Explore BrainMass

Explore BrainMass

    Technology, Internet and Mass Communication

    The last fifty years have shown an unimaginably exponential increase in invention and innovation of technology. Since the internet was commercially introduced to the public, new technology is introduced every year that could not have even been imagined by most the year before. Many agree that the internet is the single most influential invention that has even been introduced to the human species.¹

    With internet practically considered a human right, anyone in North America has access to the majority of human knowledge with a trip to a library and a few clicks. If knowledge is power then the internet has literally revolutionized our society in the most marxist sense of the word.

    The sociology of science and technology has emerged in the last few decades as an influential mode of inquiry. In the 1970s and 1980s, historians and sociologists of technology “began questioning implicit assumptions about technological progress and social progress moving forward together in an upward spiral toward the ever better."²

    Many sociologists approach the subject of technological innovation through the framework of two intersecting ideas: that “successful innovation requires consideration of the social and organizational contexts in which it is located” and that “innovations can be divided into two modes: ‘bounded’ . . . and ‘unbounded.'"¹

    The implications of bounded innovation are within one sphere of influence and the effects of unbounded innovation spill beyond this. Sociologists are typically interested in unbounded innovation and its relationship with production, consumption and society. The sociological approach to technology and mass communication can provide insights to the “negotiations and alignments that constitute the implementation of unbounded innovation."¹

    There has always been a dialectical relationship between culture and technology. Discovery of fire, the wheel, electricity and transcommunication technology have all shaped and been shaped the world view of cultures and the entire human species. Sociologists of technology aim to “demonstrate that technology has never been some exogenous force, but an integral component of society shaping and profoundly shaped by politics, economics and culture."²

     

    References:

    1. Harty, Chris. (2006). Innovation in construction: a sociology of technology approach. Retrieved May 8, 2014, from http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/09613210500288605#.Uk7UXWTN6aY

    2. Pinch, Trevor, Wiebe Bijker and Thomas Hughes. (1990). The Social Construction of Technological Systems: New Directions in the Sociology and History of Technology. Retrieved May 8, 2014, from http://www.jstor.org.proxy.queensu.ca/stable/234086?seq=2

    Image source:Wikimedia

    © BrainMass Inc. brainmass.com March 18, 2024, 2:41 pm ad1c9bdddf

    BrainMass Solutions Available for Instant Download

    Understanding New Social Movements

    • What are theories on social movements and new social movements? • How can social movements lead to large-scale social changes? • How does social media affect new social movements? *400 words for 4 credits* *NO REFERENCES NEEDED*

    Online communities and sense of community

    I have recently been interacting with a fan website as a type of community online. My interaction with the site has been positive and I had some questions regarding online community, participatory culture, and online identity. 1) How do online communities that focus around a central fan based topic create a sense of community

    Representations of the Internet in Other Media

    I have recently been learning about the internet and the various aspects of it. I have noticed that there are numerous symbolic and material representations of the internet in other media: movies, news stories, advertisements, etc. This led me to think about how the perception of the internet has changed for society based on the

    The Effects of Social and Mass Media on Youth

    Question: Choose an issue (in this case - social and mass media) and get in-depth discussion on preventing the risk factors from developing into an issue that would require treatment or intervention. Also include the various supporters that would be involved and their roles.

    Technical Rationality

    Can you help me understand the similarities between technical rationality and reflection in action and between logical positivism and interpretive epistemologies? What are the evidences of technical rationality and how does it relate to human services?

    Communication of Bias in Today's Media

    Discuss how the media today communicates a message of bias when it comes to gender advertising how review specific advertising conducted with product placements.

    Using Websites for Family Research

    I need assistance finding and identifying three reputable websites that can be used to find information about families. Please help me explain the value of each website, listing examples of ways they can be used for family research.

    Socialization

    Do you think the mass media significantly contributes to the socialization process?

    Popular culture, values & the electronic media

    - Assess the impact of electronic media advertising on consumerism and cultural values. o Briefly describe the roles that music, radio, television, and the motion pictures have played in the development of American popular culture. o Identify at least three trends propagated by the electronic media. Evaluate the impa

    Portrayal of Diversity in the Media: WB's Chuck

    Review a current television show that discusses or illustrates the portrayal of diversity in the media. In this assignment, address the following questions in relation to the selected article, motion picture, or television show: o Did the article, television show, or motion picture attempt to address the diversity represen

    Social Media

    With the overwhelming response and participation these new e-line chat sites are receiving, companies are now looking to incorporate these into their respective background checks while selecting new employees. Do you think this is the right thing to do? is it fair?

    Impact of Mass Media on Children

    Write an essay about the impact of the mass media (especially television and advertising) on the socialization of children and young people in the U.S. Focus particularly on the issues of consumerism, violence, and the portrayal of minorities in the media. a

    Effect of Logos on Consumers

    Describe emotional image of PUMA brand (sportswear) ; indicate how it attempts to make emotional contact with consumers. Please do not limit your answer to the logo (puma cat) but consider PUMA brand as a whole.

    Assessment: Pop Culture Inventory

    ASSESSMENT: Pop Culture Inventory I need help doing an inventory list and answering three questions in order to have enough information to write an essay. Every day we make a variety of choices regarding the clothing we wear, the food we eat, the entertainments we seek out and the products we buy. For several days, compile