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.