Broad Interpretations of Comprehensive Change (BICC)
Broad Interpretations of Comprehensive Change (BICC) is a theory that suggests that changes in the environment and society cause people to change their worldviews and beliefs, leading to changes in the way that people interact with the environment and each other. The theory was formulated by psychologist Robert H. Gass and educator Douglas M. McLean in the late 1970s and has been used ever since to help explain how societies and cultures evolve over time.
The basic premise of the theory is that change doesnt occur in a vacuum; it is instead a result of cumulative previous changes within a society or environment. For example, a dramatic event such as war or natural disaster can cause a fundamental shift in the way a society functions and the beliefs that people have. Alternatively, smaller changes over time may also lead to a shift in perspectives and values.
The theory focuses on the fact that changes in beliefs and worldviews have a much greater impact on everyday life than changes in purely physical environment. For example, when a city experiences increased levels of pollution, this may lead to changes in health, lifestyle and other aspects of life. However, if the public belief and attitudes around a form of pollution change, then this may lead to greater levels of public pressure on politicians to take action, or even create the motivation to create new technology or regulations to reduce the levels of pollution.
The concept of BICC has been used by governments and organisations to inform their decision-making, with the aim of understanding how changes to their environment may lead to changes in their customer base, the products they offer and the ways in which they interact with the public. It has also been used as an analytical tool in social, economic and political research, giving an insight into how certain changes may lead to larger societal shifts. For example, the theory of BICC may be used to explain how changes in technology, such as the advent of the Internet, have resulted in the reshaping of entire economies, the emergence of new business opportunities and the changing way in which people communicate.
The theory of BICC is based upon the interplay between changes to physical environment, values and beliefs. It suggests that physical environment can be divided into three distinct types of change: environmental, sociocultural and organisational. Environmental changes concern changes to inanimate objects and natural phenomena such as weather events and water resources. Sociocultural changes concern changes to the beliefs and values that guide a society. Organisational changes are changes to the structures of societies, such as political and economic policies, laws and regulations. Each type of change will have a direct effect on the other two, leading to a cyclical and cumulative process of change.
This concept of interlinked changes allows for a richer and more nuanced approach to the understanding of social, political and economic change. Rather than just looking at the physical environment or changes in individual variables, BICC highlights how different factors are interconnected and how changes to one may lead to changes in others. As such, it provides a useful way of looking at changes to a society from multiple perspectives and can help determine the ways in which certain changes may be beneficial or damaging.
In conclusion, the theory of BICC provides an important tool for understanding the ways in which changes to the members of a society can lead to changes on a larger scale. It is an important part of research into the process of social, political and economic change and can help governments, organisations and individuals to anticipate and respond appropriately to changes to the environment and how people interact with it.
