%0 Journal Article %1 pinch1984social %A Pinch, Trevor J. %A Bijker, Wiebe E. %D 1984 %I SAGE Publications %J Social Studies of Science %K Science_and_Technology_Studies sociology technology %N 3 %P 399--441 %R 10.1177/030631284014003004 %T The Social Construction of Facts and Artefacts: or How the Sociology of Science and the Sociology of Technology might Benefit Each Other %U https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/030631284014003004 %V 14 %X The need for an integrated social constructivist approach towards the study of science and technology is outlined. Within such a programme both scientific facts and technological artefacts are to be understood as social constructs. Literature on the sociology of science, the science-technology relationship, and technology studies is reviewed. The empirical programme of relativism within the sociology of scientific knowledge and a recent study of the social construction of technological artefacts are combined to produce the new approach. The concepts of `interpretative flexibility' and `closure mechanism', and the notion of `social group' are developed and illustrated by reference to a study of solar physics and a study of the development of the bicycle. The paper concludes by setting out some of the terrain to be explored in future studies.

@article{pinch1984social, abstract = {The need for an integrated social constructivist approach towards the study of science and technology is outlined. Within such a programme both scientific facts and technological artefacts are to be understood as social constructs. Literature on the sociology of science, the science-technology relationship, and technology studies is reviewed. The empirical programme of relativism within the sociology of scientific knowledge and a recent study of the social construction of technological artefacts are combined to produce the new approach. The concepts of `interpretative flexibility' and `closure mechanism', and the notion of `social group' are developed and illustrated by reference to a study of solar physics and a study of the development of the bicycle. The paper concludes by setting out some of the terrain to be explored in future studies.}, added-at = {2020-10-29T15:56:04.000+0100}, author = {Pinch, Trevor J. and Bijker, Wiebe E.}, biburl = {https://www.bibsonomy.org/bibtex/2b9711ebd0bff4b4a5bd98cd7a6274e34/meneteqel}, doi = {10.1177/030631284014003004}, interhash = {1fbd92aa0eb350283107924aa18945fc}, intrahash = {b9711ebd0bff4b4a5bd98cd7a6274e34}, journal = {Social Studies of Science}, keywords = {Science_and_Technology_Studies sociology technology}, language = {eng}, month = aug, number = 3, pages = {399--441}, publisher = {{SAGE} Publications}, timestamp = {2020-10-29T15:56:04.000+0100}, title = {The Social Construction of Facts and Artefacts: or How the Sociology of Science and the Sociology of Technology might Benefit Each Other}, url = {https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/030631284014003004}, volume = 14, year = 1984 }