Social Theory

• Social construction of technology (SCOT) - argues that technology does not determine human action, but that human action shapes technology. Key concepts include:
  • interpretive flexibility: "Technological artifacts are culturally constructed and interpreted ... By this we mean not only that there is flexibility in how people think of or interpret artifacts but also that there is flexibility in how artifacts are designed."
  • relevant social group: shares a particular set of meanings about an artifact
  • closure and stabilization: when the relevant social group has reached a consensus
  • wider context: "the sociocultural and political situation of a social group shapes its norms and values, which in turn influence the meaning given to an artifact"