Social Process: NBSE Class 11 Sociology notes

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Get summaries, questions, answers, solutions, notes, extras, PDF and guide of chapter 5, Social Process: NBSE Class 11 Sociology textbook, which is part of the syllabus for students studying under the Nagaland Board. These solutions, however, should only be treated as references and can be modified/changed. 

Summary

Social processes are patterns of behavior that happen when people interact with each other. These patterns can be seen and repeated over time. Social processes are divided into two types: associative and dissociative. Associative processes bring people together, while dissociative processes push them apart.

Cooperation is an associative process where people work together to achieve a common goal. It happens in small groups like families and larger groups like countries. Cooperation can be direct or indirect. In direct cooperation, people work closely together, like in a family. In indirect cooperation, people perform different tasks to reach the same goal, like in a factory.

Accommodation is another associative process. It means adjusting to differences in opinions or behaviors. This helps maintain harmony and avoid conflict. People accommodate through methods like pressure, compromise, consensus, toleration, conversion, excuses, or accepting subordination. Accommodation is different from cooperation because it involves resolving disagreements.

Assimilation is a deeper form of accommodation. It happens when groups become similar after being in close contact. For example, two cultures might mix and lose their separate identities. Assimilation can happen in one direction or both ways. Factors like tolerance, close contact, and similarities help assimilation. But isolation, prejudice, and strong group feelings can stop it.

Competition is a dissociative process. It happens when resources or rewards are limited, and people try to get them by surpassing others. Competition can be personal or impersonal, creative or non-creative. It can also apply to social, economic, political, or cultural areas. Competition helps people fulfill needs and encourages progress.

Conflict is another dissociative process. It arises when people or groups use force to eliminate rivals and get limited resources. Conflict can be personal or based on group interests. There are many types of conflict, such as war, feud, litigation, and conflict of ideals. War causes widespread destruction. Feud happens within a group. Litigation is a legal fight for justice. Conflict of ideals focuses on ideas rather than people.

Conflict has both negative and positive effects. It can lead to social disintegration by causing damage and division. But it can also promote unity within a group. For example, conflict with an outside group can make a group stronger. Conflict can end dissatisfaction and unite people.

Social processes like cooperation, accommodation, assimilation, competition, and conflict happen in everyday life. They shape how people live and work together. Understanding these processes helps explain how societies function and change over time.

Textbook solutions

Very Short Answer Type Questions

1. What is meant by social process?

Answer: A social process is an identifiable, repetitive pattern of social interaction. Chester Hunt defines social processes as repetitive interaction patterns of behaviour which are commonly found in social life.

2. What is cooperation?

Answer: Cooperation generally means working together for a common goal or interest, or taking up joint action for a common goal. Cooperation is the social process in which individuals or groups engage in joint action to achieve a common goal.

3. Mention an example of direct cooperation.

Answer: An example of direct cooperation is seen in the family, where members work together to accomplish tasks.

4. What is indirect cooperation?

Answer: Indirect cooperation is found in large groups like the factory, government and other secondary groups, where different members perform different tasks in order to reach a common goal.

5. What is accommodation? (’08)

Answer: Literally, the word ‘accommodation’ means ‘adjustment’. It is the adjustment made when there are differences in opinions or behaviour among members of a group, or conflict between groups, in order to maintain cooperation. Accommodation is the social process whereby individuals or groups adapt to situations of conflict without changing the conflict itself.

6. What is assimilation? (’07, ’13)

Answer: Assimilation is a permanent form of accommodation, literally meaning ‘becoming similar’. It is a process of dissimilar groups becoming more or less similar, involving the diffusion of two cultures whereby one group acquires the culture of the other group. It is also a process of complete resolution of conflict. Assimilation is the process whereby individuals or groups come to share the same culture and lose their specific identities.

7. Give the meaning of assimilation. (’09)

Answer: Assimilation literally means ‘becoming similar’. It is a process of dissimilar groups becoming more or less similar. It takes place when there is diffusion of two cultures and thereby one group acquires the culture of the other group. It is also a process of complete resolution of conflict, a fusion of culturally different people where they are no longer distinguishable as separate groups. Thus, assimilation is the process whereby individuals or groups come to share the same culture and lose their specific identities.

8. What is meant by diffusion? (’09)

Answer: Diffusion refers to the process where elements of culture spread from one group to another. It takes place when there is diffusion of two cultures, which leads to one group acquiring the culture of the other group.

9. What is competition?

Answer: Competition is the process of surpassing others to obtain rewards and resources which are limited in supply, such as money, jobs, prestige and honour. Horton and Hunt define competition as the struggle for possession of rewards which are limited in supply – goods, status, power, love – anything. According to Biesanz, competition is the striving of two or more persons for the same goal which is limited so that all cannot share. Competition is the struggle that occurs when people try to maximize their own rewards at the expense of others.

10. What is absolute competition? (’14)

Answer: Absolute competition is found when the reward is precise and definite, such as when only one person can get a first prize or become the President.

11. What is conflict?

Answer: Conflict as a social process emerges when resources and rewards are limited and an individual or group seeks to obtain them by eliminating their rivals, often using force or threat of force; thus, conflict involves violence. When competition is personalized, it becomes conflict. Horton and Hunt define conflict as a process of seeking to obtain rewards by eliminating or weakening the competitors. A.W. Green defines conflict as a deliberate attempt to oppose, resist and coerce the will of another or others.

12. Mention two types of conflict.

Answer: Two types of conflict classified by George Simmel are war and feud.

13. What is feud?

Answer: Feud is intra-group conflict for the alleged injustice done by one to the other. It is a factional struggle within the group and is found in ‘power struggle’.

14. What is litigation?

Answer: Litigation is a fight for justice through the courts of law and is more objective in nature.

15. Mention one factor that hinders assimilation.

Answer: One factor that hinders assimilation is isolated conditions.

Short Answer Type Questions

1. What is social process? What are the two types of social processes? (’13)

Answer: A social process is an identifiable, repetitive pattern of social interaction. Chester Hunt defines social processes as repetitive interaction patterns of behaviour which are commonly found in social life. Sociologists classify all social processes into two basic types or forms.

These basic types of social processes are: i) associative processes and ii) dissociative processes.

2. Explain the meaning of cooperation.

Answer: Cooperation generally means working together for a common goal or interest. The word ‘cooperation’ is derived from the Latin word ‘co-operare’ which means ‘to work together’. Therefore, the literal meaning of ‘cooperation’ is ‘to work together’ or ‘joint action’. Thus, cooperation means working together or taking up joint action for a common goal. Merril and Eldrige define: “Cooperation is a form of social interaction where two or more persons work together to gain a common end”. Fairchild defines: Cooperation is the process by which individuals or groups combine their effort, in a more or less organised way, for the attainment of common objectives”. Thus, Cooperation is the social process in which individuals or groups engage in joint action to achieve a common goal.

3. Mention any four types of the process of accommodation in society. (’06, 08)

Answer: Four types or methods of accommodation between individuals or groups are:

• Pressure: The stronger party exerts pressure and the weaker party yields to pressure leading to accommodation. Such pressure may be direct or indirect.
• Compromise: Both the parties come to an understanding on the basis of common ground like justice, peace and harmony.
• Consensus: When both parties come to a common understanding usually after discussion, consensus emerges.
• Toleration: Toleration is when the parties accept one another as they are. This may be based on respect for others or simply because there is no other possibility.

4. Compare cooperation and accommodation.

Answer: Both cooperation and accommodation are associative processes. Both bring people together. But there are important differences between them. Cooperation means working together in harmony. There are no differences between individuals or groups. On the other hand, accommodation means adjustment. There is some agreement between the individuals and groups, but all differences are not given up.

5. Mention any four factors favouring assimilation.

Answer: Four factors favouring assimilation are:

i) Toleration of another culture.
ii) Close, intimate, and frequent contact with the other culture.
iii) Similarities between the two cultures.
iv) Equal socio-economic opportunities.

6. What are the four forms of competition? (’06)

Answer: According to Mercer and Wanderer, competition can be classified as follows:

• Pure and limited competition
• Absolute and relative competition
• Personal and impersonal competition
• Creative and non-creative competition

7. Explain how conflict leads to social integration.

Answer: According to Coser, conflict can sometimes lead to social integration. Conflict within a group can put an end to divisive trends and factionalism. Thus, conflict within a group such as a political party can eliminate dissatisfaction and re-establish unity. Conflict with an outside or external group usually leads to greater unity within the group. For example, war against another country, can unite the country in various ways.

8. Give two integrative functions of social conflict. (’13)

Answer: Two integrative functions of social conflict are:

i) Conflict within a group can put an end to divisive trends and factionalism, eliminate dissatisfaction and re-establish unity.
ii) Conflict with an outside or external group usually leads to greater unity within the group.

9. How is competition different from conflict? (’09)

Answer: Competition is the struggle for possession of rewards which are limited in supply, or the striving of two or more persons for the same goal which is limited so that all cannot share. It is a process of surpassing others to obtain such rewards and resources. Competition is mostly impersonal and norm-based. Conflict, on the other hand, emerges when an individual or group seeks to obtain limited resources and rewards by eliminating their rivals, often using force or threat of force, thus involving violence. When competition is personalized, it becomes conflict. Conflict is a deliberate attempt to oppose, resist and coerce the will of another or others, and is the antithesis of cooperation.

Essay Type Questions

1. What is cooperation? Discuss the various forms of cooperation.

Answer: Cooperation generally means working together for a common goal or interest. The word ‘cooperation’ is derived from the Latin word ‘co-operare’ which means ‘to work together’. Therefore, the literal meaning of ‘cooperation’ is ‘to work together’ or ‘joint action’. Thus, Cooperation is the social process in which individuals or groups engage in joint action to achieve a common goal.

Cooperation can take place in different ways. Most of the time people or groups work together or cooperate consciously and deliberately. At other times people or groups unconsciously or unknowingly work for a common goal. Thus cooperation can be i) direct or ii) indirect.

• Direct cooperation: Direct cooperation is found in small groups where every member works together to accomplish a task. It is seen in the family, lineage and clan whose members are related closely. Such cooperation is based on love affection, duties and obligations.
• Indirect cooperation: Indirect cooperation is found in large groups like the factory, government and other secondary groups. Different members perform different tasks in order to reach a common goal. For example, in a factory different workers perform different tasks to produce an item like cloth or a machine.

Another classification of the types of cooperation is to distinguish between i) primary cooperation, ii) secondary cooperation, and iii) tertiary cooperation. Primary cooperation is found in primary groups and secondary cooperation in secondary groups. Cooperation between antagonistic individuals or groups to achieve personal or groups goals is known as tertiary cooperation.

2. Establish why co-operation is necessary for the continuity of the human society. (’12)

Answer : Cooperation is necessary for the continuity of human society because it involves working together or taking up joint action for a common goal. Individuals work together at different levels, such as in small and primary groups like the family, where the husband and wife cooperate for a happy family, or in larger groups like international organizations, where different countries work together for promoting peace and stability in the world. Cooperation provides scope for mutual understanding and brings people closer, which helps in solving social problems, avoiding conflict situations, and achieving larger goals. Merril and Eldrige define cooperation as a form of social interaction where two or more persons work together to gain a common end, while Fairchild describes it as the process by which individuals or groups combine their efforts in a more or less organized way for the attainment of common objectives. Thus, cooperation ensures harmonious living and promotes progress in society.

3. What is accommodation? Explain the various methods of accommodation. (’14)

Answer: Literally, the word ‘accommodation’ means ‘adjustment’. When there are differences in opinions or behaviour among the members of a group, the members must adjust themselves in order to maintain cooperation. Such an adjustment is necessary if there is a conflict between the members of a group or between two groups. This adjustment is called accommodation. Park and Burgess define: “Accommodation is the social process through which individuals and groups try to establish harmony in the social environment”. Ogburn and Nimkoff define: “Accommodation is a term used by sociologists to describe the adjustment of hostile individuals or groups”. Thus, accommodation is the social process whereby individuals or groups adapt to situations of conflict without changing the conflict itself.

Types /Methods of Accommodation between individuals or groups can be achieved in different ways. Types of accommodation can be viewed, for instance, between two parties:

• Pressure: The stronger party exerts pressure and the weaker party yields to pressure leading to accommodation. Such pressure may be direct or indirect.
• Compromise: Both the parties come to an understanding on the basis of common ground like justice, peace and harmony.
• Consensus: When both parties come to a common understanding usually after discussion, consensus emerges.
• Toleration: Toleration is when the parties accept one another as they are. This may be based on respect for others or simply because there is no other possibility.
• Conversion: Conversion takes place when one of the conflicting parties admits that the other is correct.
• As a sixth method, conflict can be stopped by giving plausible or lame excuses. Instead of admitting defeat, the individual tries to give reasons for his change of behaviour.
• Finally conflicts are stopped when the individual realises his subordination to the other.

4. What is competition? Briefly explain the different forms/types of competition? (’10, ’13)

Answer: In a society, some resources and rewards are limited in supply. Every individual or group in a society cannot get such resources or rewards. They have to struggle to get them by surpassing others who seek the same resources and rewards. The process of surpassing others to obtain such rewards and resources is known as competition. Horton and Hunt define: “competition is the struggle for possession of rewards which are limited in supply – goods, status, power, love – anything”. According to Biesanz, “competition is the striving of two or more persons for the same goal which is limited so that all cannot share”. Competition is the struggle that occurs when people try to maximize their own rewards at the expense of others.

Competition can be classified as follows:

• Pure and limited competition: Pure competition is the competition without any restrictions. But in reality, it does not exist because competition is always limited or restricted. Limited competition is one in which individuals or groups compete according to rules.
• Absolute and relative competition: Absolute competition is found when the reward is precise and definite. Only one can get a first prize, and only one person can become the President. Relative competition is found when the reward is not precise, and different competitions can get different levels of rewards. This is the case in competition for prestige, wealth and power.
• Personal and impersonal competition: Personal competition takes place when the competitors directly compete with one another as in a sports event. Impersonal competition is found when there is no personal contact between the competitors as in the case of companies which produce the same items.
• Creative and non-creative competition: Creative competition is found when the competition involves creativity as in the production of new items. Non-creative competition is one in which there is no creativity involved as in the case of industries that exploit minerals.
  Competition can also be social, economic, political and cultural competition.

5. Discuss competition as a social process.

Answer: A social process is an identifiable, repetitive pattern of social interaction. Chester Hunt defines: “Social processes are repetitive interaction patterns of behaviour which are commonly found in social life”. Competition is the process of surpassing others to obtain limited resources and rewards, or the struggle for possession of rewards which are limited in supply. It is the striving of two or more persons for the same goal which is limited so that all cannot share. Competition is a struggle that occurs when people try to maximize their own rewards at the expense of others. As a repetitive interaction pattern commonly found in social life where individuals or groups struggle for limited goals, competition fits the definition of a social process. Sociologists classify competition as a dissociative process, which divides or separates people. Competition is goal oriented, universal, mostly impersonal, norm-based, dynamic and culturally patterned activity. It may be conscious or unconscious and positive or negative. Competition can be continuously carried on.

6. How does conflict lead to social disintegration? (’08)

Answer: Conflict is destructive. It implies violence. It leads to destruction of life and property. Therefore, it leads to social disintegration. Social conflict in industry can lead to damage to property and loss of income. Religious conflict in the form of communal violence divides society. Caste conflict also divides society even at the village level. Thus, in general, conflicts lead to social disintegration.

7. Define conflict. How does conflict lead to social disintegration as well as integration?(’10)

Answer: Conflict as a social process emerges when the resources and rewards are limited and an individual or group seeks to obtain them by eliminating their rivals. In doing so, the individual or group uses force or threat of force. Thus, conflict involves violence. When competition is personalized, it becomes conflict. Conflict is an ever present process in human society. It is a disjunctive form of interaction and causes people to go apart. Conflict is the antithesis of cooperation.

Conflict leads to social disintegration because it is destructive, implies violence, and leads to the destruction of life and property. Social conflict in industry can lead to damage to property and loss of income. Religious conflict in the form of communal violence divides society, and caste conflict also divides society, even at the village level. Thus, in general, conflicts lead to social disintegration.

However, according to Coser, conflict can sometimes lead to social integration. Conflict within a group can put an end to divisive trends and factionalism. Thus, conflict within a group such as a political party can eliminate dissatisfaction and re-establish unity. Conflict with an outside or external group usually leads to greater unity within the group. For example, war against another country, can unite the country in various ways.

8. What is conflict? Explain the various types of conflicts. (’14)

Answer: Conflict as a social process emerges when the resources and rewards are limited and an individual or group seeks to obtain them by eliminating their rivals. In doing so, the individual or group uses force or threat of force. Thus, conflict involves violence. When competition is personalized, it becomes conflict. Conflict is an ever present process in human society. It is a disjunctive form of interaction and causes people to go apart. Conflict is the antithesis of cooperation.

Conflicts are of many types. George Simmel classified those under four categories. They are:

• War: War is an armed conflict causing destruction of men and materials in huge quantity.
• Feud: Feud is intra-group conflict for the alleged injustice done by one to the other. It is a factional struggle within the group and is found in ‘power struggle’.
• Litigation: Litigation is a fight for justice through the courts of law and is more objective in nature.
• Conflict of Ideals: Conflict when carried on to uphold certain ideas or ideals is called conflict of impersonal ideals. Each party is after the ideal and not after persons. Here, ideals are important than the persons.

Problem Solving

Two of your friends are fighting with each other because one has insulted the other. How will you help them end the fight? What are the social processes involved in ending the fight?

Answer: The fight represents Conflict, defined as a deliberate attempt to oppose another. To end it, I would facilitate Accommodation, which is the adjustment of hostile individuals. This could involve encouraging Consensus (common understanding), Compromise (finding common ground), Toleration (accepting each other), or Conversion (admitting fault). The goal is to move from conflict, through accommodation, back to Cooperation (harmony) in their friendship.

Think and Answer

Your class is a social group. Think and give examples of the social processes taking place in your class. These processes are: cooperation, accommodation, assimilation, competition and conflict.

Answer: Examples of social processes in our class.

• Cooperation: Working together on group projects (Direct cooperation) or following class rules for everyone’s benefit (Indirect cooperation).
• Accommodation: Reaching a Consensus or Compromise when the class has differing opinions on an activity.
• Assimilation: A new student gradually adopting the class norms and ways, becoming similar to the group over time.
• Competition: Striving for limited rewards like grades (Relative competition) or a single top rank (Absolute competition).
• Conflict: Arguments between students over resources or personalized disagreements arising from competition.