What was the original purpose of a “profile”?
To categorize and describe criminals or mentally unstable people in criminology and psychiatry.
What’s ironic about digital self-profiling today?
We willingly participate in systems originally designed for surveillance and control.
how do we voluntarily profile ourselves
posts, bios, GPS tracking, fitness apps, and face recognition.
Three Ways Humans Become Subjects (Foucault)
- Modes of Inquiry
- Dividing Practices
- Self-Formation
Three Ways Humans Become Subjects (Foucault)
Modes of Inquiry (Objective Knowledge)
systems that study or define people— science, medicine, psychology, sociology.
They claim to know “objectively” what a person is.
Psychology defines what is “normal” behavior.
Medicine defines who is “healthy” or “sick.”
Three Ways Humans Become Subjects (Foucault)
Dividing Practices
Society divides people into groups — like sane/insane, legal/illegal, healthy/sick, citizen/non-citizen.
These divisions define who we are in relation to others.
Being labeled a “criminal” or “immigrant” changes how others treat you — and how you see yourself.
Three Ways Humans Become Subjects (Foucault)
Self-Formation (How People Make Themselves Subjects)
Individuals shape themselves through practices of self-care, sexuality, lifestyle choices.
We actively participate in constituting ourselves as subjects.
What does Foucault mean by “power is productive”?
Power doesn’t just control or punish — it creates knowledge, norms, and identities. Institutions like schools, prisons, and medicine produce certain kinds of people by shaping how we think and act.
Foucault’s Three Modalities of Power
Sovereign Power
Centralized authority, makes pronouncements on what is permitted or forbidden
Foucault’s Three Modalities of Power
Disciplinary Power
shapes people’s behavior through structure, organization, and surveillance — not just force.
Law through discipline → molding individuals into “ideal subjects.”
citizens, students, workers, or patients by training them to self-regulate.
Foucault’s Three Modalities of Power
Biopower
Power applied at the level of life itself → shaping attitudes, practices, everyday behavior.
It happens through social systems, institutions, and norms
Instead of banning junk food, the government runs health campaigns encouraging “clean eating” → people choose to eat healthy, but their choices are influenced by power.
Affordance
Features that shape, limit, or encourage certain actions without forcing them.
Macro vs. Micro Affordances
Macro affordance: Smartphones → make mobile banking possible (large systems)
Micro affordance: “Deposit” button → lets you upload a cheque photo (small features)
Affordances
James Gibson’s View
Relational affordances
Affordances arise from the relationship between the user and physical environment — they shape, not cause, behavior.
Zigzagging up sand dunes is more efficient → the landscape suggests how to move.
Affordances
Don Norman’s View
Perceived affordances
Focus on how design cues tell users what they can do.
Buttons look “pressable,” knobs look “turnable.”
Affordances
William Gaver’s View
Technology affordances (material objects)
The same object can afford different uses depending on design and condition.
emphasizes how the material properties of systems (like bandwidth or hardware) shape experience.
Spotify buffering during weak signal changes music experience.
What are social affordances?
The social patterns and behaviors that develop around technology.
Fast internet makes remote work common; online games allow kids far apart to still “hang out.”
What are Communicative Affordances (Ian Hutchby)
Communication technologies shape how interaction is possible, without fully determining it.
group chats, online gaming, constant work messaging.
Level Affordances (Bucher & Helmond)
Low-Level
concrete features or design elements that shape behavior directly.
You can see and interact with them physically.
The like button → lets you express approval quickly.
The scroll bar → lets you move through endless content.
Level Affordances (Bucher & Helmond)
High-level
These are big-picture ideas or patterns that shape how people use technology.
broad ideologies
“Ideology of connection” → The belief that being constantly connected online is good or necessary (e.g., always checking notifications).
What does it mean to take a relational, multi-layered approach to affordances?
It means studying how features, people, and systems connect — not just what’s visible.
APIs and algorithms shape what users see or can do, even if they’re hidden.
What are the three layers to consider when studying social media affordances?
Visible parts (buttons, likes, follows)
Invisible parts (algorithms, APIs)
Cultural influence (what actions feel acceptable)
Together, these shape how we act and communicate online.
How do interfaces shape identity and belonging?
They make us choose categories or groups, reinforcing social norms.
Gender boxes (male/female) or joining Facebook groups define how we present ourselves online.
Stanfill Affordances
Sensory affordances
how users sense (color, design).
