A focus on change over time is a major concern of many sociological studies. Change can occur in an individual’s family or in the economy of a society these changes usually have complex causes and consequences. Social dynamics is commonly used to describe the gradual changes that occur, how they unfold, and whether they could have been different. Social dynamics is not often used in analyses that only look at a simple before-and-after comparison of the condition of the system at two different dates in time.

In some cases the sequence of changes is controlled by a feedback effect: small deviations from equilibrium are likely to be compensated for by compensating factors, and as a https://knowindianhistory.com/2023/06/11/economy-dynamics-social-structures/ result, changes can occur in a predictable way. In these situations the study of social dynamics is often founded on models of non-equilibrium behavior, employing mathematical methods computer simulations or physics to determine the reasons behind a system’s decision to diverge from equilibrium and how compensating forces can bring it back to it.

In other cases, the sequence of changes is governed more by a cause which is outside the system being studied. Some sociologists studying economics for instance have studied the effects that culture has on economic growth. Research has demonstrated how the attitude of a society towards innovators can affect the growth of an economy. Innovation and higher growth rates are correlated with cultures that confer higher status to innovators.