In The Outsiders, how did Ponyboy's opinion change throughout the book?

Pony comes to understand that the Socs are just people too, and everyone has problems.

At the beginning of the book, Pony is afraid of the Socs.  He paints them all with one brush, believing that all Socs are a danger to him.  This is based on his experience being jumped by a group of Socs when he was walking alone.  Pony has feared for his safety from that day on.

We get jumped by the Socs. I'm not sure how you spell it, but it's the abbreviation for the Socials, the jet set, the West-side rich kids. It's like the term "greaser," which is used to class all us boys on the East Side. (Ch. 1) 

In Pony’s neighborhood, if you are a greaser, that means you will be targeted by Socs.  The Socs get all the breaks.  They are wealthy and have their future laid out for them, and most of their illegal actions are dismissed by the public as rich kids blowing off steam. 

Pony thinks that the Socs have it all.  When he meets a Soc girl named Cherry and has a conversation with her, he learns that things are more complicated. 

"I'll bet you think the Socs have it made.  The rich kids, the West-side Socs. I'll tell you something, Ponyboy, and it may come as a surprise. We have troubles you've never even heard of. You want to know something? …Things are rough all over." (Ch. 2) 

Cherry makes Pony start to change his opinion of Socs.  He realizes that they are people too.  Before the big rumble where the greasers are supposed to avenge Johnny’s death, and the Socs are avenging Bob’s, Pony has a conversation with a Soc named Randy.  Randy is impressed that Johnny and Pony rescued the children from the fire, and tells Pony that he is tired of the fighting. 

When Two-bit asks Pony what he and the Soc talked about, Pony’s response demonstrates his new understanding of Socs. 

"He ain't a Soc," I said, "he's just a guy. He just wanted to talk." (Ch. 7) 

Pony understands the world differently than just greaser-Soc.  The Socs are people too, with real problems.  The greasers and the Socs will never be the same, but they do not have to fight over nothing either.  Pony decides to take Johnny’s advice and stay gold, or try to get his life on track and not get dragged into the gang life.