Tool, toy and tutor: Subjective experiences of digital self-tracking
Dados Bibliográficos
AUTOR(ES) | |
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AFILIAÇÃO(ÕES) | University of Tasmania |
ANO | 2018 |
TIPO | Artigo |
PERIÓDICO | Journal of Sociology |
ISSN | 1440-7833 |
E-ISSN | 1741-2978 |
EDITORA | Annual Reviews (United States) |
DOI | 10.1177/1440783317722854 |
CITAÇÕES | 2 |
ADICIONADO EM | 2025-08-18 |
MD5 |
0a930c6f7cc9f5e6bb1942203350bb5b
|
Resumo
Since the advent of the smartphone, users have become accustomed to alerts, notifications and reminders to interact with their internet-connected devices. But how do people make sense of prompts to exercise, eat or sleep? Digital self-tracking is a phenomenon that has grown substantially in recent years. However, despite some notable exceptions, there is still little sociological research into how users of wearable devices and apps subjectively experience self-tracking. This article draws on findings from a small qualitative study with 11 participants to reveal eminent themes in how users make sense of their self-tracking. Utilising and extending Lupton's theorising of self-tracking, we argue for triple roles of self-tracking devices; 'tool', 'toy' and 'tutor'. This trichotomy helps to characterise the use of self-tracking devices and apps, allowing us to reflect on the wider, ongoing implications of self-tracking.