ChapterPDF Available

The Social Construction of Facts and Artifacts: Or How the Sociology of Science and the Sociology of Technology Might Benefit Each Other.

Authors:

Abstract

One of the most striking features of the growth of "science studies" in recent years has been the separation of science from technology. Sociological studies of new knowledge in science abound, as do studies of technological innovation, but thus far there has been little attempt to bring such bodies of work together.1 It may well be the case that science and technology are essentially different and that different approaches to their study are warranted. However, until the attempt to treat them within the same analytical endeavor has been undertaken, we cannot be sure of this. It is the contention of this chapter that the study of science and the study of technology should, and indeed can, benefit from each other. In particular we argue that the social constructivist view that is prevalent within the sociology of science and also emerging within the sociology of technology provides a useful starting paint. We set out the constitutive questions that such a unified social constructivist approach must address analytically and empirically. This chapter falls into three main sections. In the first part we outline various strands of argumentation and review bodies of literature that we consider to be relevant to our goals. We then discuss the two specific approaches from which our integrated viewpoint has developed: the "Empirical Programme of Relativism" (Collins 1981d) and a social constructivist approach to the study of technology (Bijker et al. 1984). In the third part we bring these two approaches together and give some empirical examples. We conclude by summarizing our provisional findings and by indicating the directions in which we believe the program can most usefully be pursued. © 2012 Massachusetts Institute of Technology. All rights reserved.
http://sss.sagepub.com
Social Studies of Science
DOI: 10.1177/030631284014003004
1984; 14; 399 Social Studies of Science
Trevor J. Pinch and Wiebe E. Bijker
Benefit Each Other
Sociology of Science and the Sociology of Technology might
The Social Construction of Facts and Artefacts: or How the
http://sss.sagepub.com/cgi/content/abstract/14/3/399
The online version of this article can be found at:
Published by:
http://www.sagepublications.com
can be found at:Social Studies of Science Additional services and information for
http://sss.sagepub.com/cgi/alerts Email Alerts:
http://sss.sagepub.com/subscriptions Subscriptions:
http://www.sagepub.com/journalsReprints.navReprints:
http://www.sagepub.com/journalsPermissions.navPermissions:
distribution.
© 1984 SAGE Publications. All rights reserved. Not for commercial use or unauthorized
by Wiebe Bijker on November 8, 2007 http://sss.sagepub.comDownloaded from
from the SAGE Social Science Collections. All Rights Reserved. distribution.
© 1984 SAGE Publications. All rights reserved. Not for commercial use or unauthorized
by Wiebe Bijker on November 8, 2007 http://sss.sagepub.comDownloaded from
distribution.
© 1984 SAGE Publications. All rights reserved. Not for commercial use or unauthorized
by Wiebe Bijker on November 8, 2007 http://sss.sagepub.comDownloaded from
distribution.
© 1984 SAGE Publications. All rights reserved. Not for commercial use or unauthorized
by Wiebe Bijker on November 8, 2007 http://sss.sagepub.comDownloaded from
distribution.
© 1984 SAGE Publications. All rights reserved. Not for commercial use or unauthorized
by Wiebe Bijker on November 8, 2007 http://sss.sagepub.comDownloaded from
distribution.
© 1984 SAGE Publications. All rights reserved. Not for commercial use or unauthorized
by Wiebe Bijker on November 8, 2007 http://sss.sagepub.comDownloaded from
distribution.
© 1984 SAGE Publications. All rights reserved. Not for commercial use or unauthorized
by Wiebe Bijker on November 8, 2007 http://sss.sagepub.comDownloaded from
distribution.
© 1984 SAGE Publications. All rights reserved. Not for commercial use or unauthorized
by Wiebe Bijker on November 8, 2007 http://sss.sagepub.comDownloaded from
distribution.
© 1984 SAGE Publications. All rights reserved. Not for commercial use or unauthorized
by Wiebe Bijker on November 8, 2007 http://sss.sagepub.comDownloaded from
distribution.
© 1984 SAGE Publications. All rights reserved. Not for commercial use or unauthorized
by Wiebe Bijker on November 8, 2007 http://sss.sagepub.comDownloaded from
distribution.
© 1984 SAGE Publications. All rights reserved. Not for commercial use or unauthorized
by Wiebe Bijker on November 8, 2007 http://sss.sagepub.comDownloaded from
distribution.
© 1984 SAGE Publications. All rights reserved. Not for commercial use or unauthorized
by Wiebe Bijker on November 8, 2007 http://sss.sagepub.comDownloaded from
distribution.
© 1984 SAGE Publications. All rights reserved. Not for commercial use or unauthorized
by Wiebe Bijker on November 8, 2007 http://sss.sagepub.comDownloaded from
distribution.
© 1984 SAGE Publications. All rights reserved. Not for commercial use or unauthorized
by Wiebe Bijker on November 8, 2007 http://sss.sagepub.comDownloaded from
distribution.
© 1984 SAGE Publications. All rights reserved. Not for commercial use or unauthorized
by Wiebe Bijker on November 8, 2007 http://sss.sagepub.comDownloaded from
distribution.
© 1984 SAGE Publications. All rights reserved. Not for commercial use or unauthorized
by Wiebe Bijker on November 8, 2007 http://sss.sagepub.comDownloaded from
distribution.
© 1984 SAGE Publications. All rights reserved. Not for commercial use or unauthorized
by Wiebe Bijker on November 8, 2007 http://sss.sagepub.comDownloaded from
distribution.
© 1984 SAGE Publications. All rights reserved. Not for commercial use or unauthorized
by Wiebe Bijker on November 8, 2007 http://sss.sagepub.comDownloaded from
distribution.
© 1984 SAGE Publications. All rights reserved. Not for commercial use or unauthorized
by Wiebe Bijker on November 8, 2007 http://sss.sagepub.comDownloaded from
distribution.
© 1984 SAGE Publications. All rights reserved. Not for commercial use or unauthorized
by Wiebe Bijker on November 8, 2007 http://sss.sagepub.comDownloaded from
distribution.
© 1984 SAGE Publications. All rights reserved. Not for commercial use or unauthorized
by Wiebe Bijker on November 8, 2007 http://sss.sagepub.comDownloaded from
distribution.
© 1984 SAGE Publications. All rights reserved. Not for commercial use or unauthorized
by Wiebe Bijker on November 8, 2007 http://sss.sagepub.comDownloaded from
distribution.
© 1984 SAGE Publications. All rights reserved. Not for commercial use or unauthorized
by Wiebe Bijker on November 8, 2007 http://sss.sagepub.comDownloaded from
distribution.
© 1984 SAGE Publications. All rights reserved. Not for commercial use or unauthorized
by Wiebe Bijker on November 8, 2007 http://sss.sagepub.comDownloaded from
distribution.
© 1984 SAGE Publications. All rights reserved. Not for commercial use or unauthorized
by Wiebe Bijker on November 8, 2007 http://sss.sagepub.comDownloaded from
distribution.
© 1984 SAGE Publications. All rights reserved. Not for commercial use or unauthorized
by Wiebe Bijker on November 8, 2007 http://sss.sagepub.comDownloaded from
distribution.
© 1984 SAGE Publications. All rights reserved. Not for commercial use or unauthorized
by Wiebe Bijker on November 8, 2007 http://sss.sagepub.comDownloaded from
distribution.
© 1984 SAGE Publications. All rights reserved. Not for commercial use or unauthorized
by Wiebe Bijker on November 8, 2007 http://sss.sagepub.comDownloaded from
distribution.
© 1984 SAGE Publications. All rights reserved. Not for commercial use or unauthorized
by Wiebe Bijker on November 8, 2007 http://sss.sagepub.comDownloaded from
distribution.
© 1984 SAGE Publications. All rights reserved. Not for commercial use or unauthorized
by Wiebe Bijker on November 8, 2007 http://sss.sagepub.comDownloaded from
distribution.
© 1984 SAGE Publications. All rights reserved. Not for commercial use or unauthorized
by Wiebe Bijker on November 8, 2007 http://sss.sagepub.comDownloaded from
distribution.
© 1984 SAGE Publications. All rights reserved. Not for commercial use or unauthorized
by Wiebe Bijker on November 8, 2007 http://sss.sagepub.comDownloaded from
distribution.
© 1984 SAGE Publications. All rights reserved. Not for commercial use or unauthorized
by Wiebe Bijker on November 8, 2007 http://sss.sagepub.comDownloaded from
distribution.
© 1984 SAGE Publications. All rights reserved. Not for commercial use or unauthorized
by Wiebe Bijker on November 8, 2007 http://sss.sagepub.comDownloaded from
distribution.
© 1984 SAGE Publications. All rights reserved. Not for commercial use or unauthorized
by Wiebe Bijker on November 8, 2007 http://sss.sagepub.comDownloaded from
distribution.
© 1984 SAGE Publications. All rights reserved. Not for commercial use or unauthorized
by Wiebe Bijker on November 8, 2007 http://sss.sagepub.comDownloaded from
distribution.
© 1984 SAGE Publications. All rights reserved. Not for commercial use or unauthorized
by Wiebe Bijker on November 8, 2007 http://sss.sagepub.comDownloaded from
distribution.
© 1984 SAGE Publications. All rights reserved. Not for commercial use or unauthorized
by Wiebe Bijker on November 8, 2007 http://sss.sagepub.comDownloaded from
distribution.
© 1984 SAGE Publications. All rights reserved. Not for commercial use or unauthorized
by Wiebe Bijker on November 8, 2007 http://sss.sagepub.comDownloaded from
distribution.
© 1984 SAGE Publications. All rights reserved. Not for commercial use or unauthorized
by Wiebe Bijker on November 8, 2007 http://sss.sagepub.comDownloaded from
distribution.
© 1984 SAGE Publications. All rights reserved. Not for commercial use or unauthorized
by Wiebe Bijker on November 8, 2007 http://sss.sagepub.comDownloaded from
distribution.
© 1984 SAGE Publications. All rights reserved. Not for commercial use or unauthorized
by Wiebe Bijker on November 8, 2007 http://sss.sagepub.comDownloaded from
distribution.
© 1984 SAGE Publications. All rights reserved. Not for commercial use or unauthorized
by Wiebe Bijker on November 8, 2007 http://sss.sagepub.comDownloaded from
distribution.
© 1984 SAGE Publications. All rights reserved. Not for commercial use or unauthorized
by Wiebe Bijker on November 8, 2007 http://sss.sagepub.comDownloaded from
... The concept of "social shaping of technology" is a basic idea in STS along with "social construction" or just "construction" of technology (Bijker 1997;Latour 2005;MacKenzie and Wajcman 1985;Pinch and Bijker 1987). The classic case studies that applied and demonstrated this approach focused on the development of single artifacts, usually studying design controversies and their outcomes. ...
... The shaping or construction processes were social and concerned with the artifact's design or material appearance. The authors of these case studies argued that artifacts attained their final shape when design controversies ended by reaching closure (Pinch and Bijker 1987) or moving from a "hot" to a "cold" situation (Latour 1987). ...
Article
Full-text available
This article explores the idea that technologies may be considered shapeshifting as they move between and are domesticated in different social worlds. We employ a material-semiotic approach with a domestication and social worlds framework to study the case of Trampe, a bicycle lift built in Trondheim, Norway, in 1993. The study is based on interviews, observation, documents, and news media analysis. We show how the lift shifted shape: although originally intended as bicycling infrastructure, it became domesticated as a tourist attraction in the social world of tourists, and a symbol of the city's efforts to stimulate cycling in the social world of the local government. Trampe has remained the only bike lift in the world and would have been closed long ago due to maintenance costs, but its shapeshifting qualities have prolonged its sociotechnical life after its functional abilities were no longer sufficient. Our study suggests that more attention should be paid to these shapeshifting dynamics when analyzing technologies and their sociotechnical lives. Combining domestication theory with a social worlds perspective helps identify these shapeshifting features.
... En este sentido, el estudio de Williams (2003) fue un importante punto de partida de cara a futuros trabajos en la materia. Con base en la teoría de la construcción social de la tecnología (Pinch y Bijker, 1999), el autor analiza el tratamiento del videojuego por parte de las tres revistas estadounidenses con mayor difusión del momento (Time, Newsweek y US News & World Report) durante tres décadas . El análisis revela una cierta ambivalencia entre encuadres utópicos y distópicos que se desencaderon en cuatro fases. ...
Article
Full-text available
Introducción: El desarrollo del videojuego como industria y su penetración en la sociedad están captando un creciente interés por parte de la prensa generalista, un actor clave en su reconocimiento como artefacto cultural. El propósito del presente trabajo es describir la evolución general de las publicaciones sobre videojuegos de El País, así como comparar el tratamiento mediático del sector entre este diario y ABC. Metodología: Se llevó a cabo un análisis de contenido sobre 4.602 piezas publicadas entre julio de 1982 y abril de 2024, atendiendo a variables como la carga emocional del titular, la sección y los términos más repetidos. Resultados: Desde 1982, el número anual de piezas sobre videojuegos ha experimentado un claro crecimiento, del mismo modo que el sentimiento promedio de los titulares se muestra cada vez más positivo. El 61% de estos textos están enmarcados en secciones tecnológicas o culturales. Entre 2020 y 2023, ABC publicó en Tecnología más del triple de piezas que El País. Conclusiones: En 2014 hubo un cambio de paradigma con respecto a la cobertura del videojuego y su reconocimiento como cultura. En general, la mayoría de las publicaciones sobre el medio giran en torno a la industria, las consolas y los lanzamientos.
... • los valores (las creencias axiológicas) (Zukerfeld, 2014) Estas tres dimensiones son estudiadas mediante la reconstrucción de las representaciones sociales (Jodelet, 1986) de algunos actores pertenecientes a "grupos sociales relevantes" (Pinch y Bijker, 1987), en nuestro caso, serán los habitantes del barrio, pero también actores de otras instituciones relevantes para la vida barrial. ...
Technical Report
Full-text available
En este proyecto nos proponemos contrarrestar el sesgo de los estudios que privilegian los enfoques macrosociales concentrados en cuantificar la brecha digital y evaluar el impacto de las políticas de conectividad urbana a partir de la reconstrucción de las experiencias de quienes habitan barrios populares informales de Latinoamérica. Mediante un estudio cualitativo de tres casos ubicados en las periferias urbanas de Buenos Aires, Ciudad de México y San Pablo, nos proponemos interpretar los sentidos – indisolublemente prácticos y simbólicos – que adquiere la conectividad en dichos contextos, comprender las estrategias de conexión desarrolladas (y las barreras que encuentran) e identificar los actores clave que participan de ella.
... Spätestens seit den SCOT-Ansätzen 1 ist augenscheinlich geworden, dass diese Beeinflussung bidirektional ist (vgl. Bijker/Pinch 1984). D.h., was eine technische Neuerung ist, wie sie in die Alltagspraxen der Menschen eingebaut wird, ist mehr oder weniger variabel. ...
... It acknowledges that technologies are not solely determined by their technical features but are coconstructed through social processes, interests and values. Pinch et al. (1987) laid the groundwork for SCOT, demonstrating how social groups influence technological development through processes of negotiation and interpretation. Their framework has been applied to AI technologies, revealing the ways in which social factors influence the development and adoption of AI systems. ...
Article
This study presents a critical review of the emerging field of Artificial Intelligence (AI) Sociology, examining the social implications and ethical considerations of AI technologies. Through a qualitative methodology incorporating a systematic literature review and thematic analysis, this research explores the intersection of AI and sociology, aiming to bridge the gap between technological advancement and societal impact. The study investigates key theoretical frameworks, including critical theory and actor-network theory, to analyse power relations, social stratification, and the dynamic interplay between AI and society. The findings reveal the multifaceted influence of AI on social structures, ethical challenges, and the need for interdisciplinary approaches to address the societal implications of AI.
Book
Full-text available
Drawing on a combination of theoretical perspectives and comparative analysis, this book offers a comprehensive examination of the role elections and electoral systems play in shaping democratic participation, representation and legitimacy. Critically assessing existing classifications of electoral arrangements, Stoycho P. Stoychev introduces the concept of hybrid systems—Personalized Multi-Member (PMM) and List Single-Member (LSM)—as a refined approach to understanding the balance between majoritarian and proportional principles. Through empirical analysis of voter turnout trends and electoral system performance across diverse contexts, it sheds light on longstanding debates in electoral studies concerning populism, political polarization and the transformative impact of digital technologies. Intended for scholars, practitioners, and policymakers, this study contributes to the ongoing discourse on electoral system design and its implications for democratic performance and engagement.
Chapter
Progress of civilization is characterized by a horizontal and vertical expansion of techno-sphere, which currently has digital technologies and AI at the core. Although the evolution of machines and its impact on human behaviour, and socio-economic, political, and cultural activities have been a subject of debate for the last two centuries (Corpo 2017; Ash et al. 2016), the rise of digital technologies, especially since the early 1990s with commercialization of internet and availability of cheap computing machines, have had massive disruptive and transformative impacts on human to human, human and environment, human and machine and body and mind relationships.
ResearchGate has not been able to resolve any references for this publication.