Sociology

Social Process

Social Process

Co-operation

Competition

Conflict

Accommodation

Assimilation

Integration

Isolation

conjunctive process
(persons come closer)

disjunctive process
(persons move further apart)

Accommodatio
n
-social process which denotes the

acquired changes in behaviour of

individuals which enable them to adjust
to their environment.

Two types:

Acclimatisation-adjustment to
new natural conditions
(physiological change)
Naturalisation- adjustment to new
social conditions(behavioural
change)

Methods:

Characteristics:

natural result of conflict

leading to compromise

unconscious activity

universal

continuous process

Coercion : (threat of force to terminate the conflict), involves parties of

unequal strength thereby overpowering the weaker ones.
Compromise : parties of equal strength agrees to have a compromise - each
party make some concessions and yields to some other demand of the other.
Arbitration : third party being involved in bringing about an end to the
conflict.
Toleration : no settlement of difference, but only avoid overt conflict.
involves no change in the basic policy, acceptance of some affairs definitely
objectionable to the accepting group.
Conversion : conviction made on one party that they are wrong and the
opponent is right. e.g.: religion,politics
Rationalisation : excuses or explanations on ones behaviour and trying to
justify their actions
Super ordination & Sub ordination : (when individuals accept their
relative position) results in harmony and sympathy between the superior
and the inferior.

Assimilation

Process where persons and

group acquire the culture
of other group in which
they come to live, by
adopting

its attitudes and values,

its patterns of thinking &
behaving,
its way of life.

Assimilation

marriage

globalisation causing
westernisation of our
culture

Assimilation
Acculturation:
-stage when one cultural group borrows certain
cultural elements and incorporates them into his own
culture, thus modifying it.
two phases:
1. suppression of parent culture
2. acquisition of new ways including language.

Types:

primary contact - natural assimilation

secondary contact (indirect/superficial) - accommodation,
rather than assimilation

Factors favouring assimilation:

toleration

equal economic opportunity

sympathy of dominating group

exposure to dominant culture

similarity between cultures of minority

and majority

Factors hindering assimilation:

isolation

attitude of supremacy

excessive physiological, cultural, social

differences
persecution of minority

Distinction between Accommodation & Assimilation

Accommodation

Assimilation

non-permanent

permanent

sudden process

slow process

delibrate

unconscious