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Tipping point (sociology)

August 27, 2023

For other uses, see Tipping point (disambiguation).

In sociology, a tipping point is a point in time when a group—or many group members—rapidly and dramatically changes its behavior by widely adopting a previously rare practice.[1]

History

The phrase was first used in sociology by Morton Grodzins when he adopted the phrase from physics where it referred to the adding a small amount of weight to a balanced object until the additional weight caused the object to suddenly and completely topple, or tip. Grodzins studied integrating American neighborhoods in the early 1960s. He discovered that most of the white families remained in the neighborhood as long as the comparative number of black families remained very small. But, at a certain point, when "one too many" black families arrived, the remaining white families would move out en masse in a process known as white flight. He called that moment the "tipping point".

The idea was expanded and built upon by Nobel Prize-winner Thomas Schelling in 1971.[2] A similar idea underlies Mark Granovetter's threshold model of collective behavior.

Other uses

The phrase has extended beyond its original meaning and been applied to any process in which, beyond a certain point, the rate of the process increases dramatically. It has been applied in many fields, from economics to human ecology[3] to epidemiology. It can also be compared to phase transition in physics or the propagation of populations in an unbalanced ecosystem.

Journalists and academics have applied the phrase to dramatic changes in governments, such as during the Arab Spring.[4] The concept of a tipping point is described in an article in an academic journal, the Journal of Democracy, titled "China at the Tipping Point? Foreseeing the unforeseeable":

Regime transitions belong to that paradoxical class of events which are inevitable but not predictable. Other examples are bank runs, currency inflations, strikes, migrations, riots, and revolutions. In retrospect, such events are explainable, even overdetermined. In prospect, however, their timing and character are impossible to anticipate. Such events seem to come closer and closer but do not occur, even when all the conditions are ripe—until suddenly they do.[5]

American journalists at NPR have used it to describe an influx of sexual assault allegations, saying that a tipping point has been passed regarding societal tolerance of sexual harassment and feminism.[6]

Mathematically, the angle of repose may be seen as a bifurcation. In control theory, the concept of positive feedback describes the same phenomenon, with the problem of balancing an inverted pendulum being the classic embodiment. The concept has also been applied to the popular acceptance of new technologies, for example being used to explain the success of VHS over Betamax.[citation needed]

Decarbonization

See also: Tipping points in the climate system

The concept of social tipping points has been applied to analyze global decarbonization pathways and the ability to activate contagious and fast-spreading processes of social and technological change that would accelerate carbon emission reductions needed to achieve the goals of the Paris Agreement.[7]

A study suggests, "path dependencies, increasing returns to scale and learning-by-doing cost reductions can produce sudden, tipping-point-like transitions that cannot be extrapolated from past system behaviour", and that "historically, technological innovation and government policies often motivated by energy security concerns have also, in notable cases, spurred rapid shifts in energy systems".

Moreover, "social norms that shape individual behaviour and preferences can exhibit similar tipping-point style dynamics", which could affect "the regulatory and market conditions in which energy technologies compete". When social norms of sustainability are costly – or at least detrimental rather than beneficial – for individuals to violate, this may substantially increase the probability that an individual engages in pro-environmental behaviour.[8]

In popular culture

The term was popularized in application to daily life by Malcolm Gladwell's 2000 bestselling book The Tipping Point: How Little Things Can Make a Big Difference.

See also

References

  1. ^ Lenton, Timothy M.; Benson, Scarlett; Smith, Talia; Ewer, Theodora; Lanel, Victor; Petykowski, Elizabeth; Powell, Thomas W. R.; Abrams, Jesse F.; Blomsma, Fenna; Sharpe, Simon (2022). "Operationalising positive tipping points towards global sustainability". Global Sustainability. 5. doi:10.1017/sus.2021.30. ISSN 2059-4798. S2CID 235719545.
  2. ^ Schelling, Thomas C. (1971-07-01). "Dynamic models of segregation". The Journal of Mathematical Sociology. 1 (2): 143–186. doi:10.1080/0022250X.1971.9989794. ISSN 0022-250X.
  3. ^ "Eco Tipping Points Project".
  4. ^ Leila, and Matt Flannes, Hudson (1 Sep 2011). "The Arab Spring: Anatomy of a tipping point". Aljazeera. Retrieved 29 March 2013.
  5. ^ Nathan, Andrew J. (2013). "Foreseeing the Unforeseeable". Journal of Democracy. 24 (1): 20–25. doi:10.1353/jod.2013.0012. ISSN 1086-3214. S2CID 158451200.
  6. ^ King, Noel (November 4, 2017). "Why 'The Weinstein Effect' Seems Like A Tipping Point". NPR.org. Retrieved November 11, 2017.
  7. ^ Otto, Ilona M. (February 2020). "Social tipping dynamics to stabilize Earth's climate by 2050". PNAS. 117 (5): 2354–2365. doi:10.1073/pnas.1900577117. PMC 7007533. PMID 31964839.
  8. ^ Moore, Frances C.; Lacasse, Katherine; Mach, Katharine J.; Shin, Yoon Ah; Gross, Louis J.; Beckage, Brian (March 2022). "Determinants of emissions pathways in the coupled climate–social system". Nature. 603 (7899): 103–111. Bibcode:2022Natur.603..103M. doi:10.1038/s41586-022-04423-8. ISSN 1476-4687. PMID 35173331. S2CID 246903111.

External links

  • Tipping Point-Net Version (Robert Paterson's Weblog)

August 27, 2023
tipping, point, sociology, other, uses, tipping, point, disambiguation, sociology, tipping, point, point, time, when, group, many, group, members, rapidly, dramatically, changes, behavior, widely, adopting, previously, rare, practice, contents, history, other,. For other uses see Tipping point disambiguation In sociology a tipping point is a point in time when a group or many group members rapidly and dramatically changes its behavior by widely adopting a previously rare practice 1 Contents 1 History 2 Other uses 2 1 Decarbonization 3 In popular culture 4 See also 5 References 6 External linksHistory EditThis section needs additional citations for verification Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources in this section Unsourced material may be challenged and removed March 2018 Learn how and when to remove this template message The phrase was first used in sociology by Morton Grodzins when he adopted the phrase from physics where it referred to the adding a small amount of weight to a balanced object until the additional weight caused the object to suddenly and completely topple or tip Grodzins studied integrating American neighborhoods in the early 1960s He discovered that most of the white families remained in the neighborhood as long as the comparative number of black families remained very small But at a certain point when one too many black families arrived the remaining white families would move out en masse in a process known as white flight He called that moment the tipping point The idea was expanded and built upon by Nobel Prize winner Thomas Schelling in 1971 2 A similar idea underlies Mark Granovetter s threshold model of collective behavior Other uses EditThe phrase has extended beyond its original meaning and been applied to any process in which beyond a certain point the rate of the process increases dramatically It has been applied in many fields from economics to human ecology 3 to epidemiology It can also be compared to phase transition in physics or the propagation of populations in an unbalanced ecosystem Journalists and academics have applied the phrase to dramatic changes in governments such as during the Arab Spring 4 The concept of a tipping point is described in an article in an academic journal the Journal of Democracy titled China at the Tipping Point Foreseeing the unforeseeable Regime transitions belong to that paradoxical class of events which are inevitable but not predictable Other examples are bank runs currency inflations strikes migrations riots and revolutions In retrospect such events are explainable even overdetermined In prospect however their timing and character are impossible to anticipate Such events seem to come closer and closer but do not occur even when all the conditions are ripe until suddenly they do 5 American journalists at NPR have used it to describe an influx of sexual assault allegations saying that a tipping point has been passed regarding societal tolerance of sexual harassment and feminism 6 Mathematically the angle of repose may be seen as a bifurcation In control theory the concept of positive feedback describes the same phenomenon with the problem of balancing an inverted pendulum being the classic embodiment The concept has also been applied to the popular acceptance of new technologies for example being used to explain the success of VHS over Betamax citation needed Decarbonization Edit See also Tipping points in the climate system The concept of social tipping points has been applied to analyze global decarbonization pathways and the ability to activate contagious and fast spreading processes of social and technological change that would accelerate carbon emission reductions needed to achieve the goals of the Paris Agreement 7 A study suggests path dependencies increasing returns to scale and learning by doing cost reductions can produce sudden tipping point like transitions that cannot be extrapolated from past system behaviour and that historically technological innovation and government policies often motivated by energy security concerns have also in notable cases spurred rapid shifts in energy systems Moreover social norms that shape individual behaviour and preferences can exhibit similar tipping point style dynamics which could affect the regulatory and market conditions in which energy technologies compete When social norms of sustainability are costly or at least detrimental rather than beneficial for individuals to violate this may substantially increase the probability that an individual engages in pro environmental behaviour 8 In popular culture EditThe term was popularized in application to daily life by Malcolm Gladwell s 2000 bestselling book The Tipping Point How Little Things Can Make a Big Difference See also EditCascading failure Catastrophe theory Chaos theory Critical mass Domino effect Emergence Hundredth monkey effect Information cascade Inflection point Micromotives and Macrobehavior Microtrends The Small Forces Behind Tomorrow s Big Changes Network effect Interconnectedness Saddle node bifurcation Self fulfilling prophecy Straw that broke the camel s back Traffic congestion Viral phenomenon Virtuous circle and vicious circleReferences Edit Lenton Timothy M Benson Scarlett Smith Talia Ewer Theodora Lanel Victor Petykowski Elizabeth Powell Thomas W R Abrams Jesse F Blomsma Fenna Sharpe Simon 2022 Operationalising positive tipping points towards global sustainability Global Sustainability 5 doi 10 1017 sus 2021 30 ISSN 2059 4798 S2CID 235719545 Schelling Thomas C 1971 07 01 Dynamic models of segregation The Journal of Mathematical Sociology 1 2 143 186 doi 10 1080 0022250X 1971 9989794 ISSN 0022 250X Eco Tipping Points Project Leila and Matt Flannes Hudson 1 Sep 2011 The Arab Spring Anatomy of a tipping point Aljazeera Retrieved 29 March 2013 Nathan Andrew J 2013 Foreseeing the Unforeseeable Journal of Democracy 24 1 20 25 doi 10 1353 jod 2013 0012 ISSN 1086 3214 S2CID 158451200 King Noel November 4 2017 Why The Weinstein Effect Seems Like A Tipping Point NPR org Retrieved November 11 2017 Otto Ilona M February 2020 Social tipping dynamics to stabilize Earth s climate by 2050 PNAS 117 5 2354 2365 doi 10 1073 pnas 1900577117 PMC 7007533 PMID 31964839 Moore Frances C Lacasse Katherine Mach Katharine J Shin Yoon Ah Gross Louis J Beckage Brian March 2022 Determinants of emissions pathways in the coupled climate social system Nature 603 7899 103 111 Bibcode 2022Natur 603 103M doi 10 1038 s41586 022 04423 8 ISSN 1476 4687 PMID 35173331 S2CID 246903111 External links EditTipping Point Net Version Robert Paterson s Weblog Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Tipping point sociology amp oldid 1167701804, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

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