The need for an integrated social constructivist approach towards the study of science and technology is outlined. Within such a programme both scientific facts and technological artefacts are to be understood as social constructs. Literature on the sociology of science, the science-technology relationship, and technology studies is reviewed. The empirical programme of relativism within the sociology of scientific knowledge and a recent study of the social construction of technological artefacts are combined to produce the new approach. The concepts of `interpretative flexibility' and `closure mechanism', and the notion of `social group' are developed and illustrated by reference to a study of solar physics and a study of the development of the bicycle. The paper concludes by setting out some of the terrain to be explored in future studies.
%0 Journal Article
%1 pinch1984social
%A Pinch, Trevor J.
%A Bijker, Wiebe E.
%D 1984
%I SAGE Publications
%J Social Studies of Science
%K Science_and_Technology_Studies sociology technology
%N 3
%P 399--441
%R 10.1177/030631284014003004
%T The Social Construction of Facts and Artefacts: or How the Sociology of Science and the Sociology of Technology might Benefit Each Other
%U https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/030631284014003004
%V 14
%X The need for an integrated social constructivist approach towards the study of science and technology is outlined. Within such a programme both scientific facts and technological artefacts are to be understood as social constructs. Literature on the sociology of science, the science-technology relationship, and technology studies is reviewed. The empirical programme of relativism within the sociology of scientific knowledge and a recent study of the social construction of technological artefacts are combined to produce the new approach. The concepts of `interpretative flexibility' and `closure mechanism', and the notion of `social group' are developed and illustrated by reference to a study of solar physics and a study of the development of the bicycle. The paper concludes by setting out some of the terrain to be explored in future studies.
@article{pinch1984social,
abstract = {The need for an integrated social constructivist approach towards the study of science and technology is outlined. Within such a programme both scientific facts and technological artefacts are to be understood as social constructs. Literature on the sociology of science, the science-technology relationship, and technology studies is reviewed. The empirical programme of relativism within the sociology of scientific knowledge and a recent study of the social construction of technological artefacts are combined to produce the new approach. The concepts of `interpretative flexibility' and `closure mechanism', and the notion of `social group' are developed and illustrated by reference to a study of solar physics and a study of the development of the bicycle. The paper concludes by setting out some of the terrain to be explored in future studies.},
added-at = {2020-10-29T15:56:04.000+0100},
author = {Pinch, Trevor J. and Bijker, Wiebe E.},
biburl = {https://www.bibsonomy.org/bibtex/2b9711ebd0bff4b4a5bd98cd7a6274e34/meneteqel},
doi = {10.1177/030631284014003004},
interhash = {1fbd92aa0eb350283107924aa18945fc},
intrahash = {b9711ebd0bff4b4a5bd98cd7a6274e34},
journal = {Social Studies of Science},
keywords = {Science_and_Technology_Studies sociology technology},
language = {eng},
month = aug,
number = 3,
pages = {399--441},
publisher = {{SAGE} Publications},
timestamp = {2020-10-29T15:56:04.000+0100},
title = {The Social Construction of Facts and Artefacts: or How the Sociology of Science and the Sociology of Technology might Benefit Each Other},
url = {https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/030631284014003004},
volume = 14,
year = 1984
}