Pre-and non-digital technologies

Introduction: The World Before and After the Internet

Welcome! In this chapter, we are going to explore how Sociology has adapted to the digital age. We’ll look at the "traditional" ways sociologists used to collect information and how people formed their identities before the internet, and compare them to the digital tools we use today. Understanding this shift is vital because it helps us see how technology changes human behavior and how we study it!

Don't worry if this seems tricky at first. Essentially, we are just looking at the difference between "Old School" (Pre-digital) and "New School" (Digital) ways of life. Let’s dive in!

1. Researching Society: "Snail Mail" vs. High Speed

According to your syllabus (Section 3.1.3.2), sociologists use different methods to gather data. This is where we see the biggest difference between pre-digital and digital technologies.

Pre-Digital Methods: Postal and Telephone Surveys

Before everyone had a smartphone, sociologists relied on Postal Surveys and Telephone Surveys.
• Postal Surveys: These are paper questionnaires sent through the mail.
• Telephone Surveys: Researchers would call people on their "landline" home phones to ask questions.

Real-World Analogy: Imagine sending a physical birthday card through the post versus sending a quick "Happy Birthday" WhatsApp message. The card (Postal Survey) takes days to arrive, costs money for a stamp, and you might not even know if the person opened it!

Digital Methods: Online Surveys

Today, sociologists often use Online Surveys. These are sent via email or shared on social media. They are much faster and can reach thousands of people instantly.

Quick Comparison Review

• Speed: Pre-digital (Postal) is very slow; Digital (Online) is instant.
• Cost: Pre-digital requires paper, printing, and stamps; Digital is often free or very low cost.
• Response Rates: It is often easier for people to ignore an online link than a physical letter, but online surveys can reach more people to make up for it.

Did you know? In the "pre-digital" era, researchers had to manually type out every single answer from a paper survey into a computer. Today, Online Surveys do that work automatically!

Key Takeaway: While digital methods (Online Surveys) are faster and cheaper, pre-digital methods (Postal) are still useful for reaching older people or those who don't have internet access.

2. Identity: Who Are We Offline vs. Online?

In section 3.1.2.3, the syllabus talks about Social Identities. In the pre-digital world, your identity was mostly formed through face-to-face socialisation in your local community.

Pre-Digital Identity

Your identity was tied to your physical location, your family, your school, and your local subcultures. You were "who people saw you as" in the real world.

Digital Identity and Virtual Communities

The syllabus highlights online identities in social media and virtual communities. Digital technology allows us to create "new" versions of ourselves.

Example: In a virtual community (like a gaming forum or a Discord server), you might have an identity based on your interests (like being a pro-gamer) that your "real life" neighbors know nothing about. This is called a constructed identity.

Memory Aid: The "Mirror" Trick
• Pre-digital identity is like looking in a real mirror: people see exactly what is in front of them.
• Digital identity is like a social media filter: you can choose which parts of yourself to show, hide, or change.

Key Takeaway: Digital technology has moved identity away from just being about our physical neighborhood and into global virtual communities.

3. Social Control and Crime: From the Street to the Screen

Sociology also looks at how society keeps order (Social Control) and what happens when people break rules (Deviance and Crime), as seen in sections 3.1.2.4 and 3.1.2.5.

Traditional vs. Digital Surveillance

Surveillance is how we monitor behavior to ensure people follow the norms and values of society.
• Pre-digital Surveillance: This involved physical presence, like a police officer walking a "beat" (patrolling a street) or a teacher watching a playground.
• Digital Surveillance: This involves CCTV cameras, tracking internet history, or using algorithms to monitor behavior online.

The Rise of Cybercrime

The syllabus explicitly mentions cybercrimes. These are crimes that could not exist without digital technology.

Examples of Cybercrime:
• Hacking into a company's database.
• Online scams or identity theft.
• Cyberbullying on social media platforms.

Common Mistake to Avoid: Don't think that digital crime is "less serious" because it isn't physical. The syllabus treats cybercrime as a major type of crime because it can cause massive social harm to victims across the world simultaneously.

Key Takeaway: Digital technology has created a new "location" for crime (the internet) and more powerful, invisible ways for the government to watch us (digital surveillance).

4. Socialisation: How We Learn the Rules

Finally, let's look at Agencies of Socialisation (Section 3.1.2.2). These are the groups that teach us how to behave.

Pre-Digital Agencies

Historically, the media as an agency was "one-way." You watched TV or read a newspaper, and you consumed the information they gave you. You couldn't talk back to the newspaper!

Digital Socialisation

With digital technology, the media has become interactive. We are socialised by our peers not just at school, but 24/7 through their posts and comments online. This is a much more intense form of secondary socialisation.

Step-by-Step Explanation of Digital Socialisation:
1. A person joins a social media platform.
2. They see norms (ways to act) and values (what is important) posted by influencers or friends.
3. They receive positive sanctions (likes, hearts) when they follow those norms.
4. They receive negative sanctions (mean comments, being "blocked") if they break them.

Key Takeaway: Digital technology makes socialisation faster and more constant because we are always "connected" to the agencies of socialisation through our devices.

Quick Chapter Review Box

1. Research: Digital (Online surveys) is faster and cheaper than Pre-digital (Postal/Telephone).

2. Identity: Pre-digital identity is tied to physical location; Digital identity is built in virtual communities.

3. Crime: Digital technology has led to cybercrime and high-tech surveillance.

4. Socialisation: The media is now an interactive, 24/7 agency of socialisation.