The definition of social process refers to the new social configurations that emerge from collective needs, for which society must adjust or accommodate factors originating from a problematic situation in order to resolve it.


That said, when does a social process of accommodation occur? It takes place in a social situation that requires the joint action of the community. One of the main characteristics of this type of social process is that it is set in motion through the acquisition of new knowledge, abilities, behaviors and skills that are socially transmitted, generally through education. These factors will be decisive when it comes to solving any conflict, problem, or social situation.


 

Within psychology, many examples of social process for children are evaluated as part of the study of children's behavior. In the case of accommodation, a child with an established schema about an object or person tends to accommodate that schema every day as he or she incorporates new information or experiences related to it.


Examples of social processes of accommodation include:


migrations

The mobilization of migrants from poor or conflict countries to developed countries in search of a better quality of life, generates a social exchange and a rearrangement of available resources in the receiving country, in addition to promoting important changes within the social structure, through in order to guarantee the reception of the displaced in a successful way and solve said problem. However, not all migratory processes have taken place in a harmonious way, on the contrary, in many countries that receive migrants, certain measures are adopted with the aim of limiting the development of newcomers to these territories.


peace treaties

Another example of social accommodation processes are the pacts that end a military confrontation, a conflictive process that, in the midst of negotiations and agreements, is resolved through the signing of said treaty. Here, individuals work together to establish the conditions and wishes of each belligerent side, seeking to end the war, guaranteeing both the peace process and compliance with the aspects and points discussed in said agreement. Once this is achieved, the reciprocal adjustment between the parties involved in the negotiation becomes notable.

 


Social processes of cooperation

First, what does social process of cooperation mean? It consists of those scenarios where the community or social groups work together, joining forces to achieve a common goal, thus bringing out principles such as respect and solidarity. It is a positive social process since it favorably benefits all those involved in it, with the association being one of the most outstanding characteristics of a social process of cooperation, as it motivates the grouping of two or more people who seek to meet certain objectives.


For example, the social work process is considered as cooperation, since a social relationship is established between a group of people or workers, who act together in a specific context in order to promote change and development within their environment.



In the midst of the defense for the protection and preservation of the environment, an issue that has generated much concern and opinion, in recent decades a large social, political and global movement has emerged that aims to promote awareness of both society and of the public and private sector throughout the world in favor of respect for nature. On the other hand, it seeks to promote new customs within the community so that they carry out practices that are friendlier to the environment. In this way, the principles of responsibility and solidarity are manifested in favor of the existing balance between man and the nature that surrounds him.



 

environmental campaign. ( DnTrotaMundos , CC BY 3.0 , via Wikimedia Commons / Cropping, toning and resolution of the original).

Social processes of assimilation

Of the variation in social processes, assimilation stands out, which is nothing more than the process that brings together two or more elements that merge to achieve a single group or social relationship. It is frequently linked to the cultural aspect, where a new society progressively emerges as a result of two or more groups with certain customs and traditions. This process occurs gradually and in several disciplines of the social sciences it is called acculturation or transculturation , being considered for its negative characteristic since, on several occasions, it has developed violently.


On the other hand, in the field of psychology, assimilation is strongly related to the social process for children, since through this process the infant acquires new experiences and knowledge to create their own perception of the social environment that surrounds them.


Among the types of social processes of assimilation we have:


Process of conquest in America

A good example of social analysis of assimilation was the one experienced during the conquest and colonization of the American territory by the Spaniards, who, once they reached discovered lands, began a long process in which they imposed their language, religion, and cultural traditions and customs. . In this case, the original peoples had to assimilate and absorb the elements of the dominant colony and, on many occasions, their original customs were displaced or completely eliminated.


To this day, it is still questioned how violent the way of carrying out this social process was, but the truth is that it generated a new impulse in terms of the culture of the so-called New World.


Among the images of social processes experienced in contemporary times, the cultural assimilation of a large part of the world's countries in relation to American culture stands out, either through the wide expansion and diffusion exerted by the mass media, with contents that reach all parts of the globe, or through other elements that have influenced this phenomenon of Americanization, such as music, food and language.


Examples of social processes - Assimilation - Americanization

McDonalds fast food restaurant located in Shibuya, Japan. ( DocChewbacca , CC BY-SA 2.0 , via Flickr / Crop, improved tone and resolution from original).

Social processes of competition

The individual or collective need to prevail over other people or social groups is something innate, being, in fact, one of the most frequent examples of social process in everyday life, where people fight each other to achieve a specific goal or objective, such as power, love, luxury and other areas.

 In the social issue, various factors influence the development of examples of social processes of competition, such as political, economic, cultural, racial and religious, among others; which encourages competition for something demanded. Here efforts and skills are measured, so that an individual or group can overcome others.


Industrialization

This is one of the social processes of competition that has had the greatest place in current times, since it encompasses the large-scale production of goods and services in order to offer them to a specific market, which demands said items. In this case, technological advances are highly relevant in global competition, since effective productivity and, therefore, the economic growth of the country or region where this process takes place will depend on them. Similarly, the industrialization process ensures social progress, greatly benefiting society.


Social processes of conflict

Another type of social process that has a negative character is that of conflict, which encompasses some of the aspects of competition, with the addition that the contending individual or group seeks to weaken or neutralize another that seeks to achieve the same objective. raised, showing in turn contrary to cooperation.


In the social relationship of this type, one group seeks to deliberately suppress, coerce or resist the will of the other until it is eliminated or its behavior radically modified. Therefore, this struggle confronts antagonistic elements and, on many occasions, has seen the forceful breakdown of the established order.


wars

Throughout history, different military confrontations have been developed where two or more contending groups fight for the dominance of various sectors of a society, such as the political, economic, social and military; fact that has motivated the generation of complex historical processes that entail significant changes within the social structure, with the main objective of fighting for superiority and hegemony. This is how numerous powers, empires, countries have faced each other in scenarios that bring devastating consequences in the region, with short, medium and long-term effects.


American soldiers during the Iraq War. ( Defense Visual Information Center , Public Domain , via Wikimedia Commons).

Racism

Another very complex conflictive process at a historical level is the one that establishes values ​​of superiority, dominance and supremacy of a specific ethnic group over another, motivated by different factors, such as political, economic, social, religious, cultural, intellectual, among others, which which has led to discrimination, segregation and/or persecution of various racial groups. Unfortunately, this social inequality is still valid today, despite the important international conventions enacted with the aim of eliminating this practice.


Socialization is one of the clearest signs to be able to explain what a social process is for children, since through it relationships and interactions are established through agents such as family, school, the media and their social environment. , thus determining the development of the individual within his community. In a broader view, the different types of social processes detailed in this article allow us to see how complex and diverse social interaction becomes, conditioned by the behavior of the individuals who are part of the community and who exert such influence to promote change. in your enviroment. These examples of social processes that we mentioned earlier are the most accurate manifestation of human dynamics, unstoppable over time and that plays a fundamental role in the future of society. It is the task of the social sciences to make an in-depth analysis of these processes in order to understand the behavior of the social groups that helped generate transcendental changes for history.