Family disharmony in front of the computer screen

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Family (dis)harmony in front of the computer
screen

• Tanja Oblak Crnic,
• Associate Professor, University of Ljubljana
• E-mail contact tanja.oblak_at_fdv.uni-lj.si

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Research framework and questions

• Relations between computer technology and private
  sphere
• Computer technology (CT) as important factor in
  the construction of private home
• CT subject of constant domestication
• Questions
• How the families accept CT into their own
  domestic culture?
• What are the main differences in the
  understanding the role of CT between the parents
  and younger family members?

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Analytical level

• The process of domestication presupposes the
  analysis of reasons, motives and patterns of
  adopting CT
• Taking into account the generational, gender, and
  status differences between the members of a given
  household
• The domestication of CT is not only
• about appropriating objects to the self, but is
  about how we make ourselves at home, how we make
  them habitable and comfortable, and use objects
  to manage the social world (Lalley 20022).

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Material cultures of home

• New technologies (NT) give new characteristics
  and meanings to the private sphere.
• Users are integrated into the network of
  relations between the private and the public
  spheres of social life
• the systems of structures controlling the
  production and distribution of software and
  hardware equipments
• the user is confronted with the process of
  consumption and usage of technological artifacts
  in work and home environment
• Consequently, differentiated ways of use and
  different potentials of integration emerge.

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Perspectives of adoption of NT

• Theories of diffusion and adoption (Rogers and
  Larsen 1984 Rogers 1995 Green 2000)
• Model of domestication (Silverstone and Hirsh
  1992 Lalley 2002 Bakardjieva 2005)
• Social biography of technologies (Kopytoff 1986
  Green 2000)

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Process of domestication

• Household as a moral economy
• Production of technologies does not end with the
  dispersion of CT, but it continues in the
  consumption at home
• 4 phases
• Appropriation/adoption
• Objectification
• Incorporation
• Conversion

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Computer cultures in the families today

• The usage of CT is shaped at least by
• Existing family practices
• Technologically determined context of family
  consumption
• Transformative nature of CT

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Research method

• Recent ethnografic studies of usage of CT
• Screenplay project in UK, 1998-2000 (Facer at al.
  2003), interviews with 18 youngsters and their
  parents
• Interviews with 23 volunteers in Canadian homes
  (Bakardjieva 2005)
• Interviews with 18 members of 9 Slovene families
  (Nov.-Dec. 2006)

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Functional roles of CT

• 1. CT as an extension of the parents work
• Ex Yes, I needed the computer mainly because of
  my work. I have my own firm and this requires a
  great deal of work at home. I think this was the
  main reason for the purchase. (father of two
  children, 52).
• 2. CT as an opportunity for the children
• Ex Yes, we bought the computer mainly for the
  children, because they needed it for their school
  work. () I think my son wanted to have a
  computer more than any of us. (father of three
  children, 50).
• 3. CT as an inevitable investment for the future
• Ex The reason for the purchase was a very
  simple one we needed a computer. It was popular,
  many people had it already, it was supposed to
  bring us advantages. So, we bought one. It was
  necessary, just like a TV. (father of three
  children, 45)

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Conflicting sides of CT

• 1. CT as an intruder
• Ex The computer represented great fun and an
  adrenalin rush along with the desire to learn new
  things. My husband enjoyed the computer, as well,
  and at the same time it made his work easier.
  Personally, I have always considered the computer
  as an intruder and I am still not very fond of
  it. (mother of two children, 50)
• 2. CT as a trouble-maker
• Ex Ive lost my temper several times, because
  there is nobody I can talk to. Everyone sits
  behind their box and surfs the Internet, etc.
  Sometimes it seems as if we are complete
  strangers. Even when we quarrel, we never talk
  about it afterwards, because everyone pretends to
  be busy behind their computer and supposedly does
  not have time to talk. Sometimes I am so angry
  about all this technological progress! (mother
  of two daughters, 47)
• 3. CT as an inappropriate comforter
• Ex I have noticed several times that, after a
  quarrel, my children find comfort in computer
  games, which I do not approve of. I would rather
  see them crying on their beds than sitting in
  front of the computer screen, because this is
  certainly not the right solution. (father of
  three children, 45)

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Ambivalent roles of CT for youngsters

• 1. transitional nature of CT from only a
  toy to a multi-tool
• Ex At the beginning the computer was a toy.
  However, today this toy has acquired a new
  meaning. It has become a multi-tool for
  everything from searching for seminar essays, to
  free-time activities and chatting with friends. I
  have even flirted with girls in various
  chat-rooms. I also use the computer for searching
  music and movies, which I then listen to or watch
  on the computer, as well. Everything is possible
  if you have a computer. (the middle son, 16)
• 2. ambivalent role of CT
• Ex When I got my computer, it was just a new
  toy, which I did not really need and it served
  mostly for playing computer games. Now it
  represents a trouble, because I have to write
  different school papers and assignments. (the
  younger daughter, 18).
• 3. CT should not be blamed
• Ex Maybe we do not talk as much as we used to,
  since everyone is in his or her own corner, doing
  things for work or for school. () We are so
  preoccupied with ourselves that we do not find
  the time for deep discussions any more, but I
  think that the reason for this is not the
  computer. It is just how things are today
  people, rushing and not having any time for each
  other. (the youngest daughter, 17)

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The list of the main references

• Bakardjieva, Maria (2005) Internet Society The
  Internet in everyday life. London Sage.
• Facer, Keri, John Furlong, Ruth Furlong, Rosamund
  Sutherland (2003) ScreenPlay Children and
  Computing in the home. London RoutledgeFalmer.
• Green, Leila (2000) Communication, Technology
  and Society. London Sage.
• Lalley, Elaine (2002) At home with computers.
  Oxford Berg.
• Silverstone, Roger in Eric Hirsch (1992)
  Consuming technologies media and information in
  domestic space. London Routledge.