Models and Theories in Human-Computer Interaction/Actor-Network Theory

Actor-Network Theory (Sara Mikulic)

Actor-Network Theory is a methodology that describes how a system comprised of human and non-human actors with different strategies or objectives for interaction progresses or evolves. These human and non-human actors must negotiate an objective or collaborate functionally to form a link in the overall system network. However, because of the independent needs or objectives of the actants, the system, as a whole, is capable of evolving with the micro-objectives of the actants linked to it (Ryder).

The Actor-Network Theory was first proposed by Michael Callon and Bruno Latour to promote the Aramis project—a mass-transit solution that would allow individual cars to collect people from their homes and take them to their destinations, while situationally hooking up to a major artery of connected cars or traveling solo to the destination. Unfortunately, the inability to successfully have cars link up automatically without causing too much bumping of passengers, and concerns about the safety of passengers in solo cars led to the project’s demise (Latour, 1996).

Citations Latour, B. (1996). Aramis or the Love of Technology. http://dss-edit.com/plu/Latour-B_Aramis-or-Love-of-Technology_1996.pdf. Retrieved June 21, 2015.

Ryder, M. (n.d.). What is Actor-Network Theory? http://carbon.ucdenver.edu/~mryder/itc/ant_dff.html Retrieved June 21, 2015.