ICTs as Social Constructs: Reconfiguring Social Dynamics
Download
Read an extract
Themes
Information Communication Technologies, social construct, social dynamics, daily practices, sociology of uses, ICT adoption, banalization, appropriation, computer-mediated communication
Reader
Abstract
Extract
of 4
Abstract
Josiane Jouët's critical review of the sociology of ICT usage, exploring how information and communication technologies reconfigure social dynamics and daily practices.
Extract
[...] The phases of adoption and banalization The author also describes in the article the different phases of ICT adoption. These phases start from the initial discovery to the learning of ICTs and then to the banalization of them. The social link Finally, the last key concept we learn in this article is that of the social link. The author examines through the impact of ICTs, the formation of new collectives and the redefinition of social exchanges. Josiane addresses the constitution of microgroups of users and the emergence of new forms of communication. [...]
[...] Josiane Jouët explains that instant messaging applications allow for rapid and continuous communication. These messengers then eliminate temporal and spatial barriers. This joins the theory of computer-mediated communication, analyzing how ICT modify our ways of communicating. Conclusion: In conclusion, the ICT redefine our social dynamics and transform the daily practices of each person who is close to or far from them. The uses of ICT are shaped by both social and cultural dynamics. Its uses go through phases of adoption and banalization, thereby redefining social exchanges at the planetary scale. [...]
[...] The reconfiguration of social dynamics A. Usage as social construct The use of ICT is deeply influenced by social and cultural processes. This is what Josiane Jouët emphasizes by writing that technologies are not adopted uniformly by all social groups. In fact, today, the use of social networks can vary significantly depending on factors such as age, level of education, or views on different cultures. B. The process of appropriating ICT The appropriation of ICT is a process that is both subjective and collective. [...]
[...] The banalization of ICT Anthony Giddens speaks of the banalization of ICT, where they become totally integrated and invisible elements of daily life. For example, smartphones are no longer seen as high-tech gadgets but as indispensable tools in the daily life of each person. III. The social construction of uses and impact on social ties A. The complementarity between new and old media Josiane Jouët notes that ICT does not necessarily replace old media but integrates with them in a complementary manner. [...]
