Blurring boundaries between humans and technology: postdigital, postphenomenology and actor-network theory in qualitative research

ABSTRACT

Digital technologies in sport, exercise and health along with every other aspect of human activity have the potential to change practices but also the very discourse and perception of an activity. As technology develops and devices become more ‘smart’, qualitative research requires theories and concepts with which to frame empirical study. Social constructivism at one end of a continuum says that society determines how new technologies are designed and used, in contrast, technological determinism states that technology develops along a single track of progress of development to determine the social. Both of these are explored and used as polar extremes to then blur boundaries with the theoretical positions of postdigital, postphenomenology and Actor-Network Theory (ANT). These perspectives critically look at the digital and the human and the mediation of experiences through technological artefacts and human agency in a network of humans, artefacts and culture. These perspectives are explored and contextualised through health and fitness tracking devices and presented as theoretical frameworks for qualitative research in sport, health and exercise.

KEYWORDS:

• Postdigital
• actor-network theory
• digital
• technology
• postphenomenology

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author.

Notes

1. The quantified self-movement is a global network of individuals who collect, analyse and share quantitative data about their activities and bodies collected through sensors and wearable technologies. Much of the marketing, social discourse and design of devices and apps used by the movement is particularly constructed around gendered ways of using such technologies to achieve a particular gendered ideal.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Adam Matthews

Adam Matthews is a lecturer at the University of Birmingham, interested in how technology and the social come together in a variety of ways, especially in education. Research draws upon Science and Technology Studies (STS), philosophy of technology, design and the broader social sciences.