According to M.E. Jones:
"Social change is a term used to describe variations in our modification of, any aspect of social process social patterns, social interactions or social organization".
Characteristics of social change are:
Social change is universal: The change is true for all societies. Whether it is east or west, urban or Rural societies, for example in rural society change may be slow in urban society change may be rapid. Today in India we find rapid change from north to south. The extent of change may be different but every part of society changes.
Complex Phenomenon: Change may take place part by part or change may occur as a whole. The direction of change, variations of change are different or mixed together. Therefore we call change as a complex phenomenon.
Social change is change in community: Social change is no change in individual or the change in personality of individual. In sociology we study change as change in community or change in social life entirely. Many aspects influences community.
Social change is continuous and Temporal: Social change never stops. It continues and is continuous. It is also called a process. Social change happens in time ** and it is called as temporal. We see in society that many innovations, alterations, modifications take place from time to time regularly. Time is the best yard stick to measure change. We observe two different phenomena in two different time **.
Social change varies from society to society: Speed and extent of social change varies from society to society. One may change fast or other may change slow or in one factor we see fast change and another factor we see slow change. In one part of society or in one section of society, there may be differences in change. Similarly the directions of social changes are different. Upward changes in society for one or the other reasons may go downward likewise speed and extent varies.
Social change is inevitable: Naturally change is inevitable because it is natural. Natural phenomena are inevitable to society. Hence, social changes are inevitable. Social change does not occur according to the interest of man. Social change does not go according to our interest only. It is changing naturally. Man changes its direction and speed Social change is a process of synchronization: We cannot say that change destroys past and creates new. New emerges out of old only. Some new and some aspects are combined together in the process of change, in society also we see the synchronization of old and new.
Social changes shows chain-Relation sequence: Society is complex. Society is a dynamic whole, consisting of mutually related parts. Change in one part usually reacts on other part. This we call it as chain reaction. Social change shows chain relation or chain link.
Social change has no value judgment: The term social change is neutral. When change occurs we try to look to change as good or bad. Moral or immoral but social scientists look to the mater as amoral. Change may be beneficial or harmful. The industrial revolution in world is both progressive and regressive, but we study the changes caused by industrial revolution. Industrials ion in India helped to promote jobs also brought negative effect on traditional professions.
Social change may be planned and unplanned: Both man and nature are caused for social change. When we find change by man according to his choice, we call it as planned change, when nature but its process changes we call it as unplanned change. Society is guided by both artificial and natural aspects. All man-made aspects are artificial. Others are natural.
