Lecture 3: wicked problem Flashcards
definition network society
A modern type of society with an infrastructure of social and media networks that characterizes its mode of organization at every level: individual, group/ organizational and societal.
- we live in a connected world and society is ever more connected, its becoming a network society
- in western societies, the individual linked by networks is becoming the basic unit of the network society
differences of networks society from van Dijk & Castells
van Dijk: importance of digital communications. A society that increasingly organizes its relationships in media networks that gradually replace or complement the face-to-face communication based networks. (contrast to mass society)
Castells: Communications technologies allow for the annihilation of space and globalization; and changes the relationship to time (‘space of flows’). Network as basic unit of society
ego-centered vs. complete networks
ego-centered: networs from the persepective of a single actor (ego)
complete: the relations between all units of a social system are analyzed
why study social relations?
- s. relationships important for well-being and health
- s. r. determine access to social support and care
- s. r. and social support can buffer stress
- s. r. know different manifestations in different contexts
convoy model
- emphasis on. emotional closeness in relationships
- “the social convoy provides a protective base and is part of a dynamic network that moves through time, space and the life course.”
- takes a life course perspective; the convoy changes as the need and opportunities to give and receive support changes
3 dimensions of social relationships
- structure: size, composition, contact frequency
- function: social support, care, affect
- quality: positive and negative
advancements of the convoy model
- Social relations are multidimensional (structure, type, function and quality)
- Identifying how personal characteristics impact on social relations
- Social relations can be measured objectively or subjectively
- Social relationships are considered important at any given time, yet they also build from previous experience and become more significant over time
- Circumstances and context are important for social
relationships; for structure, function and quality
network identification in the convoy model: three circles around you
- close: co-workers, neigbours
- closer: friends, siblings
- closest person that you can’t live without: partner, children, parents, best friends etc.
meaning individualization
process in which individuals have acquired more automony and freedom of choice
- decline of traditional communities such as churches, neigbourhoods
- individual rights more important; traditional norms less important
- less protection, more freedom
- loss of embeddeness and constraints within traditional social communities
paradox of choice
more choice isn’t equal to more satisfaction. Choice can be stressful. We must engage in day-to-day decision on how to live. There’s increased risk and blame ourselves for failure
social-emotional selectivity theory (Carstensen)
- shifts in motivations for social interactions
- emotional regulation becomes important as one becomes older, opposed to info seeking
- when aging the number of ties in the periphery of the network decline
reciprocity0theory (Gouldner)
- reciprocity= giving and receiving of social support is balanced
- people look for ties in which support exchange is balanced or in which they receive more support than they give. Imbalance –> discontinued faster
nonkin ties: more than family member (=more over large period of time)
results cohort differences in proportion
- non-kin ties decrease by age
- only after age of 85
meaning wicked problems
- definitions and solutions of problems are not agreed upon and unclear
- complexity, uncertainty and value divergence
- helps to understand why policies and programs generate controversy, fail to achieve goals, have unintended side effects and are difficult to coordinate and monitor
