NM

2209 Social Psychology of New Media

Making the most of this class

Lectures
Come on >me Bring slides Pay a@en>on Par>cipate No breaks! No ea>ng smelly food!

Tutorials
Read readings Ask ques>ons Share experiences Clarify thoughts

AIer hours
Observe Read Surf Experiment Reect

assessment
Newsash (800 word commentary on news report) 20%

In-class quiz (closed book)

30%

Tutorial parCcipaCon Exam (closed book)

10% 40%

Roadmap
This week What is new media? Introduc>on to social psychology Social determinism Technological determinism Social shaping of technology Next week Resistance to new technology

 New informa>on and communica>on technologies (ICTs) E.g. digital, mobile, interac>ve, converged technologies

What is new media? All media are new at some point in their lives

Todays new media oers unprecedented opportuni4es for communica4on that is

One-to-one One-to-many Many-to-one Many-to-many

Whats new for society about new media?

What is social psychology?

The scienCc study of the way in which peoples thoughts, feelings and behaviours are inuenced by the real or imagined presence of other people (Aronson, Wilson and Akert) The persistence of social inuence

Social psychology of new media

What social psychological processes may be at work in the producCon, diusion and consumpCon of new media?

Why do we even need to know this?

Media technologies are interwoven with other aspects of social organisa>on and social change Media technologies have fundamental impact on the nature of social interac>on in modern socie>es

Social psychology of new media

How are peoples aStudes and behaviour towards new media shaped by social dynamics? How is new media aecCng the nature of social dynamics?

Impact of technology n society Some compe>ng po erspec>ves

Technological determinism
Technology + Determines Science Finds Industry Applies Man Conforms - 1933 Chicago Worlds Fair Technology the prime mover in societal development Social change as a result of technological innova>on inevitable and predetermined by technology Linear chain of causality

Social determinism
Society + Determines Social interac>ons and constructs alone determine the inven>on, development, adop>on, and usage of technologies
Inventors and designers Commercial and poli>cal inuences Interpersonal interac>ons Cultural factors, social preferences, customs and expecta>ons The primary role of human agency and choice

Technological determinism
Mobile phones and the internet lead people to cheat on their spouses. Short message services cause many car accidents.

Social determinism
Humans are not by nature monogamous. Hence, they will use all means, including the mobile phone and internet to commit adultery. Peoples demand for sending messages any >me they want leads to car accidents.

Social Shaping of Technology

Social se^ngs shape technology as much as technologies aect organisa>ons and society (MacKenzie and Wajcman 1985) Technological development proceeds by the interac>on of various social and technical elements The consequences of technologies arise from a mix of aordances and the unexpected and emergent ways that people make use of those aordances. (Baym)

Social Shaping of Technology

The truth is somewhere in between Dynamic mutually inuen>al rela>onship between society and technology Technology Society

Social Shaping of Technology

Mobile phones and the internet make it easier than before for people to cheat on their spouses. Humans are not always monogamous. Hence, those who have the need would use the mobile phone and internet to commit adultery. SMS brings threats to safe driving. Peoples demand for sending messages any >me distracts drivers.

Conclusion
Technological determinism and social construc>on of technology not without merit
Only par>al perspec>ves

Social shaping of technology more encompassing Weeks to come

Technological aordances and social uses