computer science

Social objects

Social objects is a computer science topic covered in the lgStudy science library. This page brings together a partial reference excerpt, illustrations, worked examples, real-world applications and a short study plan, so you can understand Social objects rather than just read about it. In short: Social objects are objects that gain meaning through processes of reification (e.g. ritual). Studies of this phenomenon have its origins in classical cognitive sociology, the historical traditions of the sociology of knowledge and phenomenology.

Key takeaways

Social objects belongs to computer science; place it in that map before memorising details.
Learn the definition first, then one example that makes the definition concrete.
Connect Social objects to a quantity you can measure, compute or draw — that is where exam questions come from.
Reproduce the core statement of Social objects from memory before moving on to harder problems.

Reference excerpt

Social objects are objects that gain meaning through processes of reification (e.g. ritual). Studies of this phenomenon have its origins in classical cognitive sociology, the historical traditions of the sociology of knowledge and phenomenology. A prominent work in this regard is The Rules of the Sociological Method, in which Emile Durkheim suggested the dictum, "The first and most basic rule is to consider social facts as things." This has led researchers to investigate the social and cultural contingencies of how "objects" cognitively become objects. Actor-network theory has developed this concept as the object around which social networks form. This version was applied to social media networks by Jyri Engeström in 2005 as part of the explanation of why some social media networks succeed and some fail. Engeström maintained that "Social network theory fails to recognise such real-world dynamics because its notion of sociality is limited to just people." Instead, he proposed what he called "object centered sociality," citing the work of the sociologist Karin Knorr-Cetina. For example, Engeström maintained that much of the success of the popular photo-sharing site Flickr was because photographs serve as social objects around which conversations of social networks form. The concept was popularized by Hugh MacLeod, cartoonist and social observer in 2007.

Worked examples

Example 1 — a first encounter with Social objects

Start with the simplest possible case. Write down what Social objects claims or describes in one sentence, then invent the smallest concrete situation in which that sentence is true. In computer science, the smallest case is usually a single object, a single equation or a single measurement. Check that every symbol or term in your sentence has a meaning in that case.

Example 2 — changing one variable

Take the situation from Example 1 and change exactly one quantity: double it, halve it, or set it to zero. Predict what should happen to Social objects before you calculate. Comparing your prediction with the result is the fastest way to find out whether you understand the idea or only the words.

Example 3 — an exam-style question

Typical questions about Social objects ask you to (a) state it precisely, (b) apply it to given data, and (c) explain a limitation. Practise writing all three answers in under five minutes; the third part is what separates a full-mark answer from an average one.

Applications of Social objects

In research: Social objects appears in computer science research whenever the underlying quantities have to be modelled precisely. Papers usually cite it as a starting assumption and then explore where it breaks down.
In technology and industry: Engineering practice reuses Social objects in design rules, simulations and safety margins. Knowing the idea lets you read a specification sheet and understand why the numbers look the way they do.
In the classroom: Social objects is common in secondary-school and first-year university syllabi. It links to neighbouring topics Communication theory, Community building, Complex systems theory, so understanding it makes those chapters shorter.
In everyday life: Look for Social objects outside the textbook — in sport, cooking, traffic, electronics or the sky above you. An example you found yourself is remembered far longer than one you were given.

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How to study Social objects in 20 minutes

Read the reference excerpt below once, without taking notes.
Close the page and write down what Social objects means in your own words.
Compare your version with the excerpt and mark what you missed.
Work through the three examples above with pen and paper.
Explain Social objects out loud to somebody else — or to Teacher Smith in the lgStudy chat.

Frequently asked questions

What is Social objects in simple terms?

Why does Social objects matter?

Because it connects several computer science ideas at once: it gives you a definition you can apply, a quantity you can calculate, and a way to check whether a result is plausible.

How should I study Social objects?

Read the excerpt, restate it from memory, then work through the examples and applications listed on this page. The five-step study plan above takes about twenty minutes.

What does this page cover?

It gives you a compact reference excerpt plus original lgStudy explanations, examples, applications and study material on Social objects.