Social development, or social change, is the phrase that refers to the alteration of social order within a society. It may also refer to the notion of sociocultural evolution, or ‘social progress’. This is the philosophical idea that society always moves forward by dialectical means, or evolutionary means.
The phrase can also refer to a particular paradigmatic change within the socio-economic structure. Say for example, this could be a movement away from feudalism, and a movement towards capitalism. It’s essentially a huge change in how society works in one area, en masse.
The phrase can also be used to refer to a social revolution. A social revolution like the Communist revolution, associated with Marxism is the perfect example of this. However, other social movements that weren’t involved with the takeover of government include the Women’s suffrage, or the Civil rights movement. You may even refer to something more recent, the ‘Venus Project’. Social change comes in these forms but is also associated with many other forces within society, including cultural change, religious influence, economic status, scientific change or even technological forces within society. Generally, social change is more involved with natural, social behaviours, social elations and social institutions, how
Social development is often related to the social, emotional and personal development of an individual. This concept of social development can be defined as a combination of learning diplomacy and candour in order to interact with either an individual or a group. The social aspect of the development relates specifically to the interaction of people, dependent on the different social situations that the individual is subjected to. In contrast, the emotional side of the development relates to the understanding and the ability to control one’s emotions, which again is dependent on the situation. Both the emotional and the social side of the development relate specifically to internal and the external progression of the individual.
Both the social and emotional concept of development is measured during a child’s growth which is split up into different stages. At each stage the child should be demonstrating a different aspect of social development. The older the child gets the more progressed this social development should appear. Physical growth is easier to measure than emotional, so in terms of social development; growth is evaluated based on different behavioural characteristics. These behaviours will reflect the child’s growth and level of understanding as they progress into adulthood. Good social development is imperative, because it is this progression of the child that will determine their social skills - allowing them to display proper reactions to specific emotional situations.
The significance of this development will allow for the child’s learning, relating specifically to being able to interact adequately with all types of people, whether this is family, friends or work colleagues. This development during the early stages of a child’s life can have a huge impact on leading well-balanced and age-appropriate actions during the different stages of a child’s existence that will lead onto to adulthood, serving to define and shape the person you are.
