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The work process setting and situational contexts based on socially distributed cognition: an interactive, cognitive and social proposal of analysis
Author(s) -
Barranco Oriol,
Lozares Carlos,
Moreno Sara
Publication year - 2017
Publication title -
journal for the theory of social behaviour
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.615
H-Index - 51
eISSN - 1468-5914
pISSN - 0021-8308
DOI - 10.1111/jtsb.12143
Subject(s) - situational ethics , cognition , reciprocal , process (computing) , socially distributed cognition , dimension (graph theory) , psychology , relation (database) , socio cognitive , cognitive science , work (physics) , cognitive psychology , sociology , computer science , knowledge management , epistemology , social psychology , mechanical engineering , linguistics , philosophy , mathematics , database , neuroscience , pure mathematics , engineering , operating system
Abstract To carry out an ethnographic study on the work process in the sterilization unit of a hospital in Catalonia (Spain), we found the socially distributed cognition approaches of Hutchins and Kirsh useful. However, these approaches lack sufficient explanation on three important issues: (a) the pragmatic criteria for identifying and delimiting a relevant unit of analysis and therefore the setting and contexts of the work process; (b) the mechanisms and results of reciprocal influences between these levels of analysis; and (c) the relation between these levels. Therefore, we added several new elements to these approaches, in addition to Layder's model of contexts with some important modifications, with the aim of offering an interactive, cognitive and social proposal of analysis that clarifies these three issues, allowing a more exhaustive and broader empirical analysis that captures better the ‘social’ dimension embedded in the work processes.