The Digital revolution, global village and virtual community Flashcards
(14 cards)
What does the digital revolution refer to?
The massive and rapid advances in technology which have transformed people’s lives over the past few decades
What has the digital revolution had an impact on?
The way information is stored and communicated
Why are sociologists interested in the digital revolution?
They are interested in how the changed that result from it will affect people’s lives over
What can all info regardless of format be converted into and what has this led to?
Binary code, leading to an explosion of new types of digital communication devices.
What has digitalisation resulted in?
technological convergence
Technological convergence
different types of communication devices
What does digitalisation allow?
information to be delivered immediately across a range of media platforms which were once separated and unconnected technologies
What did Pountney observe about digital platforms?
Developed new types of programmes called apps which help people communicate more easily and help people manage their lives
What three revolutionary periods can the social world be divided into?
Agricultural, industrial, the computer of information
Agricultural Revolution
the development of farming to cultivate crops
Industrial Revolution
the development of science and technology to build machinery in order to manufacture goods from raw materials in factories
Computer of information age
culminating in development of internet and WWW
What does McLuhan (1964) say about the Global Village?
predicted its emergence and likened communications and media to a giant central nervous system that would connect everybody in the world as a super-culture
Virtual Communities
A social network of like-minded individuals who create an online community that isn’t constrained by geographical distance.
