Technology and Social Change

Technology is described as the use of scientific expertise and information to create tools that help with a variety of challenges. Televisions, cell phones, and autos are examples of such devices. Another definition of technology is the cultural knowledge that describes the various ways in which the environment may be helpful in gratifying human needs and desires. On the other hand, social change describes the changes that take place in society as a result of social movements as well as outside forces. In other words, it has to do with how significantly society’s behavioural patterns have changed. In the modern world, technology has effectively changed the way people interact, meet, travel as well as do business. In fact, people are always being faced with various technological changes (Social Change Peer-Review Journals, 2015). With such transformations, many people don’t even realize the social progress that is occurring in their lives. The advancement of the technical know-how has vehemently affected the social values in today`s society. The paper explores the impact of personal computers, the internet as well as cellular phones in the modern society. The article will also explore the equilibrium model in the sociological perspectives as well emerging trends in the forms of technology. https://www.salesforce.com/video/1074486/

The Impact of Cellular Phones, Personal Computers as well as the Internet on Society

The different advancements in technologies have significantly affected our community in a variety of ways. However, the greatest impact in our society today has been made by the manufacturer of cell phones, personal computers as well as the internet. The development of mobile phones has made the convenience of the internet more readily accessible. However, the aspects have impacted the society both in negative and in positive ways. The development has made it possible for people to communicate with friends and relatives within a matter of seconds from all over the world. The increased internet communication has however affected our communication skills. The aspect is because people have reduced the point of communicating face to face with their friends. The result of all this has been the effect of many people using slang languages evens the informal environment. The aspect is due to the fact that there are no regulations on the language to be used in internet communications (Loucks, 2010).

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The convenience of the web connections has also enabled people to access various services from the comfort of their homes. The aspect means that people can easily use the internet to obtain items they need to use. For instance, people can shop from various online vendors as they are sited back at their homes. Also, different learning institutions have started offering online classes such that people can educate themselves without necessarily going to a physical school. However, the development has created a generation that is internet dependent. In most cases, teenagers nowadays can`t fathom a day spent without the web. The aspect is due to the fact that most of these young people use the internet to communicate with their loved ones, watch movies as well as follow various issues that are affecting the society. In fact, studies indicate that the use of the internet have been addictive to many young people such that they spent a lot of time on the web rather than doing other things (Deleo, 2008).. The accessibility has also affected the research process in most fields. The aspect is due to the fact that there are a lot of documents that are uploaded on the internet with irrelevant as well as fraud information. In such a situation doing a genuine research becomes compromised as most of this information doesn’t have sources.

Three Major Perspectives

As the technical know-how develops, as a society, we need to maintain our status quo and in the same time adapt to the new technologies. Talcott is the leading proponent that made an equilibrium that can help the society to keep a balance between adapting to the new technologies as well as maintaining the status quo. The equilibrium model requires that, when a transformation occurs in the society, the change must be adjusted appropriately such that the stability of the society is well maintained. Most functionalist, however, focus on different aspects that support the status quo in the society. Functionalists argue emphasis on the point of being stable when one is faced by a differing perspective that focuses on changes that contradict with the cultural background of the society. The aspect brings about the concept in the cultural lag. Cultural lag refers to the difference in the rate of change between two parts in culture. In our case, the advancement in technology is the new material that requires the society to adjust.

One of the best examples that align with functionalist concepts is the digital surveillance. The aspect allows those with high powers to spy those with little power. In the long run- the advancement in technology leads to the violation of the rights as well as the privacy of those who are less fortunate in the society. Interaction with the maladjustment of the potential damage leads to more of cultural lag. Another prime example is the aspect of companies searching the profiles of the possible employees in the various social media platforms. In most cases, those with high power can examine their potential candidates well, and the aspect disadvantages the people who are low in the society. The concept brings up the issue of a digital divide. The divide refers to the gap between the demographics with the access to the new technology. Most functionalist doesn’t view the digital divide as a big issue as long as they maintain their status quo. However, a person having a conflict with the advancement in technology argues that the digital divide continues with the friction amongst more than one resource. The aspect means that the interaction with the digital divide makes it harder for the victims to interact with other people who are in digital classes. Therefore to maintain a balance, the society should strive to adapt to the new advancement in technology as well as work hard to sustain the stability of the community (Warf, 2012)

Social Epidemiology, Health Environment, and Technology

The modern society could not have advanced as it now is it not for the development of technology. The aspect has opened various possibilities for environmental as well as health issues. Regarding social epidemiology, technology has granted us the ability to avoid various diseases as well as circumvent early deaths. It has paved the way for the society to identify the different causes of epidemics successfully. Technology has also influenced the health issues in various ways. Diseases can now be easily be diagnosed and their possible cures generated with ease. The advancement in technology has also facilitated the communication between medical providers such that they can consult each other for the sake of a patient. Environment-wise technology has affected the allowance of large-scaled groups to comprehend the society that surrounds them. The eased communication has enabled the organization to keep track of the recent changes that are occurring around the globe. For instance, if an earthquake takes place in any part of the world, with the advanced communication channels, the news is spread to the entire globe (Mooney, Knox, & Schacht, 2007)

Emerging Trend

Duty VUE HD 1920 is one of the forms of video that is trending in the current society. The body cam can provide both negative and positive feedback about both the citizens and the officers in charge. Regarding the agent, the video form can prove the action it took especially if they are necessary and lawful. The aspect can as well incriminate and back-fire the officer. For instance, the web-cam can reveal improper harassment of citizens by officers. Before, most officers had an upper-hand when telling a scene of an event. Their ranks made them appear as if they are more reputable than the citizens. However, with the introduction of the video cum, the officers need to give accurate descriptions everything is caught up by the camera (Emerging technology, 2015).

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Conclusion

Technology has influenced the society in various ways. The biggest impact has been via the invention of the internet which has paved the way for the introduction of personal computers as well as cell phones. The advancement has significantly affected the way people communicate with each other. How people do their shopping have also changed because of the eased communication aspects. With the advancement in technology, the society has adapted to new lifestyles that suit the changes. The internet enables people to stay connected all over the world, and they can as well share information when needed. Although there have been a lot of benefits that are as a result of the advancement of technical know-how, there are also harms that have accompanied this growth. For instance, those in power have been manipulating those without to the extent of compromising their privacy.

References

Deleo, J. (2008, October 13). How Tech Has Changed Our Lives. PC Magazine. http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2332339,00.asp

Emerging technology. (2015, Feb.). Law Enforcement Product News, 26, 26. Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com/docview/1688616173?accountid=458

Loucks, D. (2010, Mar. 25). Danica Loucks Sociology 022 – In the Facebook Age – Spring 2010 – Dhiraj Murthy. Retrieved July 11, 2015, from http://learn.bowdoin.edu/courses/soc022-danica-loucks/2010/03/views-of-the-digital-divide/

Mooney, Knox, & Schacht. (2007). The Three Main Sociological Perspectives. Retrieved July 11, 2015, from https://laulima.hawaii.edu/access/content/user/kfrench/sociology/the three main sociological perspectives.pdf

Social Change Peer-Review Journals. (2015). Retrieved July 10, 2015, from http://www.omicsonline.org/social-change-peer-review-journals.php

Warf, B. (2012). Contemporary Digital Divides In The United States.Tijdschrift Voor Economische En Sociale Geografie Tijdschr Econ Soc Geogr, 1-17. Retrieved July 12, 2015, from http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/enhanced/doi/10.1111/j.1467-9663.2012.00720.x/