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‘I guess I was surprised by an app telling an adult they had to go to bed before half ten’: a phenomenological exploration of behavioural ‘nudges’

Toner, John; Allen-Collinson, Jacquelyn; Jones, Luke

Authors

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Dr John Toner John.Toner@hull.ac.uk
Lecturer in Sports Coaching and Performance

Jacquelyn Allen-Collinson

Luke Jones



Abstract

In recent years, the role of self-tracking technologies has been investigated, debated and critiqued within qualitative research circles. The principal means by which self-tracking technologies seek to promote health-related behaviours and behaviour change is through the use of ‘nudges’. Despite the increasing prevalence of nudge-style modes of body-mind governance, there remains little in-depth qualitative research on people’s embodied responses to this form of behavioural management. The current study sought to address this lacuna by drawing on a form of empirical, sociological phenomenology to investigate the lived experience of being ‘nudged’ by self-tracking technology. Our phenomenologically-inspired analysis revealed how nudges can be perceived as objectifying by rendering the user’s body the intentional object of awareness. Participants agentically engaged in a sense-making process, actively (re)interpreting the relevance of nudges and assessing critically the prescribed action in the context of their everyday life. Users expressed confidence in their own embodied sensory perceptions and assessment, and resisted having their bodily intuition displaced by ‘unbodied’ data.

Citation

Toner, J., Allen-Collinson, J., & Jones, L. (2021). ‘I guess I was surprised by an app telling an adult they had to go to bed before half ten’: a phenomenological exploration of behavioural ‘nudges’. Qualitative research in sport, exercise and health, https://doi.org/10.1080/2159676X.2021.1937296

Journal Article Type Article
Acceptance Date May 28, 2021
Online Publication Date Jun 14, 2021
Publication Date 2021
Deposit Date Jun 30, 2021
Publicly Available Date Mar 29, 2024
Journal Qualitative Research in Sport, Exercise and Health
Print ISSN 2159-676X
Electronic ISSN 1939-845X
Publisher Routledge
Peer Reviewed Peer Reviewed
DOI https://doi.org/10.1080/2159676X.2021.1937296
Keywords Nudges; Self-tracking; Embodiment; Phenomenology of the body; Objectification
Public URL https://hull-repository.worktribe.com/output/3793694

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©2021 The authors. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced without the written permission of the copyright holder





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