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  • Essay / Elements of Social Change

    Elements of Social Change “Rosa Parks and the Montgomery bus boycott became the epicenter of the civil rights campaign not only because of an individual act of defiance, but also by because of social models” (Barrios 2015). Although she was not the first person to be arrested for violating Montgomery's busing laws, what sparked the movements and protests were her connections within the community. It could be said that the relationships she had were the cause of social change. Charles Duhigg mentions some key tools needed for social change, which initiated the Rosa Parks movement. For social change to occur, things to consider are weak ties, strong ties, peer pressure, and social habits. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”? Get an original essayAccording to Duhigg, these four main elements are always included in a process when a movement occurs. Strong ties are close relationships, primarily with people with whom one feels comfortable. Weak ties are distant ties, that is, having an idea of ​​a person, but not knowing them personally. More importantly, weak ties spread information from one person to another about new opportunities. Both of these are relevant in social interactions, expanding one's options beyond typical relationships. Peer pressure, which is often present in communities, also plays an important role in social change since it pushes people out of their comfort zone even if people don't realize it. In the Rosa Parks movement, people were obligated to support her since the majority were churches and volunteer groups. If a person did not participate, it could potentially lead to uncomfortable feelings, loss of relationships, lowered self-esteem, or even loss of social status. Duhigg mentions: “In adult life, this is how business is done and how communities self-organize. Most people perceive peer pressure as a negative topic, but in large movements it is the way social change happens, associated with strong and weak ties. It is also related to social habits, "behaviors that occur, unthinkingly, among dozens, hundreds, or thousands of people, that are often difficult to perceive when they emerge, but that contain a power that can change the world” (Barrios, 2015). Social habits attract people who do things for different purposes to come together and give them the opportunity to show their character and authority. The acquisition and transmission of these social habits by leaders can advance community ownership for the future of a movement. With these tools combined and the right people, a movement could eventually ignite, just like the one Rosa Parks created. The effectiveness of each tool varies, but they are all necessary in a movement. Strong ties are important since they are relationships that we maintain regularly. They cannot be replaced and take a long time. However, having too many strong ties could make it more difficult to develop knowledge or seek new opportunities. In a large movement, it's good to have tight social networks and spread out so that more people hear about it and get involved. In contrast, weak ties are essential for creating groups of strong ties and linking them together. They,