Post on 16-Jan-2016
Chapter 11
Role of technology in human behavior
Effects of technology on daily life
Implications of technology for social work
The way in which humans interact with the material world to meet their basic needs and increase well-being
Greatest use of tools after humans Mostly aimed at subsistence needs 7-year study of technology among
chimpanzees• 22 types of tool behavior, with half
employed by all chimpanzees
• Tool use categorized into specific behaviors, such as extracting, probing, wiping, scratching, and rubbing
Ecological-evolutionary typology
Cultural materialism
Societal change arises from the interaction of two different ecologies with varying levels of technologies• Intrasocietal selection: how new elements
are adopted or selected for within a society
• Intersocietal selection: the extinction of whole cultures through contact with larger, more powerful societies
Societal change arises from subsistence technologies and reproduction
Technology facilitates the satisfaction of biologically and psychologically mandated human survival mechanisms
Community and social development actions that target changes in a society’s technologies of subsistence will be more sustainable than actions that do not address this issue.
Dominance of technology in our daily lives• Who’s in control?
Not a recent phenomenon• Each society and culture throughout history
has used technology to facilitate the meeting of basic needs
Complement to the human brain
Diffusion• Spread of technology within or between societies
Technology transfer• Focused type of diffusion wherein technology is
spread from higher to less advanced societies
• Allows a nation to reduce dependence and gain relative autonomy over natural resources
• Example: transfer of high-yield modified seeds from developed nations to Indian farmers, resulting in increased production and decreased wage gaps
Power Race Gender Cross-national comparison
Power• Early adopters of a new technology are able to
increase their power and centrality within social networks inside of an organization
• Disadvantages of a less developed society when interacting with a more developed society
• Use of technology in political agendas Social media usage during Egyptian revolutions
• Use of technology in sociopolitical reform “E-resistance” activism to empower Palestinian
women
Gender• Men use video games more often than females• Women use the computer more for interpersonal
relations and connecting with others Race
• Black adults use the internet least but were more likely to use it for religious/spiritual content and jobs than other groups
Cross-national comparison• Japanese airline employees were different in
their level of technological acceptance than airline employees in the United States and Sweden
Neuroplasticity: The idea that computer usage causes changes in the human brain• Disagreement over the impact of computers on the
human brain
• Reveals that technology can affect human biology Role of computers in education
• Results from a 2009 study showed that fifth graders completing computer-supported homework out-performed those completing traditional homework
Examples: Twitter, MySpace, and Facebook Designed to enhance communication and
sharing of information Why do people participate?
• Three-level conceptual framework:1. Desires and motivations
2. Individual cognitions
3. External physical and social environment
Demographic characteristics• Blacks and Hispanics are more likely than Whites
to use Twitter
• Persons aged 18–49 are more likely to use Twitter Personalities of social media users
• Facebook: Frequent users scored higher on factors of Extraversion and Openness to Experience
• Bloggers: Frequent users scored higher on factors of Openness to Experience and Neuroticism
Sexual victimization• Harassment/solicitation from adult
predators
• Higher percentage for older adolescents Internet addiction
• Similarities with other dependence syndromes
• Likely co-occurs with depression, anxiety, and substance use disorders
Fetal environment and infancy Early childhood/childhood Adolescence Adulthood
Rapid increase in reproductive technologies over the past 20 years.
Technologies such as in vitro fertilization, artificial insemination, and fertility drugs have all helped couples unable to conceive due to fertility problems.
Successful use of tools necessary for survival, such as buckling a seatbelt and using eating utensils.
Advancements in toys and games with the discovery and refinement of electricity.
More quickly master newer technologies than other age groups, in particular entertainment technologies
Used by troubled teens seeking help & support• Approximately 1 in 5 adolescents sought help on the
internet for emotional problems May cause health problems
• Link between nighttime Internet usage with caffeinated beverages, resulting in less sleep and sleepiness at school
Mastery of the technology related to subsistence
Technologies related to earning money are emphasized and accomplished
Computer usage and cognition• Association between adult computer usage
and higher scores on cognition tests
• Improved results on task-switching tests
Technology is involved in nearly every human activity and has played a pivotal role in the evolution of societies.
Access to technology has enabled some societies to develop at a more rapid pace.
Ecological-evolutionary framework and cultural materialism place technology at the center for social change.
Computer technology and social media have affected social behavior through communication platforms.
Technology plays a crucial role at each stage of one’s life.