Technology has drastically changed within the past decade, and with these changes, there have been various impacts on our society. Most notable is the impact technology has had on our collective behavior. Collective behavior is the unplanned, and often unstructured, way we behave in groups. With the rise of on-the-go technology, such as smartphones, people’s collective behavior has shifted, making it a norm for roomfuls of people to be on their smartphones.
The latest release of the Apple Vision Pro (pictured on the left) has caused mixed reactions. This headset allows you to be connected to what essentially would be your desktop computer from anywhere, allowing users to have access to things like streaming, working virtually, and even Facetiming or texting through iMessage. With its high capabilities of letting an individual stay connected to the virtual world while being “present” in the real world, it is understandable how a product like this opens the conversation of what the future of socialization may look like.
Since the release of the product, there have already been various people out in public settings wearing the high-tech goggles. Although the product is not as widely accessible as smartphones, due to its $3,500 price, it would be interesting to see how we as a society may normalize its use. This could be explained through emergent norm theory, which states that new norms emerge when a crowd or a group of people (in this case, society) accept a new idea or behavior as appropriate. Just as being on your phone was once considered rude, but through time, it has become widely acceptable to use it in public places.
Another type of norm that has emerged from virtual spaces is online subcultures, or distinct groups made up of people with similar interests and ideals. One type of online subculture that has grown in popularity today includes those who identify as Swifties, or Taylor Swift fans. This community currently resides online and offline, but its growth has mainly been due to the online community. This has been caused by the use of Taylor’s social media accounts and her massive following, which has allowed for interactions between fans who would not have met in any other circumstances. Between these connections and virtual events Taylor may offer, an online space has been created where people get to be a part of a group with the same main interest. Another popular type of online subculture comes from the world of gaming, especially with interactive games such as Fortnite or Call of Duty. In games like these, people may feel as if they are in the environment that they are playing in and are usually communicating with other players in the game. This creates the feeling of being in another type of world, which in turn creates a new community where everyone shares the same experience of that virtual space. Having access to these spaces allows people to choose what type of communities they want to be in online — something that can’t always be controlled with in-person interactions.
