Understanding and Preparing for Change
People enjoy stability in their lives. This stability provides a psychological foundation from which an individual can confidently attend to more pressing matters that are not as stable, while secure in the knowledge that he or she can return back to the stable foundation.
Such thinking is therapeutic and beneficial for individuals to settle into a stable lifestyle and to continue on in a productive and meaningful fashion. However, this same thought process can hinder an individual's willingness to change his or her behavior when an issue of social responsibilty comes up.
Oftentimes, people will readily accept a theory that offers the solution to a widely-known problem. But, it is much harder to get these same accepting people to implement a practical solution based on that theory. This is because of social inertia, also known as resistance to change.
In order to be willing to change, individuals need convincing with a strong case made to promote the new behavior expected and an equal dose of information about what benefits arise and what problems are solved, as well as personal benefits enjoyed by the individual for changing his or her behavior. Some will invariably ask "what's in it for me?" before deciding to change. Still others will wait until they see how seriously other individuals in his or her peer group will behave, before deciding to throw in with the peer group.
Understanding and preparing for change is understandably an important function in the field of social change. Another equally important function in this field can effectively reinforce that of understanding and preparing for change. It is called showcasing solutions.
