Shaping technology-behavior interactions

Abstract

The objective of the final part of this volume was to derive app roaches to and strategies for policymaking from the insights into the dynamics of interaction between technology and behavior. While doing so, the question of legitimization of behavior-steering technologies remained an important one. The contributions to this part were written from a 'macro' perspective. Brey and Strijbos focus on issues of legitimization, in particular on the moral justification of behavior-steering technology, and the role of normative structure in technology development, i.e. in the social environment. Laws and Elzen explore technology and behavior in the dynamics of 'local' policy processes. Popkema and Van Schagen discuss technology and behavior interactions from a cognitive, learning perspective in management systems and road design respectively. Finally, Van Vliet discusses the evolution of the role of end users, consumers in processes of technological change. The focus of this chapter is to use concepts, phenomena, applied and empirical work of the contributions by these authors in deriving 'learning points' for policy, and improving policy designs. Therefore, this section will begin with a brief recapitulation of the technology-behavior dilemma in environmental policy. © 2006 Springer.