YSS31806 Consumer, Technology And Innovation (YSS31806)
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YSS31806 - Lectures Consumer Technology and Innovation
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YSS31806 Consumer, Technology And Innovation (YSS31806)
Institution
Wageningen University (WUR)
Lecture summary of the course Consumer, Technology and Innovation (YSS) at Wageningen University (WUR). Slides included as examples to give an extensive overview.
YSS31806 Consumer, Technology And Innovation (YSS31806)
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YSS31806 – Summary
Lecture 1 – Sociological perspective
Two important theoretical perspectives:
1. Technological determinism (Veblen): changes in technology are primary influence of social change. The basis
of a society is the technological development and economics. Example: technology to improve health
2. Social constructivism of technology (Latour): technology doesn’t determine human action, human action
shapes technology; we decide which technologies are meaningful and stay in the market. Example: e-
learning
Lecture 2 – User perspective
Consumer = person using the outcome of interaction (users of outcome). Outcome can be used by multiple people.
User = the one actually interacting with the technology; makes use of materials/services to fulfil basic needs.
Interaction between user and technology is on different levels:
- Micro = individual: one person using the technology, look at how that works out
- Meso = household: how technologies influences processes in the entire household
- Macro = society: societal effect on policy making. E.g. effect of nano technology on product acceptability.
Household group = performs activities aimed at satisfying every day material needs of human beings; creating
material conditions for immaterial needs (e.g. gezellig samen eten). Characteristics: family ties, lifecycle.
Consumer-Technology Interaction model: the household wants to interact with the technology with a satisfying
purpose. Level of living = output/outcome of the activity (for all members). To fulfil activities, resources are needed:
human (skills, abilities) or non-human (goods, money, assets). External facilities need to be used to fulfil
technological activities (power). Household system = input, throughput, output.
Level of living = what you achieve when performing activities
Standard of living = what you aim for in these activities (norms, values)
Level of well-being = determined by evaluating standard of living against level of living. Evaluating the activity based
on norms and values: different outcome as aimed for leads to lower well-being; discrepancy happens when the
technology doesn’t fulfil the norms. Note: people raise their standards.
Feedback loops help evaluate whether we need to change our goals/standards or strategies to reach our goals
better.
Social Practice Theory: Practice = a routinized type of behaviour which consists of several interconnected elements
to each other. Main idea: all kinds of practices in our daily lives are built out of routines. Elements:
- Competences: related to the human resources; skills, knowledge we take into account
- Materials: physical resources from in- or outside the household
- Meanings: what the outcome means for people and how they accept/reject the outcome
Overlap Consumer-Technology Interaction model & Social Practice Theory: there’s overlap in the elements and to
the ways what happens with households when people interact with technologies.
Function of products: consumers use products to get primary output, which supports or extends human activity.
Primary output = product’s functionality. Side put = not primary aim of the product’s functionality, but comes
automatically with use (pleasant/unpleasant), e.g. using technology can lead to environmental effects which we
want to minimize in design. Required input = through human resources (labour, knowledge) we fix the undesired
outcomes.
Changes in technology development and innovation:
- Past goals: increase functionality of existing products and extend product’s functions
- Present goals: increasing sustainability of product/activity, increase health and safety; both serve broader,
societal goals. Aesthetics of technology increasingly important
, Acceptance of new technology: Groot-Marcus: household system may be disturbed when introducing a new
innovation with the fragile balance between resources, level of living and living standard. The more system
discrepancies, the more changes are required in household. Interactions with own effect on the household:
- Perceivability of effects: when changed effects cannot be noticed by household, no response is needed to
maintain or change the level of living.
- Extent of congruence: Action incompatibility = behavioural patterns not the same as before; change is required.
Action compatibility = consumers get used to behavioural patterns in processes.
- Logistic fit: whether the new technology requires more labour, time, money, space. Same logistic fit = no
changes
- Functional compatibility: extent to which function fulfilment corresponds with trad. technology. When it is
incompatible, product needs alteration; needs to be compatible with living standard. Find balance:
- Restoring level of living: decrease in level of living is corrected by an increase in resources
- Adaptation level of living: adopt the new situation as the new living standard
Rebound effect: effect of technology is different than expected. It is expected that people behave the same under an
intervention, though with rebound effect they don’t; changing behaviour after intervention. Users think they have
possibilities to do other things that induces the effect of what the technology aimed for; raising standards.
Example: shower head saving water changed behaviour that people showered for a longer time.
Gramm-Hanssen: Explain how conspicuous consumption and routine consumption are opposites, yet intertwined.
Conspicuous consumption = act of consuming goods/services for the purpose of displaying wealth rather than
consuming them as a way to provide for basic needs. Happens more intentionally
Routinized consumption = inconspicuous and habitually. Often happens automatically. Nevertheless, routinized
consumption is often influenced by conspicuous consumption, e.g. goods are bought with conspicuous motives but
then become part of daily routines.
Routines = repeated, in-bodied, unconscious doings and saying which are part of broader social practice. Routine
changes follow from broader structural change in the practice. Through conscious decisions, people can adapt
routines
Gramm-Hanssen: Explain different development in social practices and routines with a new type of technology.
Some social practices are collectively shaped (everyone agrees), while other practices and routines based on new
technologies are adopted by only some consumers and differ on an individual level (even in the same type of
household). Routines and practices are not developed on their own, but together with social, cultural and physical
infrastructures making routines differ from others based on an economic/environmental perspective.
Routines follow from broader structural changes. Cultural norms can influence how new routines are developed.
New technologies often demand a change in routines, as it involves daily handling of material things.
Gramm-Hanssen: Explain Schatzki’s conceptualisation of practice.
A practice is a set of doings and sayings on different levels. The doings/sayings is held together by: rules, practical
understanding, general understanding and teleoaffective structures. Practices are social, since many people share
the same practice. People have rules, practical and general understandings in relation to the practice. Teleoaffective
structures combines particular goal ends with emotions and motivational engagements (affect) within the practice.
Example: cooking a meal consists of cutting ingredients, combining them, cooking them, serving the food. Cooking of
certain types of foods can be shared within and between cultures (e.g. each culture makes Lasagne differently).
Practical and general understanding: chicken needs to be thoroughly cooked for food safety; herbs give nice flavour.
Rules: don’t cut vegetables on the same cutting board as chicken. Teleoaffective structure: goal is cooking, structure
is having a nice mean with family.
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