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DOI: 10.14254/1795-6889.2025.21-3.2
Submitted: 2025-10-09
Published: 2025-12-30

Unveiling scholarly narratives on human technology: A structural topic modeling approach

University of Szczecin, Poland
Gdańsk University of Technology
University of Gdańsk
Széchenyi István University
human technology structural topic modeling (STM) bibliometric analysis research mapping

Abstract

This study systematically maps the thematic evolution of human–technology research from 2020 to 2025 using Structural Topic Modelling (STM) applied to over 2,000 abstracts from the Web of Science Core Collection. The analysis identifies six dominant themes: Industry, AI and Sustainability; Education and Human-Centred Design; Public Health, Community and Equity; Robotics, HRI and Ergonomics; Philosophy and Ethics of Technology; and Clinical mHealth and Usability. The results reveal a structural realignment from pandemic-driven experimentation to institutionalised, interdisciplinary research embedded in industrial, clinical, and community systems. Thematic inequality declined while diversity stabilised, indicating a mature and balanced research ecosystem. Methodologically, the study introduces a reproducible STM-based workflow integrating Gini and Shannon indices. Empirically, it provides a data-driven map of cross-disciplinary convergence. Conceptually, it demonstrates that human–technology inquiry increasingly operationalises ethics and sustainability through design, governance, and applied practice.

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How to Cite

Jarecki, W., Olczyk, M., Olczyk, P., & Imreh-Toth, M. (2025). Unveiling scholarly narratives on human technology: A structural topic modeling approach. Human Technology, 21(3), 511–529. https://doi.org/10.14254/1795-6889.2025.21-3.2