever before. Progress as conceived over the ages past, is now considered to be illusive. The end of progress, it has come to be accepted, cannot be determined.

The ‘progress’ in the West did not meet all its ends. It did not bring the fulfillment, that was taken to be its true aim. For this, the use of the term progress was considered inappropriate. The application of the term fell into disfavour. More so, the growing belief that sociology should be value-free also discouraged the use of this expression.

Social Change and Social Progress :

Change is the basic content of both evolution and progress. But the term change is wholly neutral, only suggesting variation in a phenomena over, a period of time. The moment the specifications like direction, desirability, and value-judgement are added to change, another terminology ‘progress’ becomes necessary to describe the process of change.

Progress is not mere change. It is a change in particular direction. It cannot be appended to change in every direction. The word progress means moving forward in the direction and achievement of some desired goal. It is certainly a change, a change for the better not for the worse. The concept of progress always involves and implies value judgement. It is not possible to speak of progress without reference to standards. Not all changes imply progress.

But social change is a generic term, an objective term describing one of the fundamental processes. There is no value-judgement attached to it. It is true that some changes are beneficial to mankind and some are harmful.

But social change is neither moral nor immoral, but amoral. The study of social change involves no value-judgement, while the concept of social progress implies values judgement. Social progress means improvement, betterment, moving to a higher level from a lower level.

Social Evolution and Social Progress :

In the earlier theories of biological evolution, the concept of social evolution was intimately connected with social progress. For the social evolutionists of the nineteenth century from Auguste Comte to Herbert Spencer and Lester F. Ward, social evolution was, in effect, social progress. Modern sociologists, particularly Americans, do not hold this proposition.

They point out that evolution does not mean progress, because when a society is more evolved it does not necessarily follow that it is more progressive. If it would have been progressive, Maclver and Page remark that people in the more evolved society are better or better fitted to survive or more moral or more healthy than those we call primitive. Even if the opposite were true, it would not refute the fact that their society is more evolved.”

Social evolution should also be distinguished from social progress. Firstly L.T. Hobhouse says, evolution means a sort of growth while .social progress means the growth of social life in respect of those qualities to which human beings attach or can rationally attach value. The relation between the two is thus a ‘genus-species’ relation.

Social progress is only one among many possibilities of social evolution; any or every form of social evolution is not a form of social progress. For example, caste system in India is a product of social evolution. But it does not signify progress. Hobhouse concludes, “that it is good, the fact that society has evolved is no proof that it progressed.

Secondly, evolution is merely change in a given direction. It describes a series of interrelated changes in a system of some kind. It refers to an objective condition which is not evaluated as good or bad. On the contrary, progress means change in a direction determined ideally. In other words, it can be said, progress means change for the better not for the worse.

It implies a value-judgement. The evolutionary process may move in accordance with our notion of desirable change, but there is no logical necessity that it should. The concept of progress necessarily involves a concept of end. And the concept of end varies with the mentality and experience of the individual and the group.

The affirmation of evolution “depends on our perception of objective evidences, whereas the affirmation or denial of progress depends on our ideals.” It follows that evolution is a scientific concept and progress is an ethical concept. Evolution is a demonstrable reality; out the term progress is very much subjective and value-loaded and is not demonstrable with a degree of certainty.

While social evolution is clearly distinguished from social progress, we must not loose sight of their relationships. Ethical valuations or ideas (Progress) are socially determined and hence determine the objective phenomena (Evolution) of society. They have always been powerful in shaping and moving the world. In some manner they are active in every process of social change. “All social change has this double character.”

From the above analysis we find, though the above three concepts, social change, social evolution and social progress share many common reference points, they have different intellectual framework. They all articulate same consequential effects.

In all the three processes, one cause produces a number of effects, the effect and cause get intermixed to produce other new effects, again new connections between cause and effect are established and so on goes the process.

Factors of Social Change :

A sociological explanation of change refers not only to the structure that changes but also the factors that effect such a change. Social change has occurred in all societies and in all periods of time. We should, therefore, know what the factors are that produce change. Of course there is little consensus among the representatives of theoretical proposition on the sources.

Besides, the linear as well as the cyclical theorists paid little attention to the determinations of factors involved in social change. Morris Ginsberg has made a systematic analysis of the factors which have been invoked by different writers to explain social change.

Here, our analysis is confined to sociological implantation of the origins and causes of change. Cause will be defined here as set of related factors which, taken together, are both sufficient and necessary for the production of a certain effect.

Attempt has been made to take up each factors of social change by itself and find out the way in which it effects social change. These factors are treated independently, purely for purpose of understanding and we are not of the view that they can influence social change independent of other factors.

Technological Factor :

Technological factor constitute one important source of social change. Technology, an invention, is a great agent of social change. It either initiates or encourages social change. Technology alone holds the key to change. When the scientific knowledge is applied to the problems of life, it becomes technology. In order to satisfy his desires, to fulfill his needs and to make his life more comfortable, man builds civilisation.

The dawn of this new civilization is the single most explosive fact of our lifetimes. It is the central event, the key to the understanding of the years immediately ahead. We have already crossed the first wave (agricultural revolution). We are now the children of the next transformation i.e. the third wave.

We go forward to describe the full power and reach of this extraordinary change. Some speak of a “Looming Space Age”, “Information Age”, “Electronic Era”, or “Global ‘ Village”. Brezezinski has told us, we face a “Technetronic Age”. Sociologist Daniel Bell describes the coming of a “Post-Industrial Society”. Soviet futurists speak of the STR-‘The Scientific-Technological Revolution”. Alvin Toffler has written extensively about the arrival of a “Super Industrial Society”.

Technology is fast growing. Every technological advance makes it possible for us to attain certain results with less effort, at less cost and at less time. It also provides new opportunities and establishes new conditions of life. The social effects of technology are far-reaching.

In the words of W.F. Ogburn, “technology changes society by changing our environment to which we in turn adapt. This change is usually in the material environment and the adjustment that we make with these changes often modifies our customs and social institutions”.

Ogburn and Nimkoff have pointed that a single invention may have innumerable social effects. According to them, radio, for example, has influenced our entertainment, education, politics, sports, literature, knowledge, business, occupation and our modes of organisation. They have given a list consisting of 150 effects of radio in U.S.A.

The pace of change in the modern era is easily demonstrated by reference to rates of technological development. The technological revolution enabled human kind to shift from hunting and gathering to sedentary agriculture and later to develop civilizations.

Technological revolutions enabled societies to industrialize urbanize, specialize, bureaucratize, and take on characteristics that are considered central aspects of modern society. “Modern technology,” remarks the economic historian David Landes, “produces not only more, faster; it turns out objects that could not have been produced under any circumstances by the craft methods of yesterday.

Most important, modern technology has created things that could scarcely have been conceived in the pre-industrial era the camera, the motor car, the aeroplane, the whole array of electronic devices from the radio to the high speed computer, the nuclear power plant, and so on almost adinfinitum…. The result has been an enormous increase in the output and variety of goods and services, and this alone has changed man’s way of life more than anything since the discovery of fire…”

Every technological revolution has brought about increase in the world population. Development and advancement of agriculture resulted in the increase of population in the agricultural communities; rise of commerce gave birth to the populous towns, international trade and international contact and the industrial revolution set the human society on the new pedestal.

Technological changes have influenced attitudes, beliefs and traditions. The factory system and industrialization, urbanization and the rise of working class, fast transport and communication have demolished old prejudices, dispelled superstitions, weakened casteism, and has given rise to the class based society.

Ogborn even goes to the extent of suggesting that the starter in motor car had something to do with the emancipation of women in the America and Western Europe. Development in transport and communication has changed the outlook of the people.

Railways in India have played tremendous role in bringing about social mixing of the people. It has helped people to move out of their local environments and take up jobs in distant corners of the country. Movement of people from East to West and North to South has broken social and regional barriers.

There have come into existence new vocations and trades. People have begun to give up their traditional occupations and are taking to work in the factories and in the offices-commercial as well as Government. This has also made possible the vertical mobility.

A person can now aspire to take up an occupation with higher status than he could have ever thought of in the pre-technological days. Technology has brought about Green Revolution with abundance and variety for the rich.

The rapid changes of every modern society are inextricably interwoven or connected with and somehow dependent upon the development of new techniques, new inventions, new modes of production and new standards of living.

Technology thus is a great bliss. It has made living worthwhile for the conveniences and comfort it provides, and has created numerous vocations, trades and professions. While, giving individual his rightful place, it has made the collectivity supreme.

Technologies are changing and their social consequences are profound. Fundamental changes brought by technology in social structure are discussed as under:

1. Birth of Factory System:

The introduction of machines in the industry has replaced the system of individual production by the factory or mill system. It has led to the creation of huge factories which employ thousands of people and where most of the work is performed automatically.

2. Urbanisation:

The birth of gigantic factories led to urbanisation and big cities came into existence. Many labourers, who were out of employment in rural areas migrated to the sites to work and settled around it. As the cities grew, so did the community of ‘labourers and with it was felt the need for all civic amenities which are essential for society. Their needs were fulfilled by establishing market centers, schools, colleges, hospitals, and recreation clubs. The area further developed when new business came to it with the formation of large business houses.

3. Development of New Agricultural Techniques:

The introduction of machinery into the industry led to the development of new techniques in agriculture. Agricultural production was increased due to the use of new chemical manure. The quality was also improved by the use of superior seeds. All these factors resulted in increase of production. In India, the effect of technology is most apparent in this direction because India is preeminently an agricultural country.

4. Development of Means of Transportation and Communication:

With the development of technology, means of transportation and communication progressed at a surprising rate. These means led to the mutual exchanges between the various cultures. Newspapers, radios, televisions etc. helped to bring news from every corner of the world right into the household. The development of the car, rail, ship and aeroplane made transportation of commodities much easier. As a result national and international trade made unprecedented progress.

5. Evolution of New Classes:

Industrialisation and urbanisation gave birth to the emergence of new classes in modern society. Class struggle arises due to division of society into classes having opposite-interests.

6. New Conceptions and Movements:

The invention of mechanism has also culminated in the generation of new currents in the prevalent thinking. ‘Trade Union’ movements, ‘Lockouts’, ‘Strikes”, “Hartals’, ‘Processions’, ‘Pen down’ became the stocks-in-trade of those who want to promote class interest. These concepts and movements become regular features of economic activity.

The effects of technology on major social institution may be summed up in the following manner:

Technology has radically changed the family organisation and relation in several ways.

Firstly, small equalitarian nuclear family system based on love, equality, liberty and freedom is replacing the old, authoritarian joint family system. Due to invention of birth, control method, the size of family reduced.

Secondly, Industrialisation destroying the domestic system of production has brought women from home to the factories and office. The employment of women meant their independence from the bondage of man. If brought a change in their attitudes and ideas. It meant a new social life for women. It consequently affected every part of the family life.

Thirdly due to technology, marriage has lost its sanctity. It is now regarded as civil contract rather than a religious sacrament. Romantic marriage, inter-caste marriage and late marriages are the effects of technology. Instances of divorce, desertion, separation and broken families are increasing.

Lastly, though technology has elevated the status of women, it has also contributed to the stresses and strains in the relations between men and women at home. It has lessened the importance of family in the process of socialisation of its members.

Technology has effected wide range of changes in our religious life. Many religious practices and ceremonies which once marked the individual and social life, have now been abandoned by them. With the growth of scientific knowledge and modern education, the faith of the people in several old religious beliefs and activities have shaken.

Economic life:

The most striking change due to technological advance, is the change in economic organisation. Industry has been taken away from the household and new types of economic organisation like factories, stores, banks, joint stock companies, stock-exchanges, and corporation have been setup. It has given birth to capitalism with all its attendant evils.

Division of labour, specialization of function, differentiation and integration all the products of technology. Though it has brought in higher standard of living, still then by creating much more middle classes, it has caused economic depression, unemployment, poverty, industrial disputes and infectious diseases.

Effects on State:

Technology has affected the State in several ways. The functions of the State has been widened. A large number of functions of family, such as educative, recreation, health functions have been transferred to the State.

The idea of social welfare State is an offshoot of technology. Transportation and communication are leading to a shift of functions from local Government to the Central Government. The modern Government which rule through the bureaucracy have further impersonalised the human relations.

Social life:

Technological innovations have changed the whole gamut of social and cultural life. The technological conditions of the modern factory system tend to weaken the rigidity of the caste system and strengthen industrializations. It has changed the basis of social stratification from birth to wealth. Urbanization, a consequence of technological advance, produces greater emotional tension and mental strain, instability and economic insecurity.

There is masking of one’s true feelings. Socially, the urbanites are poor in the midst of plenty. “They feel lonely in the crowd”. On all sides, one is confronted with “human machines which possess motion but not sincerity, life but not emotion, heart but not feelings”. Technology has grown the sense of individualism. It has substituted the ‘handi work’ with ‘head work’.

It is clear from the above explanation that technology has profoundly altered our modes of life and also thought. It is capable of bringing about vast changes in society. But is should not be considered as a sole factor of social change. Man is the master as well as a servant of the machine. He has the ability to alter the circumstances which have been the creation of his own inventions or technology.

Cultural Factor of Social Change :

Among all the factors, cultural factor is the most important which works as a major cause of social change. Culture is not something static. It is always in flux. Culture is not merely responsive to changing techniques, but also it itself is a force directing social change.

Culture is the internal life forces of society. It creates itself and develops by itself. It is men who plan, strive and act. The social heritage is never a script that is followed slavishly by people. A culture gives cues and direction to social behaviour.

Technology and material inventions may influence social change but direction and degree of this depends upon the cultural situation as a whole. “Culture is the realm of final valuation”. Men interpret the whole world. He is the master as well as the servant of his own inventions or technology.

To employ Maclver’s simile, technological means may be represented by a ship which can set sail to various ports. The port we sail to remains a cultural choice. Without the ship we could not sail at all. According to the character of the ship we sail fast of ‘slow, take longer or shorter voyages.

Our lives are also accommodated to the conditions on ship board and our experiences vary accordingly. But the direction in which we travel is not predestinated by the design of the ship. The port to which we sail, the direction in which we travel, remains totally of a cultural choice.

It should be noted that technology alone cannot bring vast changes in society. In order to be effective “The technology must have favourable cultural support”. When the cultural factor responds to technological change, it also reacts on it so as to influence the direction and character of social change.

It may be noted that culture not only influences our relationship and values but also influences the direction and character of technological change. For example, different countries like Great Britain, Soviet Union, U.S.A. and India may adopt the same technology, but in so far as their prevalent outlook on life differs, they will apply it in different directions and to different ends.

The atomic energy can be used for munition of war and for production purposes. The industrial plant can turn out armaments or necessaries of life. Steel and iron can be used for building purposes and for warships. Fire can be used for constructive and destructive purposes.

For a better understanding of the relationship between culture and technology, let us analyse here the concept of “cultural lag”.

Cultural Lag:

The concept of ‘cultural lag’, has become a favourite one with sociologists, it is an expression that has a particular appeal in an age in which inventions discoveries and innovations of many kinds are constantly disturbing and threatening older ways of living. In this context, it will serve also to introduce the principle that cultural conditions are themselves important agencies in the process of social change.

The concept of ‘cultural lag’ was first explicitly formulated by W.F. Ogburn in his treaties entitled ‘Social Change’. Lag means crippled movement. Hence, ‘cultural lag’ means the phases of culture which fall behind other phases that keep on moving ahead.

Ogburn’s idea of ‘cultural lag’ is perhaps one of the most important concept influencing the fact of discussion regarding technology and social change. Ogburn distinguishes between “material” and ‘non-material’ culture.

By ‘material culture’ he means things which are ‘tangible’, visible, seen or touched like goods, tools, utensils, furniture, machine. But the ‘non-material’ culture includes things which cannot be touched or tangible such as family, religion, skill, talent. Government and education etc.

According to Ogburn, when changes occur in ‘material culture’, those in turn stimulate changes in ‘non-material’ culture, particularly in what he terms the ‘adaptive’ culture. According to Ogburn, material culture changes by a process which is different in pace from changes in non-material culture.

The larger the technological knowledge of a society, the greater the possibility of a new combinations and innovations. Thus, material culture tends to grow exponentially. Because society cannot develop methods of controlling and utilizing new technology before the technology is accepted and used. There exists a “cultural lag” in creating controls and altering social relationship related to new conditions brought about by new technology.

Cultural lag is due to man’s psychological dogmatism. He is wedded to certain ideologies regarding sex, education and religion. On account of his dogmatic beliefs and ideologies, he is not prepared to change his social institutions. The failure to adopt social institutions to the changes in the material culture leads to cultural lag.

But Maclver points out that “unfortunately it is often adopted without adequate analysis and consequently it has not been developed in a clear and effective manner. According to him, the distinction is not a workable one. Nor again should be assumed that, it is always the ‘material’ or that the main problem is one of adapting the ‘non-material’ to the ‘material’ culture.

Maclver also observes that the term ‘lag’ is not properly applicable to relations between technological factors and the cultural patterns or between the various components of the cultural pattern itself. He has used different words like, ‘technological lag’, ‘technological restraint’, for the resulting imbalance in the different parts of culture.

Kingsley Davis, in his ‘Human Society’ holds that the aspect of culture cannot be divided into material and non-material and that this distinction in no way helps us to understand the nature of technology. Other sociologists, Sutherland, Wood Ward and Maxwell, in their book ‘Introductory Sociology’ point out that Ogburn is guilty of over simplifying the processes of social change.

Social change is a complex phenomenon. The rate, speed and direction of social change is not the same everywhere. So it cannot be explained by simply saying that change first takes place in material culture and thereafter in non-material culture. Ogburn has taken an over simple materialistic view of society.

In spite of various shortcomings, Ogburn’s theory of cultural lag has been proved to be beneficial for the understanding of the cultural factor in bringing about social change. It has been acknowledged by all that there is an intimate connections between the technological advance and our cultural values.

Hence, we may note here that our culture, our thoughts, values, habits are the consequences of technological changes; the latter also is the consequences of changes of the former. Both technology and cultural factors are the two important sources of social change. The two are not only interdependent but also interactive. Man does not simply want a thing but he wants a thing which may also be beautiful and appealing to his senses.

Dowson and Gettys, in introduction to Sociology’, rightly remark, “Culture tends to give direction and momentum to social change to set limits beyond which social change cannot occur.

It is the culture which has kept the social relationship intact. It makes people think not of their own but also of the others. Any change in cultural valuation will have wider repercussion on the personality of the individual and the structure of the group. Every technological invention, innovation, new industrial civilization or new factor disturbs an old adjustment.

The disturbance created by mechanism was so great that it seemed to be the enemy of culture, as indeed all revolutions seem. The wealth-bringing machine brought also, ugliness, shoddiness, haste, standardization. It brought new hazards, new diseases, and industrial fatigue.

That was not the fault of the machines and power plants. It was due to the ruthlessness and greed of those who controlled these great inventions. But human values or cultural values reasserted themselves against economic exploitation. Culture began, at first very slowly, to redirect the new civilization. It made the new means of living at length more tractable to the uses of personality and new arts blossomed on the ruins of the old.

To conclude, social systems are directly or indirectly the creation of cultural values. So eminent sociologist Robert Bierstedt has rightly remarked, “What people think, in short, determines in every measure… what they do and what they want”. Thus, there a definite relation is a definite relation between changing beliefs and attitudes and changing social institutions. So Hobhouse says, there is “a broad correlation between the system of institutions and mentally behind them”.

Demographic Factor of Social Change:

The demographic factor plays the most decisive role in causing social change. The quantitative view of demography takes into account the factors that determine the population: its size, numbers, composition, density and the local distribution etc.

The population of every community is always changing both in numbers and in composition. The changes in population have a far-reaching effect on society. During the 19th century, the population of most countries of Western Europe fell down. During the same time also, the death rate of these countries declined. This double phenomenon is unprecedented in the history of man.

Population changes have occurred all through human history. It is due to various reasons such as migration, invasion, and war, pestilence, changing food supply and changing mores. There was depopulation and overpopulation in times past. The swift and steady decline of both the birth rate and death in the past 70 years or so witnesses to a great social transformation.

In a society where the size or number of female children is greater than the number of male children, we will find a different system of courtship, marriage and family disorganisation from that where the case is reverse. Women command less respect in that community where their numbers are more.

It has always been recognised that there exists a reciprocal relation between population and social structure. The social structure influences population changes and is affected by them. It is beyond doubt that economic conditions and population rates are interdependent. Increasing 254 Social Change interaction results from an increase in the size and density of population. Increase in population also leads to an increase of social differentiation and a division of labour.

With the changes in size, number and density of population, changes take place in composition. The most important reasons for the contemporary population explosion are the tremendous technological changes on the one hand and a most spectacular advance in controlling the diseases by science and preventive medicines on the other hand.

Advancement in science and technology is indirectly boosting the world population by delaying the death rate. For example, take the case of ‘Malaria’. This disease was responsible for the death of million of people in India and other countries.

But it has now been completely eliminated by destroying the malaria carrying mosquitoes with the use of pesticides. Surgery too has advanced so much today. The vital organs of human body such as kidney and heart can be transplanted or replaced when worn out.

The growth of population has given birth to a great variety of social problems such as unemployment, child labour, wars, competition and production of synthetic goods. It has led to urbanization with all its attendant evils.

Countries with growing population and relatively limited resources have an incentive to imperialism and to militarism. These attitudes in turn, encourage a further increase of population. Increase in population threatens the standards of living and thus inspires a change of attitude.

Due to unprecedented growth of population in the 19th century, the practice of birth control took a new development. This practice (use of contraceptive), in turn, had many repercussions on family relationships and even on attitudes towards marriage.

With a change in population, there is also a change in a pattern of ‘consumption’. Societies having large number of children are required to spend relatively large amounts of money on food and education. On the other hand, societies with large proportions of elderly people have to spend relatively more amount on medical care.

In some cases, population changes may initiate pressures to change political institutions. For example, changes in the age, sex or ethnic composition of a people of then complicates the political process of country.

Besides, there is a close relationship between the growth of population and the level of physical health and vitality of the people. Because there are many mouths to feed, none gets enough nutritious food to eat, as a result chronic malnutrition and associated diseases become prevalent.

These, induce physical incompetence, apathy and lack of enterprise. Due to these people’s low level of physical well-being, they are socially backward and unprogressive. They show their indifference to improve their material welfare. An underfed, disease-ridden people are lethargic people.

Moreover, if the growth of population is checked, it would mean a higher standard of living, the emancipation of women from child-bearing drudgery, better care for the young and consequently a better society.

Demographers have shown that variation in the density of population also affects nature of our social relationship. In a low population density area, the people are said to exhibit a greater degree of primary relationship whereas in the area of high density of population, the relationship between people is said to superficial and secondary. In the opinion of Worth, high density areas witness the growth of mental stress and loneliness of life.

The importance of demography as a factor of social change has been realised by various sociologists and economists. An eminent French sociologist, Emile Durkheim, went on to the extent of developing a new branch of sociology dealing with population which he called “Social Morphology” which not only analyses the size and quality of population but also examine how population affects the quality of social relationships and social groups.

Durkheim has pointed out that our modern societies are not only characterised by increasing division of labour but also specialisation of function. The increasing division of labour and specialization of function have a direct correlation with the increasing density of population. He stresses on the fact that in a simple society with comparatively lesser number of people, the necessity of complex division of labour is less felt.

This society, according to Durkheim, is based on “mechanical solidarity”. But as the groups grow in size and complexity with the increase in population, the “services of the experts” are more required. The society, according to him, moves towards “organic solidarity”. There is, so to say, a drift from mechanical to organic solidarity.

M. David Heer, in his book “Society and Population”, has developed a “theory of demographic transition”. The theory was popularised just after the end of World War-II. It has provided a comprehensive explanation of the effects of economic development both on fertility and mortality decline.

Schneidar and Dornbusch, in their book “Popular Religion”, have pointed that decline in mortality rate evokes several changes in social structure. They have stressed on the point that due to decline in mortality rate in USA since 1875, negative attitude towards religious beliefs have been cultivated by the people.

They also point out that in a society wherein children die before reaching the age of five, parents may not develop a strong emotional attachment to their children and also in a high mortality society, arranged marriages are common, but in a low mortality society love marriages become the dominant feature. Again when mortality rate is high, individual tends to have a weaker orientation towards the future and stronger orientation towards the present.

Thomas Robert Malthus, an English cleargyman, mathematician and economist, was one of the earliest demographers. In his work, “An Essay on the Principles of Population”, published in 1978, he mentioned that under normal conditions, population would grow by geometrical progression, whereas the means of subsistence would grow by arithmetical progression. The imbalance or lag or gap between the two would create a lot of problems for society.

That is why, Malthus has pleaded for two types of checks which can keep the population down. He spoke of hunger and disease as positive check, and late marriage and enforced celibacy as the preventive check.

From the above analysis, we find that demographic factor has been contributing to the great transformations in society’s socioeconomic and political structure throughout human history. For example, most countries in Asia where more than half world population is now living, is characterised by high birth rate. These countries in general and Indian society in particular, are passing through a critical period of great poverty, unemployment and moral degeneration.

The gap between the living standards of general masses of these countries and that of the developed countries is widening. The gap is cruelly frustrating the third world country’s hopes for development.

With the current rate of population increase, it is expected that the total requirements for future health, education, housing and many other welfare needs are bound to increase. This will certainly bring the drastic changes not only in the microstructures, but also in macrostructures of Indian society.

Related Articles:

• Difference between Social and Cultural Change
• Cultural Change: Main Factors and Causes of Cultural Change

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Stages of Behavioral Change Analytical Essay

• To find inspiration for your paper and overcome writer’s block
• As a source of information (ensure proper referencing)
• As a template for you assignment

Introduction

Reference list.

In our day to day interactions, we encounter people and circumstances that require us to change our behavior. In other cases, we ourselves want to change our own behavior for personal reasons. There exist no standard procedures for behavioral change that can be used to govern the process through which individuals change their behavioral trends.

However, some people have argued that individuals change their behaviors when the cost of not changing a particular behavior exceeds the cost of changing that behavior (Fieger, 2009). Through our own understanding of individual functioning, we can choose to change our behaviors without waiting for the negative impacts associated with the behavior to motivate us.

Psychologists have developed various models and theories in attempt to describe various stages along a behavior change continuum (FHI, 2004). The process of self behavioral change involves various stages as outlined by DiClemente and Norcross (FHI, 2004). The precontemplation stage involves individual’s recognition of an existing problem in order to make a decision to change the behavior (FHI, 2004).

Contemplation stage is the stage where the individual acknowledges the problem and seriously considers changing it while preparation for action involves individual decision to change the specific behavior within a specified period of time (FHI, 2004).

Finally, the action stage constitutes the ability of an individual to display consistency in the new behavior and maintenance which requires the individual to display the same consistency for more than six months (FHI, 2004). This is the general process through which individuals abandon undesirable habits and acquire new behavioral trends and it is also the model that forms the basis for therapeutic behavioral change.

After having uncovered that I spend approximately 3000 minutes talk time on my phone every month, I realized that I needed to change my behavior regarding phone use since my monthly phone bill was very expensive and my mother kept insisting on the side effects associated with cell phone use.

In addition, I spent considerable amounts of time on my phone consequently promoting time wastage which negatively impacted on my school work. The radio frequency energy from electromagnetic radiations emitted through the antenna of mobile phones is believed to affect the brain and other head tissues (NCI, n d).

Numerous studies conducted to investigate the relationship between cell phone use and the risk of brain tumors reveal no increased risk with increase in call duration in some incidences while some studies suggested slightly increase risk for certain types of brain tumors as a result of increased cell phone use (NCI, n d). This perceived cancer threat was the major factor that motivated to change my behavior.

Although I was reluctant at initial stages of the process claiming that the side effects of cell phones are non existent and if they were, my phone was adequately secure, extensive research on studies conducted on the side effects of cell phone as well as the need to reduce my monthly phone bill heavily influenced my decision and determination to cut off on my cell phone use.

After acknowledging that excessive use of my cell phone was adversely implicating on my finances and may affect my long term health condition, I decided to undergo an eight week behavioral transformation process after which I would cut down my cell phone use by half.

To ensure successful outcomes of the process, I sought information an advice from people who had a similar problem from where I acquired problem solving choices (FHI 2004). The people suggested the methods that they used to reduce the amount of time they spent on their cell phones which included the use of e mail and other social networks such as face book and myspace to interact with people rather than making phone calls.

In addition, other people preferred sending text messages while others utilized face to face communication whenever it was possible. This information considerably promoted my behavioral changing process since I applied all these strategies through out the process and successfully managed to cut down my phone use significantly.

Through out the process of behavioral transformation, I encountered various challenges that significantly hindered my ability to cut down on my phone use. Numerous interaction incidences required immediate feedback hence I preferred calling people rather than sending emails or messages to them as this may take them a longer time to respond.

Further, my friends with whom we used to communicate for long durations of time using cell phones continued to call me for long hours and it was difficult to convince them to similarly cut down on their cell phone use. In addition, since I had been used to the habit for a long period of time, the urge to make unnecessary phone calls persisted during the process and proved very difficult to fight it.

At the end of the eight weeks period, I had managed to cut down my phone use by a considerable amount of time. Although I had not managed to achieve my target of reducing my phone use to 1500 minutes per month by the end of the period, I achieved an average 40% reduction in calling time upto 1800 minutes talk time in the eight week period which I intend to reduce further through continuous implementation of the strategies that I applied during the period of behavioral change.

Since behavioral change is a continuous process, I am optimistic that through dedication and commitment to change my behavior, with time I will be able to achieve my target and reduce the amount of time I spend calling on my cell phone for the safety of my health as well as financial status.

Behavioral change is largely motivated by an individual’s core beliefs which constitute the ideas that one believes to be true about him as well as the world as he conceives it to be (Fieger, 2010).

Further, an individual’s attitude, which is the focal point through which he views the world, is highly informed by his values and principles establish the foundations of the individual’s identity and his conceptions of ideal behavior (Fieger, 2010). This is clearly evident in the process of my behavioral change which was highly influenced by the desire to live a healthy life and to manage my time and financial resources efficiently.

Since I value my health very much, various health risks issues associated with cell phone use motivated me to reduce my cell phone talk time in order to diminish chances of developing such ailments. In addition, the general prevalence of time and resource management in the contemporary society further prompted me to change my behavior in order to conform to the society’s desirable values.

FHI (2004). Behavior change- a summary of four major theories. Web.

Fieger, H. (2009). Behavior change: a view fro inside out . New York: Morgan James publishing.

NCI (Not dated). Cell phone cancer risk . Web.

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IvyPanda. (2019, June 24). Stages of Behavioral Change. https://ivypanda.com/essays/behavior-change/

"Stages of Behavioral Change." IvyPanda , 24 June 2019, ivypanda.com/essays/behavior-change/.

IvyPanda . (2019) 'Stages of Behavioral Change'. 24 June.

IvyPanda . 2019. "Stages of Behavioral Change." June 24, 2019. https://ivypanda.com/essays/behavior-change/.

1. IvyPanda . "Stages of Behavioral Change." June 24, 2019. https://ivypanda.com/essays/behavior-change/.

Bibliography

IvyPanda . "Stages of Behavioral Change." June 24, 2019. https://ivypanda.com/essays/behavior-change/.

A Welfare Analysis of Policies Impacting Climate Change

What are the most effective ways to address climate change? This paper extends and applies the marginal value of public funds (MVPF) framework to help answer this question. We examine 96 US environmental policy changes studied over the past 25 years. These policies span subsidies (wind, residential solar, electric and hybrid vehicles, vehicle retirement, appliance rebates, weatherization), nudges (marketing, energy conservation), and revenue raisers (fuel taxes, cap and trade). For each policy, we draw upon quasi-experimental or experimental evaluations of causal effects and translate those estimates into an MVPF. We apply a consistent translation of these behavioral responses into measures of their associated externalities and valuations of those externalities. We also provide a new method for incorporating learning-by-doing spillovers. The analysis yields three main results: First, subsidies for investments that directly displace the dirty production of electricity, such as production tax credits for wind power and subsidies for residential solar panels, have higher MVPFs (generally exceeding 2) than all other subsidies in our sample (with MVPFs generally around 1). Second, nudges to reduce energy consumption have large MVPFs, with values above 5, when targeted to regions of the US with a dirty electric grid. By contrast, policies targeting areas with cleaner grids such as California and the Northeast have substantially smaller MVPFs (often below 1). Third, fuel taxes and cap-and-trade policies are highly efficient means of raising revenue (with MVPFs below 0.7) due to the presence of large environmental externalities. We contrast these conclusions with those derived from more traditional cost-per-ton metrics used in previous literature.

The views expressed herein are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of the National Bureau of Economic Research. Hahn and Metcalfe have an equity share in The Behaviouralist, a behavioral science consultancy. We thank Sarah Aaronson, Mira Chaskes, Aidan Creeron, Jamie Emery, Charlie Hutchinson, Jack Kelly, Isaac Maruyama, Victor Mylonas, Sethu Odayappan, and Lukas Puschnig for excellent research assistance. We thank Joseph Aldy, Ken Gillingham, Christopher Knittel, Al McGartland, Nick Muller, Ishan Nath, Jacquelyn Pless, Brian Prest, and Catherine Wolfram. We also thank Doyne Farmer and Rupert Way for both helpful comments and for sharing their data. This research was supported by Policy Impacts, which receives support from the Spiegel Family Fund.

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Deep Dive on the Climate Transition for France: Macroeconomic Implications, Fiscal Policies, and Financial Risks

Author/Editor:

Iulia Ruxandra Teodoru ; Xun Li ; Rachel Lee ; Hugo Rojas-Romagosa ; Nate Vernon

Publication Date:

August 1, 2024

Electronic Access:

Free Download . Use the free Adobe Acrobat Reader to view this PDF file

Climate change presents an unprecedented long-term challenge to the French and global economy. While France has made significant progress towards reducing greenhouse gas emissions, important additional policy efforts will be needed to meet key mitigation targets. Decarbonization costs and risks can be significant, highlighting the need to identify efficient and equitable fiscal and regulatory policy options to meet emission goals. To accelerate the green transition and mitigate its costs, France has increasingly relied on green spending measures, which could be complemented by higher carbon pricing and other revenue-neutral schemes. Recycling of revenues via cash transfers could offset the price impact on lower-income households. Over the medium term, new measures for road transportation, such as distance-based charges, could also be considered. Ensuring a timely and orderly climate transition will be critical to mitigate the credit risk impact on banks. French banks should also continue to mitigate climate transition risks by integrating them into their governance, strategy, and risk management processes.

Selected Issues Paper No. 2024/033

Climate change Climate finance Climate policy Environment Greenhouse gas emissions Natural disasters

9798400286964/2958-7875

SIPEA2024033

Please address any questions about this title to [email protected]