Self-tracking modes: reflexive self-monitoring and data practices

The concept of ‘self-tracking’ (also referred to as life-logging, the quantified self, personal analytics and personal informatics) has recently begun to emerge in discussions of ways in which people can voluntarily monitor and record specific features of their lives, often using digital technologies. There is evidence that the personal data that are derived from individuals engaging in such reflexive self-monitoring are now beginning to be used by actors, agencies and organisations beyond the personal and privatised realm. Self-tracking rationales and sites are proliferating as part of a ‘function creep’ of the technology and ethos of self-tracking. The detail offered by these data on individuals and the growing commodification and commercial value of digital data have led government, managerial and commercial enterprises to explore ways of appropriating self-tracking for their own purposes. In some contexts people are encouraged, ‘nudged’, obliged or coerced into using digital devices to produce personal data which are then used by others. This paper examines these issues, outlining five modes of self-tracking that have emerged: private, communal, pushed, imposed and exploited. The analysis draws upon theoretical perspectives on concepts of selfhood, citizenship, biopolitics and data practices and assemblages in discussing the wider sociocultural implications of the emergence and development of these modes of self-tracking

In quest of the optimal self : wellness consumption and lifestyle – a superficial marketing fad or a powerful means for transforming and branding oneself?

The current thesis discusses wellness consumption and lifestyle, both of which are embedded in current consumer culture and the mainstream consumer lifestyle in various ways. In this thesis, wellness is understood as a holistic and positive approach to health that emphasizes optimal health, self-responsibility, and illness prevention in reaching the “optimal self.” The global wellness industry is a relatively young economic sector that is growing at a significant pace. New markets are appearing with technological innovations and new consumer segments. The wellness trend is further strengthening the notion of “the self” and stressing the current era’s strong, individual centricity. Wellness emphasizes an entrepreneurial self and is best understood as a form of transformative consumption, a self-enhancing lifestyle, and a self-investment strategy. The purpose of the current thesis is to enhance the theoretical and empirical understandings of wellness consumption and lifestyle in reaching the optimal self. To explore this purpose in more detail, the following research questions are posed: (1) How have conceptions and understandings of wellness evolved over the course of time, and how do these aspects reflect what is valued in life? (2) What is meant by the “optimal self,” and through which means is this kind of “self” pursued?, and (3) How are wellness and self-branding interconnected, and what is the logic of wellness branding? These themes are investigated through three different theoretical standpoints composed of positive psychology, marketing and consumer research, and sociology. Simultaneously, these standpoints offer three separate lenses (i.e., kaleidoscopes) with which to interpret the phenomenon. This thesis represents a phenomenon-based research in a highly topical and rapidly changing marketing and consumer phenomenon. Due to its pragmatic nature, as a whole, the thesis applies a mixed-methods approach, but the individual research articles are based on either quantitative or qualitative methodologies. The research articles approach the wellness phenomenon from different perspectives using several datasets and analysis methods. Article 1 discusses wellness in the wellness tourism context by analyzing data collected through semi-structured interviews (n=22) administered to wellness industry representatives in 2013. Articles 2 and 3 address wellness in relation to fitness and meanings of physical activity by analyzing data as part of the large, nationally representative University Student Health Survey (n=4403) collected in 2012. Article 4 discusses wellness from a wider perspective and in relation to self-branding by conducting a series of focus group interviews both in the U.S. and in Finland between 2016 and 2017. As a synthesis of the theoretical discussions and empirical findings, three main arguments are proposed. First, wellness has evolved from material and mere hedonic to increasingly involve immaterial and eudaimonic approaches—there has been a shift from the pursuit of pleasure to the pursuit of meaning. Second, the ever-increasing need to take care of oneself holistically and to transform oneself toward the optimal state echo the need for finding a balance—balance is the “New Black.” Third, the logic of wellness branding encompasses the creation of one’s optimal, balanced self while communicating that self to others—wellness branding has become a new means of promoting the optimal self. The thesis’s theoretical contribution focuses on the relatively new research tradition of transformative consumer research (TCR) by reviving Aristotle’s ancient, principle ideas—living well, virtues, common good, balance, practical wisdom, and harmony—that are still valid and likely to be more topical than ever before. The thesis also contributes to self-branding literature by discussing wellness as a new means for self-branding. By introducing a concept—wellness branding—not previously addressed in academic literature, the thesis concludes that wellness branding involves branding the good and healthy, true, balanced self. Managerial implications focus mainly on the changing consumer behavior as well as the various opportunities and challenges offered by digitalization. One of the major challenges regards how to brand products, services, and transformational experiences such that they align with consumers’ highly individualistic values and resonate with consumers’ authentic, true selves. In the future, the principles of wellness branding are likely to be adopted and employed further in both employer and employee branding. Thus, wellness branding may also facilitate profit for both businesses and their employees in a novel way. With regard to societal implications, in addition to healthcare and health promotion, wellness practices have become an aspect of educational agendas and corporate wellness programs that maximize employee productivity and decrease the number of health insurance expenditures. Furthermore, wellness has received increasing attention in political discussions. Encouraging individuals to engage in preventative, holistic self-care practices not only promotes individual wellness, but benefits the whole society by decreasing healthcare expenditures. Finally, regarding future research directions, the combination of ever-increasing digitalization, technological innovations, and novel, more diverse consumer segments entering the market—particularly Gen Z, the first all-digital generation— paves the way for various fascinating research themes

Regulating wellbeing in the brave new quantified workplace

Purpose: The purpose of the paper is to lay out the conceptual issues arising alongside the rise of sensory technologies in workplaces designed to improve wellness and productivity. Design/methodology/approach: This is a text based conceptual paper. Our approach is to throw light on some of the emerging issues with the introduction of wearable self-tracking technologies in workplaces. Findings: The paper indicates that scholars will need to put ethical issues at the heart of research on sensory tracking technologies in workplaces that aim to regulate employee behaviour via wellness initiatives. Originality/value: This is an original article. Since there is very little scholarly research in this area, it is important to begin to consider the implications of sensory technology in workplaces linked to wellness initiatives, given the probable impact it will have on work design and appraisal systems

Regulating wellbeing in the brave new quantified workplace

Purpose: The purpose of the paper is to lay out the conceptual issues arising alongside the rise of sensory technologies in workplaces designed to improve wellness and productivity. Design/methodology/approach: This is a text based conceptual paper. Our approach is to throw light on some of the emerging issues with the introduction of wearable self-tracking technologies in workplaces. Findings: The paper indicates that scholars will need to put ethical issues at the heart of research on sensory tracking technologies in workplaces that aim to regulate employee behaviour via wellness initiatives. Originality/value: This is an original article. Since there is very little scholarly research in this area, it is important to begin to consider the implications of sensory technology in workplaces linked to wellness initiatives, given the probable impact it will have on work design and appraisal systems

The Data Pharmacy: Wearables from Sensing to Stimulation

Taking up the therapeutic discourse of contemporary neuro wearables, this essay explores how models of the quantified self are increasingly supplemented by pharmacological mediations. We argue that contemporary neuro wearables are more than instruments for self-tracking; they are increasingly devices of therapeutic transmission. Pharmacological media rely on digital wellness ideologies and offer datafied solutions to the toxicity of both big tech and big pharma. Beyond questions of efficacy—that is, the question of whether neuro devices do what they say—this essay focuses on matters of cultural framing and aspiration that underpin the wellness industry. Our interest is to supplement current understandings of bio-technical management by tracing the emergence of what we term the data pharmacy—where data and pharma industries and cultural imaginaries are increasingly fused within an emergent paradigm of computational wellness. This pivot in big tech’s wellness portfolio translates existing biodata and health analytics into pharmacological techniques that aim to automate ways of thinking, feeling, and being

Implementing data-driven systems for work and health: The role of incentives in the use of physiolytics

Following the recent success of health wearable devices (smartwatches, activity trackers) for personal and leisure activities, organizations have started to build digital occupational health programs and data-driven health insurance around these systems. In this way, firms or health insurance companies seek to both support a new form of health promotion for their workforce/clients and to take advantage of large amounts of collected data for organizational purposes. Still, the success in the implementation of wearable health devices (also known as physiolytics) in organizational settings is entirely dependent on the individual motivation to adopt and use physiolytics over time (since organizations cannot establish a mandated use). Therefore, organizations often use incentives to encourage individuals to participate in such data-driven programs. Yet, little is known about these mechanisms that serve to align the interests of an organization with the interests of a group of individuals. This is an important challenge because these incentives may blunder the frontiers between what is voluntary and what is not. Against this background, this thesis aims, from a critical realist perspective, to build general knowledge regarding incentives in physiolytics-centered organizational programs. By doing so, individuals may be able to recognize challenges linked to participation in such programs; organizations may create sensible incentives; policymakers may identify new social issues that appear with this form of digitalization in organizations; and, finally, researchers may investigate new practical and social challenges regarding digitalization in organizations. In concrete terms, the first explorative phase of the thesis shows that feedback, gamification features and financial incentives are the most implemented incentives in physiolytics-centered organizational programs. There is also an overrepresentation of financial incentives for data-health plans, indicating that health insurance companies are building their strategy on external motivators. A second, more explanatory phase serves to further explore these types of incentives and specify recommendations by taking a higher perspective than normative views, so that it is possible to create more alternative managerial strategies or develop other policy perspectives. This part principally shows that the most influential incentives on user behavior are the ones that are transparent, that stimulate individual empowerment, and that propose defined benefits. In terms of contributions, this thesis allows individuals to evaluate how their autonomy and integrity is impacted by incentives in such data-driven programs. This thesis also outlines the necessity for organizations to invest time and resources to know their audience. Organizations additionally need to develop several strategies, by mixing incentives or gradually introducing them. Policymakers must ensure that regulations permit the clear consent of participants; guarantee a proportionality of incentives, and involve entities that can guide individuals through data-sharing. Finally, this thesis enables researchers to further investigate how organizations can develop appropriate and desirable environments regarding data-driven technology, so that individuals may enhance their decision-making processes and organizations may succeed in their implementation

Theorizing #Girlboss Culture: Mediated Neoliberal Feminisms from Influencers to Multi-level Marketing Schemes

I define girlboss feminism as emergent, mediated formations of neoliberal feminism that equate feminist empowerment with financial success, market competition, individualized work-life balance, and curated digital and physical presences driven by self-monetization. I look toward how the mediation of girlboss feminism utilizes branded and affective engagements with representational politics, discourses of authenticity and rebellion, as well as meritocratic aspiration to promote cultural interest in conceptualizing feminism in ways that are divorced from collective, intersectional struggle. I question the stakes involved in reducing feminist interrogations and commitments to discourses of representation, visibility, and meritocracy. I argue that while girlboss feminism may facilitate individual opportunities for stability and advancement under neoliberal constraints, the proliferation of girlboss feminism as an emergent and mediated thread of neoliberal feminism plays a vital role in perpetuating the severe inequalities required to sustain racial capitalism as an oppressive political-economic and socio-cultural framework. I look to three key spaces: wellness culture, self-help coaching, and multi-level marketing to understand how feminism and racial capitalism grow intertwined via mediated formations of girlboss culture. In charting these formations, I initiate conversations that investigate the nuances and complications of feminist movement work under racial capitalism. I hope that identifying these emergent threads of neoliberal feminism provides insight on how intersectional and liberatory modes of collective struggle might remain more nimble, and generate more political power, than incarnations of feminism that reinforce an oppressive status quo

What is eHealth (6)? Development of a Conceptual Model for eHealth: Qualitative Study with Key Informants

©Tim Shaw, Deborah McGregor, Melissa Brunner, Melanie Keep, Anna Janssen, Stewart Barnet. Originally published in the Journal of Medical Internet Research (http://www.jmir.org), 24.10.2017. BACKGROUND: Despite rapid growth in eHealth research, there remains a lack of consistency in defining and using terms related to eHealth. More widely cited definitions provide broad understanding of eHealth but lack sufficient conceptual clarity to operationalize eHealth and enable its implementation in health care practice, research, education, and policy. Definitions that are more detailed are often context or discipline specific, limiting ease of translation of these definitions across the breadth of eHealth perspectives and situations. A conceptual model of eHealth that adequately captures its complexity and potential overlaps is required. This model must also be sufficiently detailed to enable eHealth operationalization and hypothesis testing.OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to develop a conceptual practice-based model of eHealth to support health professionals in applying eHealth to their particular professional or discipline contexts.METHODS: We conducted semistructured interviews with key informants (N=25) from organizations involved in health care delivery, research, education, practice, governance, and policy to explore their perspectives on and experiences with eHealth. We used purposeful sampling for maximum diversity. Interviews were coded and thematically analyzed for emergent domains.RESULTS: Thematic analyses revealed 3 prominent but overlapping domains of eHealth: (1) health in our hands (using eHealth technologies to monitor, track, and inform health), (2) interacting for health (using digital technologies to enable health communication among practitioners and between health professionals and clients or patients), and (3) data enabling health (collecting, managing, and using health data). These domains formed a model of eHealth that addresses the need for clear definitions and a taxonomy of eHealth while acknowledging the fluidity of this area and the strengths of initiatives that span multiple eHealth domains.CONCLUSIONS: This model extends current understanding of eHealth by providing clearly defined domains of eHealth while highlighting the benefits of using digital technologies in ways that cross several domains. It provides the depth of perspectives and examples of eHealth use that are lacking in previous research. On the basis of this model, we suggest that eHealth initiatives that are most impactful would include elements from all 3 domains

The datafication of health

Over the past decade, data-intensive logics and practices have come to affect domains of contemporary life ranging from marketing and policy making to entertainment and education; at every turn, there is evidence of “datafication” or the conversion of qualitative aspects of life into quantified data. The datafication of health unfolds on a number of different scales and registers, including data-driven medical research and public health infrastructures, clinical health care, and self-care practices. For the purposes of this review, we focus mainly on the latter two domains, examining how scholars in anthropology, sociology, science and technology studies, and media and communication studies have begun to explore the datafication of clinical and self-care practices. We identify the dominant themes and questions, methodological approaches, and analytical resources of this emerging literature, parsing these under three headings: datafied power, living with data, and data–human mediations. We conclude by urging scholars to pay closer attention to how datafication is unfolding on the “other side” of various digital divides (e.g., financial, technological, geographic), to experiment with applied forms of research and data activism, and to probe links to areas of datafication that are not explicitly related to health.Peer reviewe