社会学评论. 2025, 13(5): 121-144.
The social nature of time is a central theme in the sociology of time. Existing studies usually assume the synchronization and sharing of time standards,and rarely discuss the conditions and forms of synchronization. With synchronization referring to the nature of the sharing of time standards among different subjects, we can examine its multiple paths, levels,characteristics, scopes, and stability. In contrast to the un-synchronicity assumption of solipsists and the universal synchronization assumption of transcendentalist, sociological views on synchronization are constructive in nature. With respect to paths and methods of construction,synchronization can be categorized into three approaches: intersubjectivity, social convention, and ecology-event, which leads to three core issues. First, synchronization involves three levels: form synchronization, content synchronization, and encounter synchronization; second, it involves the scopes of individual, group, nation, and even the world; and third, different types of synchronization display differences in stability and their reproduction processes. Reflecting on synchronicity not only helps clarify core concepts in the sociology of time but also lays the groundwork for rethinking human existence and the rhythms of social time in the era of digital intelligence.