Social media allows us unprecedented insights into sociology. The following graph, from the New-York Times article “Twitter study tracks when we are :)”, shows what specific analysis, looking at the words people use, can tell us about how people are feeling.
Similar studies have also sought to predict how the stock market would open based on the overall mood of the traders (as reflected by the twitter terms used).
Some of these studies appear a bit anecdotal but the lesson is that new fields of study are opening thanks to all this available data. Think about it – some of us put literally their entire life on social networks. The Fourth Revolution gives researchers the possibility to analyse through the data of thousands of people worldwide. A true treasure trove for generations of sociologists.
We can expect that in a few years time, new unprecedented insights about sociology will appear. I can’t wait to see what it will be.
