EXAM Preparation
YSS-31806
WEEK 1
LECTURE 1 – PSYCHOLOGY/SOCIOLOGY
Introduction Lecture
Learning Objectives
- Explain the use of consumer technology on different levels (e.g. societal level,
household level, individual level);
- Explain the dynamics behind differences in the adoption of consumer technologies
and innovations;
- Explain how consumer technology and innovation can influence societal dynamics;
- Analyse the interaction between human and material factors in consumer technology
use to steer innovation;
- Evaluate effect of consumer technology and innovation on health, food security, and
sustainability using different theoretical accounts;
- Design and execute a research from a consumer perspective, investigating a societal
relevant consumer technology or innovation, combining multiple theoretical
accounts.
SOCIOLOGICAL PERSPECTIVE
Technology in sociology – Definition:
The application of knowledge, techniques, and tools to adapt and control physical
environments and material resources to satisfy wants and needs.
Technology can be caught in two perspectives
- Technological determinism
o Technology determines social change;
o Determining our future > e.g., the invention of the wheel revolutionized
human mobility, allowing people to travel larger distances.
- Social constructivism of technology
o Society changes technology / human action shapes technology;
o Embedded in social context
PSYCHOLOGICAL PERSPECTIVE
In this perspective the individual is central.
Two types of behavior (of an individual I guess):
- Over behavior: behavior that is easily and directly observable.
o Including physical actions, facial expressions and gestures > e.g., running,
smiling, eating.
- Covert behavior: behavior that cannot be directly observed or measured.
, o Focus on psychological processes > e.g., thinking, processing information,
retrieving memories, social norm perceptions, resistance.
Three generations of research questions
1) Is there and effect? i.e., does X affect or relate to Y?
2) Under what conditions does the effect occurs? When is there a relation between X
and Y?
3) What explains the effect (between X and Y)? How can we characterize the
psychological process(es) which mediate(s) the effect?
Today’s readings
CONSUMER ACCEPTANCE – Individual
Consumer acceptance of novel food technologies
- The article describes how heuristics and individual differences among consumers
influence consumer acceptance of agri-food technologies;
o Heuristics: mental shortcuts that enable us to substitute information that is
unavailable, or too hard to access, for a piece of readily available information
that is likely to yield accurate judgement.
Affect heuristic
People associate with an object, or the associations elicited by an
object > ranging from positive feelings to negative feelings.
Trust heuristic
People who rely on trust to evaluate a food technology use cues that
indicate trust in the source of information > consumers buying organic
cannot tell how these items are produced and whether their price is
justified.
Natural-is-better-heuristic
Natural evokes positive emotions in Western countries > naturalness is
perceived as healthier, tastier and more sustainable.
o Individual differences: people differ in their preferences and values, resulting
in differences in consumer acceptance of agri-food technologies
Food technology neophobia: a personality trait (=karaktereigenschap)
influencing consumers’ willingness to accept new food technologies.
Disgust sensitivity: can be predicted by people’s tendency to
experience feelings of disgust when the food has cues that might
indicate pathogen presence or contamination
SOCIETAL ACCEPTANCE – Societal acceptance
No protein transition without societal acceptance
- Despite the protein transition, no major changes are evident on the plates of
consumers. It seems that consumers are adding protein to their diets, but hardly
replacing animal proteins.
- Many people are attached to meat and dairy > there is a problem with the
acceptance of alternative protein products.
- Practice-based societal acceptance: a shift in common food practices in society;
, - Ideology-based societal acceptance: addressing public resistance to meat reduction >
a shift towards broad public support
o Ideologies are socially shared systems of basic ideas that shape what people
think, say, and do. E.g., neoliberal ideas such as freedom of choice and
individual responsibility.
Promotion of alternative protein can then be regarder as paternalistic,
meddling and patronizing. This may lead to public resistance.
LECTURE 2 – USER
User perspective and practices
Learning Objectives
- Understand the functioning of a household as a production and consumption system
with respect to technical and social elements from a user perspective.
- Understand the interaction between the different elements of the previous system
approach and the Practice theory.
- Understand the Practice theory in relation to technology and innovation.
- Relate the effects of the material processes in the household to innovation.
Interaction between user and technology > different levels: micro (individual), meso
(household), macro (society).
The Household
The household can be perceived as a dynamic and changing system, leading to strategies
and feedback loops to achieve a state of equilibrium.
Consumer-Technology Interaction Model
YSS-31806
WEEK 1
LECTURE 1 – PSYCHOLOGY/SOCIOLOGY
Introduction Lecture
Learning Objectives
- Explain the use of consumer technology on different levels (e.g. societal level,
household level, individual level);
- Explain the dynamics behind differences in the adoption of consumer technologies
and innovations;
- Explain how consumer technology and innovation can influence societal dynamics;
- Analyse the interaction between human and material factors in consumer technology
use to steer innovation;
- Evaluate effect of consumer technology and innovation on health, food security, and
sustainability using different theoretical accounts;
- Design and execute a research from a consumer perspective, investigating a societal
relevant consumer technology or innovation, combining multiple theoretical
accounts.
SOCIOLOGICAL PERSPECTIVE
Technology in sociology – Definition:
The application of knowledge, techniques, and tools to adapt and control physical
environments and material resources to satisfy wants and needs.
Technology can be caught in two perspectives
- Technological determinism
o Technology determines social change;
o Determining our future > e.g., the invention of the wheel revolutionized
human mobility, allowing people to travel larger distances.
- Social constructivism of technology
o Society changes technology / human action shapes technology;
o Embedded in social context
PSYCHOLOGICAL PERSPECTIVE
In this perspective the individual is central.
Two types of behavior (of an individual I guess):
- Over behavior: behavior that is easily and directly observable.
o Including physical actions, facial expressions and gestures > e.g., running,
smiling, eating.
- Covert behavior: behavior that cannot be directly observed or measured.
, o Focus on psychological processes > e.g., thinking, processing information,
retrieving memories, social norm perceptions, resistance.
Three generations of research questions
1) Is there and effect? i.e., does X affect or relate to Y?
2) Under what conditions does the effect occurs? When is there a relation between X
and Y?
3) What explains the effect (between X and Y)? How can we characterize the
psychological process(es) which mediate(s) the effect?
Today’s readings
CONSUMER ACCEPTANCE – Individual
Consumer acceptance of novel food technologies
- The article describes how heuristics and individual differences among consumers
influence consumer acceptance of agri-food technologies;
o Heuristics: mental shortcuts that enable us to substitute information that is
unavailable, or too hard to access, for a piece of readily available information
that is likely to yield accurate judgement.
Affect heuristic
People associate with an object, or the associations elicited by an
object > ranging from positive feelings to negative feelings.
Trust heuristic
People who rely on trust to evaluate a food technology use cues that
indicate trust in the source of information > consumers buying organic
cannot tell how these items are produced and whether their price is
justified.
Natural-is-better-heuristic
Natural evokes positive emotions in Western countries > naturalness is
perceived as healthier, tastier and more sustainable.
o Individual differences: people differ in their preferences and values, resulting
in differences in consumer acceptance of agri-food technologies
Food technology neophobia: a personality trait (=karaktereigenschap)
influencing consumers’ willingness to accept new food technologies.
Disgust sensitivity: can be predicted by people’s tendency to
experience feelings of disgust when the food has cues that might
indicate pathogen presence or contamination
SOCIETAL ACCEPTANCE – Societal acceptance
No protein transition without societal acceptance
- Despite the protein transition, no major changes are evident on the plates of
consumers. It seems that consumers are adding protein to their diets, but hardly
replacing animal proteins.
- Many people are attached to meat and dairy > there is a problem with the
acceptance of alternative protein products.
- Practice-based societal acceptance: a shift in common food practices in society;
, - Ideology-based societal acceptance: addressing public resistance to meat reduction >
a shift towards broad public support
o Ideologies are socially shared systems of basic ideas that shape what people
think, say, and do. E.g., neoliberal ideas such as freedom of choice and
individual responsibility.
Promotion of alternative protein can then be regarder as paternalistic,
meddling and patronizing. This may lead to public resistance.
LECTURE 2 – USER
User perspective and practices
Learning Objectives
- Understand the functioning of a household as a production and consumption system
with respect to technical and social elements from a user perspective.
- Understand the interaction between the different elements of the previous system
approach and the Practice theory.
- Understand the Practice theory in relation to technology and innovation.
- Relate the effects of the material processes in the household to innovation.
Interaction between user and technology > different levels: micro (individual), meso
(household), macro (society).
The Household
The household can be perceived as a dynamic and changing system, leading to strategies
and feedback loops to achieve a state of equilibrium.
Consumer-Technology Interaction Model
