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The practice of medical technology
1Department of Sociology, Brandeis University, MS 071 Waltham, MA 02454-9110, USA. Timmermans@brandeis.edu
Sociology of Health & Illness
|September 23, 2003
Summary
This review examines 25 years of sociological research on medical technologies. It categorizes studies into technological determinism, social essentialism, and technology-in-practice, advocating for the latter to actively shape technology development.
Area of Science:
- Sociology of Health and Illness
- Medical Sociology
- Science and Technology Studies
Background:
- Sociological scholarship on medical technologies spans 25 years.
- Existing literature is categorized into three main theoretical perspectives.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review and synthesize 25 years of sociological scholarship on medical technologies.
- To identify theoretical perspectives and propose future directions for research.
Main Methods:
- Systematic review of articles published in Sociology of Health and Illness.
- Categorization of literature based on theoretical frameworks: technological determinism, social essentialism, and technology-in-practice.
Main Results:
- Technological determinism: views technology as a social shaper.
- Social essentialism: views technology as a neutral tool.
- Technology-in-practice: highlights the dynamic user-technology relationship in healthcare.
Conclusions:
- The technology-in-practice perspective offers a critical lens on medical technologies.
- Future research should move beyond critique to actively influence the creation and implementation of medical technologies.