Sociology 8 Key Terms

cyberfeminism

The application to and promotion of feminism online.

design patents

Patents that are granted when someone has invented a new and original design for a manufactured product.

digital divide

The uneven access to technology around race, class, and geographic lines.

e-readiness

The ability to sort through, interpret, and process digital knowledge.

evolutionary model of technological change

A breakthrough in one form of technology that leads to a number of variations, from which a prototype emerges, followed by a period of slight adjustments to the technology, interrupted by a breakthrough.

gatekeeping

The sorting process by which thousands of possible messages are shaped into a mass media-appropriate form and reduced to a manageable amount.

knowledge gap

The gap in information that builds as groups grow up without access to technology.

media

All print, digital, and electronic means of communication.

media consolidation

A process by which fewer and fewer owners control the majority of media outlets.

media globalization

The worldwide integration of media through the cross-cultural exchange of ideas.

neo-Luddites

Those who see technology as a symbol of the coldness of modern life.

net neutrality

The principle that all Internet data should be treated equally by internet service providers.

new media

All interactive forms of information exchange.

oligopoly

A situation in which a few firms dominate a marketplace.

panoptic surveillance

A form of constant monitoring in which the observation posts are decentralized and the observed is never communicated with directly.

planned obsolescence

The act of a technology company planning for a product to be obsolete or unable from the time it’s created.

plant patents

Patents that recognize the discovery of new plant types that can be asexually reproduced.

technological diffusion

The spread of technology across borders.

technological globalization

The cross-cultural development and exchange of technology.

technology

The application of science to solve problems in daily life.

technophiles

Those who see technology as symbolizing the potential for a brighter future.

utility patents

Patents that are granted for the invention or discovery of any new and useful process, product, or machine.