What Does Social phenomena Mean
We explain what social phenomena are and their characteristics. Also, some examples of current social phenomena.
What are social phenomena?
In sociology , social phenomena are understood to be all those events, trends or reactions that take place within an established human society . They are evidenced through collective behavior modifications .
In other words, a social phenomenon is a part of society's conscious behavior , a specific way in which it organizes and structures its reactions. It is determined by the objective and subjective conditions of life in which people live.
Thus, social phenomena can be of a different nature, and respond to specific interests, or even be the consequence of other types of factors, such as the economic one. However, being of an eminently social type, they are limited in their perspective to the relationships between the individuals that make up a community .
Sociology is the discipline that studies social phenomena , although these can also be analyzed from an economic , psychological , historical or political perspective , and in those cases the concept is adapted to the specific needs of the approach.
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Characteristics of social phenomena
Social phenomena differ from other types of phenomena in that, having to do with the way of thinking and acting of people within the framework of a society, they are subjective and relative in nature . In some cases they even respond to characteristics of the collective imagination .
Social phenomena are discussed in an attempt to understand systemically or contextually the decisions made by a group . In other words, virtually everything can be a given social phenomenon.
However, what breaks with what is considered as the "daily" or "traditional" behavior of the studied society stands out. Thus, what at one historical moment may be a striking social phenomenon, at another may be little more than the established norm .
Examples of social phenomena
It is not difficult to find examples of social phenomena, although it is difficult to decide on a specific case. Generally speaking, collective decisions are examples of a social phenomenon.
These include the migration massive, rebellions policies, labor trends , trends in consumption , the criminal activities, poverty or expansion of a religion within a given community.
Current social phenomena
At present, there are more or less generalized trends in social phenomena. They are attributable in one way or another to the "spirit of the age", that is, to the collective unconscious of a specific cultural region, if not the entire world.
For example, the massive emigration of Venezuelans in the last five years has been a social phenomenon (also political and economic) in the South American region. So has the political rise of ultra-conservative parties in Eastern Europe in recent times.
In a more specific area such as North American society, some polarization has been observed since President Donald Trump took office.
Another possible example is the rise of social media technology in the constitution of couples and love relationships in the West, or even the rise of evangelical congregations in the nations of the American Third World.
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