Skip to main content

Effects of Quantified Self Beyond Self-Optimization

  • Chapter
  • First Online:
Lifelogging

Abstract

The paper focuses on the shaping or even transformation of the self, or, more generally, on changing self-relationships through observation and comparison with accumulated data about the self.

As a first step, academic and public discussions with regard to the phenomenon will be briefly outlined (1) in order to subsequently clarify the following two aspects: First, the question regarding what is generally meant by optimization and, furthermore, self-optimization, shall be addressed (2). Secondly, the possible consequences of self-tracking, i.e., the collection of quantitative data about oneself, will be examined (3). Finally, based on those two aspects, I will discuss the current interpretation of the Quantified Self as self-optimization in the corresponding public discourse as well as in a social scientific analysis (4).

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

eBook
USD 16.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book
USD 16.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

Preview

Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.

Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Armstrong, P. (1994). The influence of Michel Foucault on Accounting Research. Critical Perspectives on Accounting, 5(1), 25-55. doi:10.1006/cpac.1994.1003.

    Google Scholar 

  • Boesel, W. E. (2013). What is the Quantified Self Now? http://thesocietypages.org/cyborgology/2013/05/22/what-is-the-quantified-self-now/#more-15717. Accessed 27 Nov 2014.

  • Choe, E. K., Lee, N. B., Lee, B., Pratt, W., & Kientz, J. A. (2014). Understanding quantified-selfers‘ practices in collecting and exploring personal data. Proceedings of the SIGCHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems. CHI 2014, 1143-1152. doi:10.1145/2556288.2557372.

  • Chua, W. F. (1995). Experts, Networks and Inscriptions in the Fabrication of Accounting Images: A Story of the Representation of Three Public Hospitals. Accounting, Organizations and Society, 20(2-3), 111-145. doi:10.1016/0361-3682(95)95744-H.

    Google Scholar 

  • Foucault, M. (1984). Polemics, politics, and problemizations: an interview with Michel Foucault.In P. Rabinow (Ed.), The Foucault Reader (pp. 381-390). New York: Pantheon.

    Google Scholar 

  • Heintz, B. (2010). Numerische Differenz. Überlegungen zu einer Soziologie des (quantitativen) Vergleichs. Zeitschrift für Soziologie, 39(3), 162-181.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hesse, M. (2008, September 9). Bytes of Life. For Every Move, Mood and Bodily Function, There’s a Web Site to Help You Keep Track. Whashington Post. http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/09/08/AR2008090802681_pf.html. Accessed 27 Nov 2014.

  • Hopwood, A. G. (1978). Towards an Organizational Perspective for the Study of Accounting and Information Systems. Accounting, Organizations and Society, 3(1), 3-13.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kamal, N., Fels, S., & Ho, K. (2010). Online social networks for personal informatics to promote positive health behavior. Proceedings of second ACM SIGMM workshop on Social media. WSM 2010, 47-52. doi:10.1145/1878151.1878167.

  • Lee, V. R. (2014). What’s Happening in the “Quantified Self” Movement? ICLS 2014, 1032-1036, http://digitalcommons.usu.edu/itls_facpub/491/

  • Luhmann, N. (1992). Beobachtungen der Moderne. Opladen: Westdeutscher Verlag.

    Google Scholar 

  • Luhmann, N. (2013). Theory of Society. Vol. 2, Stanford: Stanford University Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lupton, D. (2013). Understanding the Human Machine. IEEE Technology and Society Magazine, 25-30. doi:10.1109/MTS.2013.2286431.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lupton, D. (2014a). Self-tracking Cultures: Towards a Sociology of Personal Informatics. OZCHI ’14, https://simplysociology.files.wordpress.com/2014/09/self-tracking-cultures-ozchi-conference-paper.pdf. Accessed 05 Dez 2015.

  • Lupton, D. (2014b). Self-tracking Modes: Reflexive Self-Monitoring and Data Practices. http://ssrn.com/abstract=2483549. Accessed 27 Nov 2014.

  • Makropoulos, M. (2000). Historische Kontingenz und soziale Optimierung. In R. Bubner, & W. Mesch (Eds.), Die Weltgeschichte – das Weltgericht? Stuttgarter Hegel-Kongress 1999 (pp. 77-92), Stuttgart: Klett-Cotta.

    Google Scholar 

  • Makropoulos, M. (2002, October 26). Der optimierte Mensch. Süddeutsche Zeitung, pp. 6-7.

    Google Scholar 

  • Meißner, S. (2012). Arbeit und Spiel. Von der Opposition zur Verschränkung in der gegenwärtigen Kontrollgesellschaft. http://trajectoires.revues.org/915. Accessed 20 Nov 2014.

  • Morgan, G. (1988). Accounting as Reality Construction. Towards a New Epistemology for Accounting Practice. Accounting, Organizations and Society, 13(5), 477-485. doi:10.1016/0361-3682(88)90018-9.

    Google Scholar 

  • Morozov, E. (2013). To Save Everything, Click Here: Technology, Solutionism, and the Urge to Fix Problems That Don’t Exist. London: Allen Lane.

    Google Scholar 

  • Nafus, D., & Sherman, J. (2014). This one does not go up to 11: The Quantified Self movement as an alternative big data practice. International Journal of Communication, 8, 1784-1794.

    Google Scholar 

  • Neff, G. (2013). Why Big Data won’t cure us. Big Data, 1(3), 117-123. doi:10.1089/big.2013.0029.

    Google Scholar 

  • Pantzar, M., & Ruckenstein, M. (2014). The hearth of everyday analytics: Emotional, material and practical extensions in self-tracking market. Consumption Markets & Culture, 18(1), 1-18. doi:10.1080/10253866.2014.899213.

    Google Scholar 

  • Rooksby, J., Rost, M., Morrison, A., & Chalmers, M. (2014). Personal tracking as lived informatics. Proceedings of the SIGCHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems. CHI 2014, 1163-1172. doi:10.1145/2556288.2557039.

  • Ruckenstein, M. (2014). Visualized and interacted life: Personal analytics and engagements with data doubles. Societies, 4(1), 68-84. doi:10.3390/soc4010068.

    Google Scholar 

  • Till, C. (2014). Exercise as Labour: Quantified Self and the Transformation of Exercise into Labour. Societies, 4(3), 446-462. doi:10.3390/soc4030446.

    Google Scholar 

  • Vollmer, H. (2003). Bookkeeping, Accounting, Calculative Practice: The Sociological Suspense of Calculation. Critical Perspectives on Accounting, 14(3), 353-381. doi:10.1006/cpac.2002.0528.

    Google Scholar 

  • Wolf, G. (2009). Know Thyself: Tracking Every Facet of Life, from Sleep to Mood to Pain, 24/7/365. http://archive.wired.com/medtech/health/magazine/17-07/lbnp_knowthyself? Accessed 27 Nov 2014.

  • Wolf, G. (2010, May 2). Data-Driven Life. New York Times, p. MM38.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Stefan Meißner .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2016 Springer Fachmedien Wiesbaden

About this chapter

Cite this chapter

Meißner, S. (2016). Effects of Quantified Self Beyond Self-Optimization. In: Selke, S. (eds) Lifelogging. Springer VS, Wiesbaden. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-658-13137-1_13

Download citation

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-658-13137-1_13

  • Published:

  • Publisher Name: Springer VS, Wiesbaden

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-658-13136-4

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-658-13137-1

  • eBook Packages: Social SciencesSocial Sciences (R0)

Publish with us

Policies and ethics