Friend or Foe? The Ambivalent Relationship between Mobile Technology and its Users

This paper reports on an empirical study that examined the total user experience of mobile technology users. We held a total of 33 focus group sessions comprised of 222 active mobile device users in four highly developed countries (Finland, Japan, Hong Kong, and the United States) with high penetration of mobile technology. We are specifically focusing on manifestations of paradoxes with regard to mobile technology. We identify eight major technology paradoxes that play a central role in the mobile technology usage experience: (1) empowerment-enslavement, (2) independence- dependence, (3) fulfills needs-creates needs, (4) competence-incompetence, (5) planning-improvisation, (6) engaging-disengaging, (7)public-private, and (8) illusion-disillusion. Our findings suggest conceptualizing the phenomenon of mobile technology usage experience from a context-based and process-oriented perspective where paradoxes of technology shape user experience and determine coping strategies.

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