Lesson 3:

Elements and
Characteristics
of a Trend
A significant characteristic
of a trend is its capacity to
make sudden surprises
and reversals about the
things that we can around
us.

In exploring a trends
emergence, we can
anticipate future plans and
challenges.
A another
characteristic of a
trend is that is
overlaps and
interlocks with
other trends.
Globalization hastens the
creation of urban centers.
Urbanization is being
reinforced by western
lifestyle, where jobs are
mostly concentrated on the
cities.

Different countries band

together for global
cooperation. Asian countries
have formed groups to
address security, economics,
and politics.
Urgel (2017) enumerated the
following elements and
characteristics of a trend:

1. Number of participants-
pertains to people who follow a
certain trend which is started
by an individual or a group of
people.
The group then grows into a
community, and eventually
swells into national and
international societies.
2. Pattern of behavior- refers
to a trend that is formed from
repetitive actions of
people.

For example, the simple act

of taking a selfie has now
become a cultural
trend. How do analyze the
phenomenon of selfie?
3. Long period of time-
is one of the crucial elements of a
trend which means that a trend
has to have a long-time frame,
sometime running for decades.

A trend may experience some

ups and downs in popularity,
may fade away, and may recur.
A good example of this element
of trend is the telephone.
A good example of this element of trend is the telephone. It is a
communication instrument that revolutionized modern living
and created various social impacts.

It was soon overtaken by the popularity of mobile phones in the

late 1990s that have text messaging feature. Then newer
technologies allowed smartphones to include many applications
and internet connectivity.

Although telephones are still present in homes and offices,

smartphones clearly have gotten ahead in functionality and
usage.
4. Cause-
refers to the starting point of a
trend which can be an idea, a
technology, an event or a person.

All trends have beginnings and

someone or somebody definitely
started it. The question here is,
how did it start?
Let us try to look at the evolution of telephone. If you will try to
think about it, it was Alexander Graham Bell who first invented
and engineered the very first telephone back in 1876

What do you think prompted him to such an endeavor? Well, if you

guessed that it began with an idea of bridging the gap of a long–
distance relations though live voice communication then you must
be right. So, besides the snail mails which were already prevalent
those times, people had another
option – the telephone.
5. Consequence-
refers to the considerable impact
or influence of a trend.

Social networking has become an

encompassing trend that tends to
influence behaviors of online
users.

Social media and smartphones

have pros and cons in human
lifestyles.
From the previous lessons, we can infer some
elements of a trend:

1. A trend last much longer and has greater impact on

society.

2. Identifying a trend helps us to plan ahead effectively for

the future.

3. We can introduce successful initiatives based on these

trends.

4.Trends either overlap, support, run parallel, or outgrow

each other through time.
5. Spotting a trend is trying to see the future in the present.

6. Predicting a trend is a valued skill for the global citizen.

7. Identifying a trend begins with environment scanning or engaging

in the process of gathering information.

8. In spotting a trend, we seek out current opinion, look, and listen

for new ideas and new practices that can propel change.

9. Scanning for a trend demands depth and breadth of analysis. It

covers a wide spectrum of sources in order to reveal events in the
community of what are commonly known and thought important.
References:
- Wired: Trends, Networks, and
Critical Thinking Skills in the 21 st

Century pages 29- 32