Social Changes, Part 1

1
Social Changes, Part 1

• PART 1 (LEC-07)
• Simulation
• Suspension of disbelief
• Social Saturation
• Self selves
• PART 2 (LEC-08)
• E-communications effects famous studies
• Net addiction
• Anonymity

2

• Simulation
• We are a culture of simulation
• The Disneyland Effectpart 1
• Other simulations we use as substitutes for
  in-real-life (IRL or RL) experiences

• In Education
• How did hunter-gatherers teach their young?
• What about Colonial Americans?
• Post industrial society?
• Interesting quote about public schools..

3

• In Communications Of most interest

• How did early homo sapiens communicate?
• Progression of tools
• Which seems the most personal or real? Why?
• We build our ideas about what is real and what
  is natural with the cultural materials
  available.
• Quote from a H. S. junior, 1996
• What appears natural can change as social systems
  change and adapt to technology.

4

• Some advantages of simulation?
• Some dangers?
• What does virtual mean?
• 1 goal of V.E. ___________________
• What does that mean?
• Where else do we suspend disbelief? Why?
• Are we pretty good at it?

5

• Interesting digression about reality and
  simulation
• Early 19th century First known reference to
  suspension of disbelief
• Bertolt Brecht (early 20th century)
• First reference of suspension of disbelief --
  Alienation Effect
• Jean Baudrillard (contemporary)
• The model becomes the determinant of our
  perception of reality.
• Exacerbated by the masses the media

6

• Self and social saturation
• Gergen says human relationships and our sense of
  self have changed, esp. in the 20th century
• introduction of new technologies. Which?
• What does he mean by social saturation?
• How has it changed our sense of self?
• How has it changed who we think we should be or
  act?

• Like a hammer, ones VR character can be an
  important tool. (Ludlow). Meaning?
• Could a virtual persona be just as real to
  someone as ones RL self? Is that good or bad?

Case study 1

• Questions to consider