Summary of findings
| Example quotes | Dualities | Example quotes | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mental well-being It involves having a positive mindset and the ability to manage stress and maintain good mental health | |||
| “[I use digital services] when I don’t have anything else to do. Leisure time, but also during those empty moments at work. They are always present, at work, during leisure time, in hobbies, everywhere. They fill those empty gaps.” – P6 “They assist in transitioning out of work mode. When I go for a walk after work and listen to an audiobook, it has a significant effect on my ability to detach myself from work. As I walk a kilometer, my thoughts gradually shift away from work. I become immersed in the book and in my own time.” – P8 “As soon as it gets boring or there’s nothing to do, that’s when I’m likely to browse them. [ …] I browse Reddit when sitting on the toilet, and the same goes for work if I have to wait for something or can’t do something.” – P9 | Digital escapism: using digital services as a means of disconnecting from physical reality and immersing oneself in a digital environment | Digital disruption: being diverted or interrupted from tasks, activities, or interactions due to the presence or use of digital services. It occurs when individuals become engrossed in digital services, leading to a loss of focus, productivity, or engagement in the present moment | “There should be more moments when you put your phone aside and focus on what’s important. I notice that people can’t, so to speak, be bored anymore. As soon as you get bored, you dig out the phone and start watching something.” – P3 “I allow myself to use it for entertainment under the guise of at least trying to do something sensible at the same time. [ …] Multitasking, yeah!” – P4 “In a negative sense, it has encroached upon the ability to pause and fully immerse myself in the present moment. There is a constant need to seek stimulation.” – P8 |
| “Game Pass and Netflix, they are my means of relaxation. If you want something to do, but you don’t really feel like doing anything, they are good.” – P2 “Streaming services help when you want to reset your brain. […] Some chance to clear your head.” – P4 “Netflix … it gives you that “yeah” feeling: now I’m here, and the evening can begin. It really wraps up the day.” – P8 | Digital relaxation: The use of digital services to promote relaxation and stress reduction | Digital stress: Negative reactions that individuals may experience as a result of their interaction with digital services, particularly when it becomes overwhelming or exceeds their ability to cope | “The need to constantly check and respond to emails is persistent. It remains open throughout the day, and whenever a new email arrives, I strive to reply as promptly as possible.” – P12 “Email often … The stress level rises when you read a certain message or maybe get frustrated with an email, for example, or what is happening in some service.” – P12 |
| “I primarily utilize Spotify when traveling by car. Upon entering the car, the app automatically activates, enabling me to listen to my preferred music instead of having to endure radio stations with excessive commercials that do not interest me.” – P2 “I feel that streaming-style gaming is much more convenient than paying €60 for a single game and committing to playing only that. I can pay €40 for 3 months and get to play everything they have to offer.” – P2 “I feel that it's easy to integrate them into life and remove them when needed. If you get tired of them, you can simply cancel the subscription with a snap of your fingers." – P9 | Digital empowerment: the empowerment of customers due to digital services. Digital services offer greater control, flexibility, and options in various aspects of lives | Digital subjugation: individuals willingly or unwillingly become submissive to digital services. A state of dependency or reliance on digital services, whereby individuals rely heavily on digital services. It involves a compulsive or excessive use of digital services | “There are very few situations where digital services are not involved. You can go to the sauna or to the store, those don’t require digital services, but pretty much everywhere else. […] Spotify is one of those things that you can’t really imagine living without anymore. It would be really strange to be without it. “ – P1 “I feel that sometimes I use them way too much. Their use should be stopped and reduced. I’ve attempted to limit certain elements on Facebook so that I wouldn’t hang out there for nothing and instead focus on more important things, like other things in life.” – P5 “I see it as a dependency relationship. I wouldn’t necessarily label it as problematic, but it holds a significant presence in my life. When I wake up in the morning, I first check the messages, I check Instagram, I check everything.” – P6 “They are so important that you wouldn’t really manage without them. Or you would, but your whole life would be turned upside down. […] I guess I’m probably addicted to some of these services." – P12 |
| “I utilize digital services for all kinds of purposes, both during work and during leisure time. It is rare for me to encounter situations that do not involve the use of digital services, except for instances such as going to the sauna or grocery shopping, where you don’t need digital services.” – P1 “When cleaning or cooking, whether alone or with others, I typically play music from Spotify on a speaker as background music.” – P2 “When cooking, there always needs be a video. And when eating. You can’t do that without a video.” – P7 | Digital augmentation: digital services complement and improve various activities or processes during everyday life, making them more efficient, convenient, or enjoyable | Digital emptiness: an individual feels a void or a lack of fulfillment when they are unable to access or utilize digital services during daily tasks | “I notice at work that if I have to charge my headphones, the charging time is such that I’m really nervous and I’m no longer present in that situation.” – P8 “[If the services I use ceased to exist] I would feel depressed … I don’t know. I would probably need to come up with so many other things to do in their place, figure out what to do. It could be quite tough if I wouldn’t be able to use them anymore." – P11 “[If the preferred service ceased to exist], the initial response would be a sense of emptiness. And what alternative options could be considered as a substitute.” – P13 |
| Social well-being It involves positive interactions with others, a supportive network of relationships, and a sense of connection to community or society | |||
| “You can meet new people and keep in touch with old acquaintances, that is, that interaction with the world. That’s the most important thing about it.” – P1 “Instagram, Snapchat, Tinder, WhatsApp, I find them really important because they enable communication and interaction. It’s not always direct contact [ …] but that’s where you find out what other people are up to, what you could do yourself, you get ideas. – P6 “It makes me happy, it makes me grateful. People who would never talk to me on the street, talk to me online." – P6 | Digital socialization: the practice of using digital platforms, social media, messaging apps, and other online tools to initiate, develop, and nurture social connections with others | Digital isolation: the negative impact of excessive or unhealthy digital service usage on an individual’s social skills, relationships, and ability to engage in face-to-face interactions | “Social media enable me to stay informed about what is happening in other people’s lives without needing to engage in one-on-one interactions.” – P2 “It is easy to be there with others, even though you aren’t truly with others.” – P10 “I spend a good part of the day sitting in front of the computer. […] We’ve joked with colleagues that you can tell how unsocial your life is when a global pandemic hits, and nothing changes.” – P14 |
| “Discord is like a [physical] plaza where you can find people and different groups with whom you like to hang out.” – P1 “Game Pass – my husband’s brother’s kids play Minecraft with my account. Then I guide them, making it a more communal experience." – P2 “Facebook has certain groups where you can get peer support. […] All your friends are there, and there is a sense of community.” – P5 | Digital togetherness: the feeling of unity, connection, and shared experience that individuals can experience through digital services | Digital exclusion: The social and practical disadvantages that individuals may face when they are not part of the digital world or do not engage with digital services | “I feel like it’s a must to be where all the others are.” – P1 “If you’re not on Instagram or Facebook or somewhere else, it’s harder to belong to a group or follow people’s lives.” – P4 “When I wasn’t on social media, I was completely outside: People had babies, were pregnant, moved, and I didn’t know anything. Nowadays, people share a lot about their lives and it is assumed that you can see it on social media. It is assumed that if you tell something to a group, usually everyone will see it, especially friends.” – P6 |
| “You can share meaningful aspects of your life. I don’t like to call, etc. so it’s a way to present myself, showcase my opinions, and take a stance on various matters. Visuality is very important to me, for example, on Instagram. I enjoy thinking about what to post there.” – P3 “Sometimes I feel like I’m sharing every moment of my life somewhere. Usually it’s Instagram because it’s much easier to make content there. But on Facebook I only update things that are a little more important, like bigger life events or deep reflections.” – P5 “It’s nice to produce content and it’s nice to take content from there. The content plays the biggest role. […] Instagram is a nice platform to share my own stuff, and it’s nice to get feedback as well.” – P13 | Digital self-expression: utilizing digital services to express one’s thoughts, ideas, opinions, emotions, creativity, or identity | Digital pressure: the feeling of being influenced, judged, or pressured to conform to certain standards or expectations that are prevalent in digital services such as social media platforms | “At times, I experience a strong sense of envy toward others, questioning why I'm not like them or in a similar situation.” – P5 “I’ve read that many people feel a sense of inferiority, and there’s talk about how many people have a facade or a sense of inferiority on social media. Research has shown that young girls suffer from it the most. There’s always someone richer, thinner, fancier, or prettier than you. But that’s maybe why I’ve tried to keep it safe for myself, I just follow my friends.” – P6 “[Spotify] is my own place. I have Ricky Martin and NSYNC on my playlist and it’s cool to listen to those songs. But it would be a bit disturbing if someone said “Do you listen to Ricky Martin?’ There are things you just want to keep to yourself.” – P8 |
| Intellectual well-being It involves the development and stimulation of one’s intellect and cognitive abilities. It encompasses activities and aspects related to intellectual growth and curiosity | |||
| “Instagram: I really learn visually, so it’s a good channel in that sense.” – P4 “[Browsing the] comment fields of news services [is] a perfect pastime, but it’s also a way to learn about other people’s thinking, their reasoning, and what they think about certain things. You can expand your own knowledge.” – P5 “When I play CS: GO, there can be situations, where you have to think, think more, and concentrate on what you’re doing.” – P11 | Digital learning: Acquiring knowledge, skills, or information through digital platforms | Digital dependence: Compulsive behavior whereby individuals excessively seek, consume, and rely on digital information from various sources | “I have to be informed all the time about what is happening in the world. I wouldn’t have believed it five years ago if someone had told me that I would be addicted to the Helsingin Sanomat newspaper, but it just happened. It has good and bad meanings for me.” – P8 “Online banking: All day long you can look at stock prices and wonder why you invested wrong once again.” – P14 |
| “Some of those channels raise questions related to self-improvement.” – P4 “You get ideas and inspiration, especially from Facebook groups. That’s probably the reason why I use them: I can see what others are doing and what I could do myself.” – P5 “I get inspiration from others and what I see on Instagram or Snapchat.” – P11 | Digital inspiration: Stimulation or motivation that individuals derive from digital platforms, content, or experiences. It involves finding ideas, creativity, or a sense of motivation through digital mediums | Digital stagnation: Inability to generate new ideas, find motivation, or experience creativity because of digital services | “It has happened with Facebook. I’m not there. I don’t feel a sense of missing out because many people have said that our mothers and fathers are the only ones left there. […] That app [Tinder] has lost interest. Interest has dropped compared to when I joined. Today, those same faces are there. It’s very easy to get tired of meeting new people.” – P6 “At one point, Spotify had such a function that when you were listening to your own music, it would throw in random songs and you could give them a thumbs up. It was a terrible experiment. I didn’t like it at all because it interrupted me, that I was waiting for a certain song and that I knew what was coming.” – P8 |
| Example quotes | Dualities | Example quotes | |
|---|---|---|---|
| “[I use digital services] when I don’t have anything else to do. Leisure time, but also during those empty moments at work. They are always present, at work, during leisure time, in hobbies, everywhere. They fill those empty gaps.” – P6 | “There should be more moments when you put your phone aside and focus on what’s important. I notice that people can’t, so to speak, be bored anymore. As soon as you get bored, you dig out the phone and start watching something.” – P3 | ||
| “Game Pass and Netflix, they are my means of relaxation. If you want something to do, but you don’t really feel like doing anything, they are good.” – P2 | “The need to constantly check and respond to emails is persistent. It remains open throughout the day, and whenever a new email arrives, I strive to reply as promptly as possible.” – P12 | ||
| “I primarily utilize Spotify when traveling by car. Upon entering the car, the app automatically activates, enabling me to listen to my preferred music instead of having to endure radio stations with excessive commercials that do not interest me.” – P2 | “There are very few situations where digital services are not involved. You can go to the sauna or to the store, those don’t require digital services, but pretty much everywhere else. […] Spotify is one of those things that you can’t really imagine living without anymore. It would be really strange to be without it. “ – P1 | ||
| “I utilize digital services for all kinds of purposes, both during work and during leisure time. It is rare for me to encounter situations that do not involve the use of digital services, except for instances such as going to the sauna or grocery shopping, where you don’t need digital services.” – P1 | “I notice at work that if I have to charge my headphones, the charging time is such that I’m really nervous and I’m no longer present in that situation.” – P8 | ||
| “You can meet new people and keep in touch with old acquaintances, that is, that interaction with the world. That’s the most important thing about it.” – P1 | “Social media enable me to stay informed about what is happening in other people’s lives without needing to engage in one-on-one interactions.” – P2 | ||
| “Discord is like a [physical] plaza where you can find people and different groups with whom you like to hang out.” – P1 | “I feel like it’s a must to be where all the others are.” – P1 | ||
| “You can share meaningful aspects of your life. I don’t like to call, etc. so it’s a way to present myself, showcase my opinions, and take a stance on various matters. Visuality is very important to me, for example, on Instagram. I enjoy thinking about what to post there.” – P3 | “At times, I experience a strong sense of envy toward others, questioning why I'm not like them or in a similar situation.” – P5 | ||
| “Instagram: I really learn visually, so it’s a good channel in that sense.” – P4 | “I have to be informed all the time about what is happening in the world. I wouldn’t have believed it five years ago if someone had told me that I would be addicted to the | ||
| “Some of those channels raise questions related to self-improvement.” – P4 | “It has happened with Facebook. I’m not there. I don’t feel a sense of missing out because many people have said that our mothers and fathers are the only ones left there. […] That app [Tinder] has lost interest. Interest has dropped compared to when I joined. Today, those same faces are there. It’s very easy to get tired of meeting new people.” – P6 | ||
Source(s): Table created by author
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