Function of Social Processes by Dan Jarl

Function of Different Social Processes

By Dan Jarl Albert A. Vergara

Social Process refers to any mutual interaction experience by an individual or group on each other in thier attempt to solve problems and to achieve their desire goals. Social process consists of repetitive forms of behavior which are commonly found in social life (Horton & Hunt, 1968). It also refers to a consistent pattern of social interaction which can be identified in the society (Cole,1963).

People’s relations with one another may be analyzed in various ways:

Relation by Status

—  Linkage of social positions

—  Relation of position or standing a person occupies in reference to one another

—  A static concept

—  Only dynamic when one person changes from one status to another

Relation by Roles

—  Interaction that occurs when people pursue their social roles together

—  The mechanism through which people carry on their mutual behavior (the roles of people meet and are related)

—  Mutual interaction of parents and children, classmates and teachers, salesmen and customers, etc.

Relation by Process

—  Basic forms of social interaction that cut across all the numerous social roles people enact

—  A repetitive series of (dynamic) operations

Meaning & nature

○       Humans are interdependent and interrelated

○       Without interaction, a group would cease to function

○       Social processes- patterned forms of social interaction; forms of interaction that are repeated George Simmel (founder of formal school of sociology)- “patterned elements of conflict, cooperation and competition in social relationships..”

Content of social processes

○       People involved in these pairs may love one another or may be antagonistic to each other

○       Social process- not only static position one person holds, or even the patterns of behavior that make up the role but ways in which these roles and persons reciprocally function

○       Content of social process- behavior between two or more people

Classifications of Social Processes

Conjuctive Social Processes

§  Patterns of related interaction thru which persons are drawn together; more integrated.

§  Always expressive of the social virtues of justice and love.

There are five major conjunctive social processes. They are Cooperation, acculturation, assimilation, acommodation and amalgamation.

1.Cooperation

          Cooperation, the most favored of all the social processes, promotes solidarity and cohesion. The mutual alliance and cooperative undertaking strengthen the bond that unites the member of particular group.

          Is sharing the responsibility or the act of working together in order to achieve a comnmon goal or vision. A social process where people work together to achieve a group’s common objectives and share some benefits derived from it.

          Cooperation as a social process also produces other types processe such as acculturation, assimilation, and amalgamation. This so, because when people continue to live with the group and are composed to other people with diverse culture, acculturation, assimilation, and amalgamation will take place.

—  Groups act together in the pursuit of a common objective

—  Mutual aid or alliance seeking a common goal

—  Social solidarity in action

Types of Cooperation

A. Formal Cooperation

          This type sets formal goals ad objectives in social interaction. It is contractual in nature with reciprocal rights and obligation.  An example of group with formal cooperation is a cooperative movement which is organized to help the member in buying supplies, getting loans or securing needed services such as irrigation. The cooperative movement operates simply by the members sharing a common cause, pooling their talents and resources and helping each other to uplift their standards o living by shaing costs and profits, either equally or according to contributions. Thus, the member are elevated from the vicious cycle of poverty.

◦      Gemeinschaft

◦      Exist in small groups (family)

◦      Spontaneous

B. Informal Cooperation

          This is a spontaneous give-and-take relationship. It commonly shown in primary groups or in Gameinschaft societies. This is true in a small society like that in rural areas where people have close ties. There sharing love and protection among members against their enemies.

◦      Deliberate and contractual

◦      Gesellschaft

◦      Leadership is provided

◦      Exist in large societies (government)

C. Symbiotic Cooperation

          This is a type of cooperation where one or two members of society live together harmoniously and support one another for mual interest.

          There is no prescribed set norms to be followed. Consciously and unconsciously, the members are not aware that in the process they are forming a cooperation. Group members may have never seen each other  and may not even aware of each other’s existence.

          Symbiotic Cooperation occurs when member gives his/her support (material or immaterial) and get something in return. An exampleof symbiotic cooperation is when farmers cooperate with urban laborers for whom they raise food and in return, urban laborers cooperate when they make farm materials, clothing and other needs of farmers.

◦      Two or more members live together harmoniously

◦      Lacks a common goal

◦      Interdependent resulting in mutual self interests

◦      Exist in the market place; division of labor in society

Function of Cooperation

o   It creates social cohesion and intergration among the member of the group.

o   It contributes to social stability and order.

o   It foster consensus and  compromise in various social economic and political issues.

2. Accommodation

Accommodation may take different forms but the motives remain the same and that is, avoidance of conflict.

Minimum working arrangement that enables people to continue their activities even when they are not in complete agreement & harmony with each other.

Accommodation is a process of establishing temporary agreements compromises or negotiations among group members to be able to work for a particular period of time without friction.

          Refers to the actual act of differences of working together among indivuals or groups in spite of differences or latent hostility ( Salcedo, et. Al., 2001).

o   Two or more persons or groups interact in order to prevent, reduce or eliminate conflict.

o   Necessary process after a conflict is over.

objective: “means living peacefully, co-existing with one another, which may eventually lead to positive cooperation”

-“give & take” (makes alteration or adjusts)

                   -fact of equilibrium between individuals and groups & rules of the game w/c have developed.

-conscious efforts of men to develop.

Common Forms of Accommodation

a. Domination- the stronger party imposes its will & makes the other yield.

b. Truce- agreement to cease hostilities or fighting for a certain period of time.

c. Compromise- giving up by both parties of some of their demands and the mutual giving of concessions.

d. Conciliation and mediation- a third party is selected to reconcile the differences.

e. Arbitration- special method of settling disputes thru the efforts of a third party who may be chosen by the contending parties or appointed by some large agency of power.

f. Toleration- without formal agreement; “live and let live” policy or the agreement to disagree; without trying to modify the patterns of others.

3. Acculturation

       Acquisition of some new traits from another culture.

          Acculturation  is a process and effect of significant change through mutual borrowings and adoptions by people of different cultures in contact with some contnuity (Reynolds, 1971). Acculturation is also a process of acquiring the culture of another ethnic group ( Shibutani & Kwan. 1965).

Considered as highly important. Societies of different cultures are modified thru fairly close & long continued contact, but do not blend with one another.

Example is the enrichment of Filipino language, “ a lot of borrowings from the Spanish, English, Indian, Latin..”

4. Assimilation

          Is a process in which formerly distinct and separate groups come to share a common cuture and merge together socially. Aa a society undergoes assimilation, differences among groups decrease.

          It refers to the process of interpenetration and fusion in which persons and groups aquire the momories, sentiments and attitude of other persons or groups and by sharing thier experiences and history, which are incorporated with them in a cultural life (Ogburn & Nimkoff, 1970).

          It refers to a cultural fusion in which two groups blend their cultures so that they become one (Horton and Hunt, 1980:354). In this process, there is what we call the blending of culture. The cultural traits and patterns evident of one cuture will be fused with another that their culture become one, undistinguishable from the other.

          “Example of Assimilation is when Amirican who stays in the Philippines for quite a long period of time such as ten to twenty years, acquires the behavioral patterns, belief system of the Filipinos. He had been totally assimilated with the culture of the group (the Filipino) that he has imbibed their beliefs and acquired the behavioral pattern of the group where he is presently living”.

5. Amalgamation

          Amalgamation is both a cause and effect of acculturation and assimilation. It refers to the inter-marriage of persons coming from different ethnic groups resulting in some kind of biological fusion (Cordero Panopio and Reymundo, 1980:126). This biological interbreeding is made possible through marriage of a member of particular society to a member of another society. It is possible that when two person belonging to two different ethnic groups intermarry, it would lead to acculturation or assimalition of cultures of two societies. It is also possible that because of cultural fusion, members of  different groups will be attracted to intermarry with the members of the other group. The coming of Spaniards and their intermarriages with Filipinos have produced Spanish mestinzos.

          The process of amalgamation should not be taken ligthly by the members since amalgamation requires the ability to adjust and adapt to another culture on the part of the marrying couples.

Disconjuctive Social Processes

o   Those processes which tend to create harmony or unity in society” are called Integrative or Associative or Conjunctive social processes (Ruhela133).

o   Disintegrative or Dissociative or Disjuctive processes are

o   People are pushed farther apart & less solidaristic

o   Always expressive of the social vices of injustice & hatred

1. Conflict

Rules of cooperation are broken; opponents become openly antagonistic to each other.

Occurs when two goals of equal importance (resources and opportunities) are scare. Conflict occurs when a particular goal is opposing one’s own principle in attaining the desired or targeted purpose. As Coser (1968) said, conflict is a “struggle over values or claims of the conflicting parties are not only to give the desired values but also to neutralize, injure or eliminate rivals.” It can be gleaned that in conflict, there is physical or psychological sacrifies on the part ot the persons involve.

          Conflict, on the other hand, may also promotes solidarity and unity whithin a group. When for example, the group is threatened by an outside force, the people will have the tendency to unite themselves and work hand in hand to resist the enemy.

          Conflict may also lead to social change. The rise of conflict is sometimes an indicator of change.

Activity intended to hurt others physically or mentally or to deprive others of liberty or property .

Motivated by the desire to secure a scarce goal or common values.

Hostility, fear, hate, or anger accompany conflict

Armed warfare- “most elementary form of conflict”; meet in combat w/ the intention of destroying one another

                     I.        On a person to person basis (fights, duels, hand-to-hand combat)

                   II.        Between groups (riots, violent strikes, lynchings or massacre)

                 III.        National or international (rebellion, revolution, war)

Simmel classified conflict into: (1) war, (2) feud or struggle between factions, (3) litigation or legal battle, and (4) conflict of impersonal ideals.

War- A destructive and violent way to settle conflicts and disputes, this is resorted to by men when they have tensions and economic, demographic and technological differences.

Feud- This conflict is rampant among clans, fraternities and politics; it is triggered by feelings of bitterness betwen parties or groups because of some injustice done to their members.

Litigation or Legal Battle- This occurs when conflict between individuals or groups can no longer be resolved amicably so it is taken to the courts where a judge presides on the merits of the case.

Conflict of Impersonal Ideals- This carried on by individuals or groups for a principle or an ideal not for personal benefits but the group or society’s wellbeing.

Basic functions of conflict:

i. help establish unity and cohesion with in a group

ii. internal conflict becomes stabilizing and integrating mechanism in certain instances

iii. conflict provides an outlet for the expression of suppressed emotions & frustrations

2. Competition

          Competition and conflict are generally considered distructive forces, especially certain function in our society or else these processes will not persist. Competition for one encourages people to exert their best.

There are two kinds of competition: Personal and Impersonal.

A. Personal Competition- Direct, face-to-face contact, example spouse, grades, beauty title..

B. Impersonal Competition- This refers to individuals or groups or business entities struggling, not directly aware of each other presence.

  

Functions of competition:

o   Competition encourages achievement & leads to efficiency in various functional units of social system (inspired to do their best)

o   Contributes to social change (leads to innovations & inventions)

3. Contravention

§  Opposing persons or groups try to prevent each other from attaining an objective, whether or not they want it for themselves.

§  Polite and gentle form of conflict.

§  Use of stereotype- “most common instrument of contravention”

§  Unawareness of being the subject of gossip

§  Polite and gentle form of conflict because it contains hostility and antagonism without direct attacks on the opposite party

§  Often carried on an organized manner

References:

·         General Sociology (Society, Culture, Population Dynamics & Gender Development) by: Roberto L. Omas-as, Ed.D, Recardo B. Capule Jr., M.A, Josephine A. Guimpatan, Ph.D, Rebecca L. Simbajon, Ed.D, Jocelyn C. Morales, M.A & Digna dR. Fernandez, M.A.

·         Socilogy Focus on the Phillipines by Francisco M. Zulueta

·http://www.google.com.ph/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=3&ved=0CCwQFjAC&url=http%3A%2F%2Fimages.hpharmauste.multiply.multiplycontent.com%2Fattachment%2F0%2FTk5BYgooC00AAFgR%40uY1%2FChapter%25207%2520Social%2520Processes.doc%3Fkey%3Dhpharmauste%3Ajournal%3A66%26nmid%3D480552546&ei=dRCrUJWMM5GViAfEyoGgCw&usg=AFQjCNHdkNvT8vV6RhNAFt7GFT2z7kooLw

·http://www.google.com.ph/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=conjunctive+disjunctive+social+process&source=web&cd=3&cad=rja&ved=0CD8QFjAC&url=http%3A%2F%2Fimages.1aot.multiply.multiplycontent.com%2Fattachment%2F0%2FTHzmlwooCqIAACwWzro1%2FSA%2520report%2520-%2520GROUP%25207%2520-%2520Social%2520Processes.pptx%3Fkey%3D1aot%3Ajournal%3A28%26nmid%3D361415738&ei=RCmuULv6LoydiAeRxICQBA&usg=AFQjCNFWhF6_TCV-ty9pcxUE9wYlhEYNZw