User:Mbjordahl/Mutual shaping

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Mutual shaping suggests that society and technology are not mutually exclusive to one another and, instead, influence and shape each other. This process is a combination of social determinism and technological determinism. The term mutual shaping was developed through Science and Technology Studies (STS) in an attempt to explain the detailed process of technological design. Mutual shaping is argued to have a more comprehensive understanding of the development of new media because it considers technological and social change as directly affecting the other.

Comparison of TD and SD
Technological determinism (TD), coined by Thorstein Veblen, suggests that technology is the primary catalyst for change in society. Following this theory, the development and implementation of technology is beyond the control of society as it is pervasive in all elements of our lives. Once a technology has been created its influence on society is an inevitable, predetermined path. Technological deterministic view suggests that technology is the cause of societal change, which shapes humans and their environments. An example that supports technological determinism is the development of the printing press that accelerated the Protestant Reformation.

In contrast, social determinism (SD), popularized by social theorists Karl Marx and Emile Durkheim, purports that social structure is the driving factor towards change in society. Following this view, society is the governing force that determines social behavior, and technology is created and adapted based on society’s wants and needs. Social determinism has been observed as response to technological determinism and explains that it is social and environmental factors which determine how technology is used and progresses.

Both TD and SD are cause-and-effect theories suggesting that technology and society are mutually exclusive. The theory of mutual shaping suggests that technology design is a result of a synthesis of TD and SD. It sees technology and society working together to facilitate change. Society changes as a direct result of the implementation of technology that has been created based on society’s wants and needs. They function collectively to shape one another.

The Negative Impact
The impact of mutual shaping has not always been positive. When the printing press was first introduced, many were worried about the information overload it might cause. Recently, Internet addiction, or problematic internet use (PIU), has become a widespread issue. PIU can cause lack of sleep due to internet usage as well as increasing the risk for certain physical ailments like eyestrain. Smartphones allow for endless amounts of information to be accessible in the pockets of its users. However, the social stigma around smartphone use has centered around how technology addiction can lead to increased stress and anxiety for the users. Studies have shown that there is a direct correlation between smartphone use and social anxiety and similar disorders. Those who already have anxiety disorders and simply use their smartphones as a coping mechanism are in fact, making their anxiety worse. As smartphone use increases, so does the level of anxiety in many humans.