Peña, John Jason DC.

March 26, 2019

Socio-Cultural Foundations of Education Dr. Antonio C. Maramag

REACTION PAPER ON THE REPORT OF GROUP VI

“SOCIAL INTERACTIONS AND SOCIAL PROCESSES”

INTRODUCTION

Social interaction is the foundation of society. Without it there would be no group life. It is the
major process for socialization of an individual from birth till death and it exist across all cultures. Social
inter action is the process of contact where behavior “Modifies Slightly” (Merill, 1958). “Social
interaction is a process whereby men inter-penetrate each others minds” (Dowson & Getty, 1929). By
its mere definitions, social interaction is a PROCESS that exist between GROUPS of people or culture
which enables them to affect, relate, transact and influence one another.

There are several forms of social interaction based on the proponents of the interaction:

1. Between Individual and Individual – Person to Person ( Ex. Doctor and Patient )
2. Between Individual and Group – Person to Group ( Ex. Teacher to Class )
3. Between Group and Group – Group to another Group ( Ex. Government and Rebel
Peace Talks )
4. Between Individual and Culture – Individual and His Culture ( Ex. Individual and his
Tribal Customs)

ADVANTAGES

The Social Interaction/Processes Cooperation, Acculturation and Assimilation are advantageous

in nature. Cooperation means working together in the pursuit of like or common interests. It is defined
by Green as “the continuous and common endeavor of two or more persons to perform a task or to
reach a goal that is commonly cherished”. According to Merrill and Eldregde, “Cooperation is a form of
social interaction wherein two or more persons work together to gain a common end”. It fosters
camaraderie and goodwill among men. Common objectives are better achieved through cooperation. It
is also the driving force for international unity and peace. In theory, it assures that no one gets left
behind and everybody benefits from the common goal. Here are some characteristics of cooperation.

Characteristics of Cooperation:

1. It is an associative process. (i.e. between two or more individual or groups)

2. It is a conscious process. (i.e. it is a choice)
3. It is a universal process (i.e. it exist in all groups, societies and nations)

Cooperation is of different types. Maclver and Page have divided cooperation into two main
types namely:

I. Direct Cooperation - activities in which people do like things together. Example, playing
together, working together or carrying a load together. The essential character of this
kind of cooperation is that people do such identical function which they can also do
separately. This type of cooperation is voluntary e.g., cooperation between husband
and wife.
II. Indirect Cooperation - activities in which people do unlike tasks together towards a
common end. For example, when carpenters, plumbers and masons cooperate to build
a house. This cooperation is based on the principle of the division of labor.

Accommodation is the form of social interaction where man adjusts to his natural and man-
made environment (Smith 1979). Man fulfils his needs in different environments. In natural
environment, he adjusts himself according to it. In man-made environment, he brings about changes
into it and then adjusts himself with it. Both these conditions of adjustment are called accommodation.

Acculturation is a cultural modification of an individual, group, or people by adapting to or

borrowing traits from another culture. It can also be described as a merging of cultures as a result of
prolonged contact. It is also a process by which a human being acquires the culture of a particular
society from infancy.
 Assimilation is a fundamental social process; it is that process by which individuals belonging to
different cultures are united into one. Successful accommodation sets the stage for an additional
consequences of human interactions, namely assimilation. Assimilation in social relationships means
that the cultural differences between divergent groupings of people disappear. Thus, they come to feel;
think and act similarly as they absorb new common traditions, attitudes and consequently take on a new
cultural identity. 

In general, it can be concluded that the process of Cooperation, Acculturation, Accommoda tion
and Assimilation removes the social and cultural differences between two individuals, groups and
societies.

DISADVANTAGES

Disadvantageous or dissociative social interaction/process include Opposition, Competition and

Conflict. Opposition is also called the disintegrative or disjunctive social process. Although these
processes hinder the growth and development of society, their absence results in stagnation of society.

The most important fundamental dissociative social process is competition. It is a form of

opposition or social struggle. It is a contest among individuals or groups to acquire something which has
limited supply or insufficient in quantity and not easily available. It is characterized by non-co-operation.
Here the competitors forces their attention on the goal or the reward they are struggling to achieve but
not on themselves. They try to achieve the goal by methods other than force or fraud. Park and Burgess
define Competition as “an interaction without social contact.”

Generally in our society there is competition for getting jobs. The people who are already
employed desire for better jobs. There is no competition for sunshine, water, fresh air etc. which are
treated as the free gift of nature.
 Forms of Competition

Competition as a universal social process is found in all fields of social life. We come across
many types or forms of competitions. Some of the important competitions are the following.

1. Political Competition.
2. Social Competition.
3. Economic Competition.
4. Cultural Competition.
5. Racial Competition.

Conflict. Another significant dissociative social process is conflict. It is an ever present process in
human society. Whenever a person or persons or groups seek to gain reward not by surpassing other
competitors but by preventing them from effective competition, conflict takes place. In other words, it is
a competition in its more hostile and personal forms. It is a process of seeking to obtain rewards by
eliminating or weakening the competitors which may lead to the use of coercion or force.

Objects of Conflict. Some of the sources or objects of conflict are following the:

1. Power
2. Status
3. Property
4. Riches
5. Affection
6. Pride

Thank You and God Bless.