- Social constructivism is the belief that society influences technology, while technological determinism is the belief that technology influences society.
- Social constructivism suggests that technology develops based on the support of social groups, and different societies may have different technological advancements as a result.
- Technological determinism, on the other hand, argues that technology develops independently of societal influences and is driven by its own internal logic and rational factors such as efficiency.
- The essence of technological determinism is the question of whether there is only one path for technological development or if there are multiple possibilities.
- The social construction of technology (SCOT) examines why a particular technology takes a certain form by considering the criteria for success and who defines those criteria.
- Pinch and Bijker argue that technological determinism is a myth and that there were multiple possible paths to the present.
- The SCOT methodology includes stages such as interpretive flexibility, the concept of social groups, closure and stabilization, and the wider sociopolitical context.
- Critics argue that SCOT tends to focus on social groups that contribute to technology construction while ignoring those who are affected but have no voice in the process. It also fails to consider alternative options that were not chosen.
- The criticism of SCOT is that it can result in conservative and elitist sociology.
- Technological determinism suggests that technology develops autonomously and then influences society.- Social Constructionism: the idea that the direction of technological advancements and the meaning they hold are constantly shaped by the conflicting interests and negotiations of various social groups. This is referred to as the social construction of technology.