CHAPTER 5

SOCIAL PROCESSES
Social processes are the ways in which individuals and groups interact, adjust
and readjust and establish relationships and pattern of behaviour which are again
modified through social interactions. As Ginsberg says, “Social processes mean the
various modes of interaction between individuals or groups including cooperation and
conflict, social differentiation and integration, development, arrest and decay”.

According to Horton and Hunt, “The term social process refers to the repetitive
form of behaviour which are commonly found in social life”.

Meaning of Social Interaction: Man is a social animal. It is difficult for him to

live in isolation. They always live in groups. As members of these groups they act in a
certain manner. Their behaviour is mutually affected. This interaction or mutual activity
is the essence of social life. Social life is not possible without interactions.

Eldredge and Merrill say, “Social interaction is thus the general process
whereby two or more persons are in meaningful contact-as a result of which their
behaviour is modified, however, slightly”.

Elements of Social Process:

Social Process has the following essential elements.

1. Sequence of events

2. Repetition of events

3. Relationship between events

4. Continuity of events

5. Special Social results

Classification of Social Processes:

Social process may be classified in three ways as under:

1. By the number of persons involved, i.e., one-with-one; one-with-group; and its

reverse, group-with-one, and group-with-group.
2. By the degree of intimacy of the individual and groups in interaction. For example,
primary, secondary and tertiary or marginal groups.

3. By the nature or types of the processes.

There are, of course, hundreds of social processes— o Political o Educational

o Industrial o Economic o religious o and others. The specific social processes are
also numerous. Among those of more general nature are o Association o cooperation
o conflict o accommodation o assimilation o domination o exploitation o differentiation,
etc.

These processes may be grouped into two main categories:

(1) integrative/conjunctive/associative, and

(2) disintegrative/disjunctive/ dissociative.

ASSOCIATIVE PROCESSES

Associative processes are also called the integrative or conjunctive social processes
which are essential for the integration and progress of the society. The major types of
associative processes are the following.

1. Co-operation

2. Accommodation

3. Assimilation

4. Acculturation

DISSOCIATIVE SOCIAL PROCESSES

Dissociative social processes are also called the disintegrative or disjunctive social
processes. Although these processes hinder the growth and development of society,
their absence results in stagnation of society. Few important types or dissociative
processes are:

1) Competition

2) Conflict

3) Contravention
4) Differentiation

COOPERATION

Definitions: Co-operation is clearly defined by many scholars. Some of the definitions

are given below: (i) A.W. Green: Co-operation is “the continuous and common
endeavour of two or more persons to perform a task or to reach a goal that is
commonly cherished.”

(ii) Merrill and Eldrege: “Co-operation is a form of social interaction wherein two or
more persons work together to gain a common end.”

EXPLANATION

It is evident from the above definitions that co-operation is a process of social

interaction in which two or more individuals or groups combine their efforts to achieve
certain commons ends and objectives. Examples:

(i) The Indians irrespective of their caste, race, creed, religion etc. differences fought
against the British unitedly to achieve independence.

(ii) The Indian agriculture is mainly based on the co-operative spirit of the farmers

ACCOMMODATION

Definition: Some of the important definitions of accommodation are given below. (1)
Maclver and Page define that, “Accommodation refers particularly to the process in
which man attains a sense of harmony with his environment.” (3) According to Gillin
and Gillin, “Accommodation is the process by which competing and conflicting
individuals and groups adjust their relationship to each other in order to overcome the
difficulties which arise in competition, contravention or conflict.” (5) In the opinion of
Biesanz, “In one sense, accommodation is the basis of all formal social organization”
It is evident from the above definitions that it is the basis of all formal social
organizations.

ASSIMILATION

1) Ogburn and Nimkoff defines assimilation, “As the process whereby individuals or
groups once dissimilar become similar, that is, become identified in their interest and
outlook.” 2) In the words of Park and Burgess, “Assimilation is a process of
interpenetration and fusion in which persons and groups acquire the memories,
sentiments and attitudes of other persons or groups and, by sharing their experience
and history, are incorporated into a common cultural life.” From the above definitions
it may be concluded that assimilation takes place when individuals come into close
contact with other culture in a slow and gradual manner. It results in the promotion of
cultural unity which leads to social integration.

COMPETITION

Definition There are many definitions of competition given by different scholars. Some
of the important definitions are given below: Park and Burgess define Competition as
“an interaction without social contact.”

From the above definitions it may be concluded that competition is a process in which
individuals or groups try to obtain thing or things which have limited supply and which
they cannot achieve or share collectively.”

Horton and Hunt opine that, “competition is the struggle for possession of rewards
which are limited in supply, goods, status, and power, love anything.” H.P. Fairchild
states that, “Competition is the struggle for the use or possession of limited goods.”

CONFLICT

Definitions: Some of the important definitions given by the sociologists are stated
below: Kingsley Davis defines Conflict, “as a modified form of struggle.”

A.W. Green says, “Conflict is the deliberate attempt to oppose, resist or coerce the will
of another or others.”

llin and Gillin state that, “Conflict is the social process in which individuals or groups
seek their ends by directly challenging the antagonist by violence or threat of violence.”

From the above definitions, it is clear that individuals or groups involved in conflict try
to oppose, resist or coerce each other deliberately. It is the opposite of co-operation.
It is a process which leads two or more persons or groups to try to frustrate the
attempts of their opponents to attain certain objectives.

Examples:

(i) The conflict between nations leads to national conflict.

(ii) The conflict between different political parties leads to political conflict.

(iii) Caste conflict, class conflict and racial conflict etc.