Cultural lag is the failure of certain parts of a culture to keep up with other, related parts. William F. Ogburn, an American sociologist, introduced the term in the 1920’s. He noted that the development of technology caused rapid changes in material culture, including housing, machinery, and industrial processes. But he observed that nonmaterial culture, including ideas, values, and social systems, often lagged behind material culture.
According to Ogburn, many social problems result from cultural lag. For example, new inventions may replace many workers. The time it takes these workers to learn new skills and find other jobs is a cultural lag that results in unemployment.
Today, social scientists realize that changes in ideas and social systems may sometimes occur before changes in technology. For example, the people of a poor country may begin to value lifestyles common in a wealthy country before their material culture can support such lifestyles.
See also Culture (How cultures change).
