Socio-technical Analysis

The socio-technical history of dolls: from clay dolls to the Sims Toys are ubiquitous in everyday life, especially around Christmas time: they brim over supermarket shelves and can be found in every childs room in every country Toys, like any ob!ect, is socio-technical: it is both defined and constantly reconfi"ured by its users # the children $ho reconfi"ure in return their practices and the $orld they live in, accordin" to %runo &atours definition 'n order to narro$ do$n the field of socio-technical analysis, ' chose to focus on dolls, a distinctive toy that features a human fi"ure 'n my "roup, $e $ere to concentrate on the impact of di"ital innovation in the creation of identity How did digital technology transform the doll script? How did technological discoveries make its characteristics evolve? &ets start at the (oman times )hat $ere the dolls functions* +n one hand, dolls $ere meant to entertain children and keep them busy +n the other hand, dolls contributed to build childrens identity ,or the (omans, a "ift $as sacred -t that time, dolls $ere made of clay +fferin" a doll to a "irl $as to teach her her role as a mother .irls $ere intended to raise children, boys $ere intended to fi"ht and brin" food home The ori"inal script of the doll is therefore t$ofold: entertain and educate This script $as true $ithout distinction of class or "eo"raphical ori"ins &ater, in the /0th century, dolls $ere made of $ood and ra"s They $ere made by craftsmen $ho speciali1ed in toys, upon orders placed by noblemen or middle class people for their children 2olls made of clay $ere too fra"ile to be manipulated by youn" children: wood gave them a new opportunity to play in more vivacious, dynamic ways. 2olls $ere desecrated: a ne$ one could be easily bou"ht, $hich $as not the case at the (oman times, $here dolls $ere scarce and very e3pensive

Wood has become the new building material for dolls: as toys are sturdier, children can be more vivacious.

2urin" the /4-/5th centuries, dolls became more elaborated %eads of "lass $ere used for the eyes, and hair $as put on the heads 2olls $ere made of porcelain - third function appeared: dolls became an indicator of social back"round Children from lo$er social classes still had $ooden dolls, $hile children from the aristocracy played $ith more lu3urious dolls, made of fine materials, more fra"ile 'n the end, the script of social distinction tended to replace the script of entertainment 'ndustriali1ation also affected the $orld of toys: shapes and manufacturin" $ere standardi1ed

- doll manufactured by ,rench industrialist 6umeau, made of porcelain, "lass and laces &u3ury supersedes handiness 2urin" the 78th century, hy"iene becomes parents main concern 2olls are no$ available to every social class, especially middle class people, $hich can no$ afford porcelain dolls The social distinction script disappears Sturdiness and security matter the most 9lastic materials provide ne$ manufacturin" opportunities in terms of hy"iene, fle3ibility and articulation 2olls have fle3ible limbs: children can "ive them life more easily

- %arbie doll manufactured by :attel, desi"ned by (uth ;andler, in the 08s 't is made of rubber and limbs are fle3ible )hat is the link $ith di"ital technolo"ies* The invention of electronics, computers, video consoles has created ne$ opportunities for video "ame desi"ners: lettin" children play in a virtual $orld This technolo"ical innovation has opened the doors to video "ames The doll representation has been transposed in this ne$ type of "ames ;o$ever, the di"ital technolo"y is an innovation that has modified the ori"inal script of the doll &ets take for e3ample a video "ame like the Sims %oth boys and "irls no$ play $ith virtual characters featured as dolls The "ender identification script disappears, as virtual dolls become some kind of mi3ed characters They do not evolve alon" the same patterns accordin" to $hether it is a boy or a "irl $ho plays $ith them %ut the key difference $ith dolls from other times lies in the fact that they are not e3clusively dedicated to "irls

The creation of video "ames has become a very comple3 process 't requires a cuttin"-ed"e technolo"y frequently sub!ected to failures

The Sims: 7/st century dolls used by both "irls and boys: the identification script has disappeared There is another bi" difference $ith di"ital dolls: they can have failures <p to no$, dolls could not have failures because they $ere a rudimentary technical ob!ect, $ith more fle3ibility The absence of dolls is definitely not an issue as they are inherent to childhood %ut no$adays, video "ames result from an increasin"ly more comple3 technical $ork ,ailures occur, and children can hardly bear $ith that ;o$ many times have children cried at Christmas because a video "ame $as not $orkin" or a console could not be s$itched on* 7/ st century dolls can break do$n They make children dependent on toys perfect $orkin" condition ,ailures are therefore a ne$ trial for the

di"ital doll As soon as a video game breaks down, the child replaces it with a tangible figurine: the entertainment script is essential and children wont do without it. The fi"ure belo$ sho$s a summary of the socio-technical history of dolls: