BEGIN:VCALENDAR
VERSION:2.0
PRODID:-//Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam//NONSGML v1.0//EN
NAME:ABRI Lunch Seminar Andreas Eckhard
METHOD:PUBLISH
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART:20260203T120000
DTEND:20260203T130000
DTSTAMP:20260203T120000
UID:abri-lunch-seminar-andreas-eck@8F96275E-9F55-4B3F-A143-836282E12573
CREATED:20260924T213341
LOCATION:VU Main Building, 1105, De Boelelaan, 1081 HV, Amsterdam
SUMMARY:ABRI Lunch Seminar Andreas Eckhard
X-ALT-DESC;FMTTYPE=text/html: We are happy to invi
te you to the ABRI Lunch Seminar Virtuous and Vicious Self-Governance
Practices: Mechanisms of Moral Formation Through Personal Data Routi
nes via Wearables by prof. Andreas Eckhardt (Department of Informatio
n Systems, Production and Logistics Management, University of Innsbru
ck).
The seminar will take place on Tuesday, February 3rd,
from 12:00 to 13:00 (HG-06A37). You can find more information below.
It has been organized by ABRI and the KIN Center for Digital Innovat
ion.
This is a lunch seminar; please register your attendance
by accepting/declining your emailed invitation by Friday, January 30t
h, at 10 AM at the latest (for catering).
Abstract
Consumer wearables enable self-governance practices that sha
pe how users understand and manage themselves through data, producing
subjectivities. These subjectivities embody identities characterized
by moral dispositions: some users exhibit disciplined, health-promot
ing conduct, whereas others display compulsive data routines that und
ermine well-being. Although IS research recognizes that personal data
digitalization has normative implications, the mechanisms by which s
elf-governance practices morally form users into distinct subjectivit
ies remain theoretically underspecified. Drawing on Vallor's virtue e
thics, we model the recursive relationship between self-governance pr
actices and moral dispositions, conceptualized as virtues and vices.
Using this model, we analyze semi-structured interviews with 50 weara
ble users and identify three subjectivities, characterized by distinc
t dispositional configurations: Devotee, Challenger, and Calibrator.
We theorize three mechanisms that drive moral formation: transfusion
(importing external dispositions), transposition (cultivating new dis
positions through device use), and transmutation (oscillating between
a virtuous disposition and its vices of deficiency or excess). These
mechanisms operate in a salience hierarchy (primary, secondary, tert
iary) that differs across each subjectivity, explaining why self-gove
rnance practices persist or change. Our study contributes to IS resea
rch by showing how personal data digitalization has normative ramific
ations through three distinct mechanisms, how it co-constitutes subje
ctivities that embody morally laden identities, and why similar devic
es produce divergent engagement patterns and well-being outcomes. Pra
ctically, we propose interventions targeting each mechanism that chal
lenge the ideology of continuous improvement embedded in wearables an
d show when stepping back from self-improvement better supports flour
ishing.
DESCRIPTION: We are happy to invite you to the ABRI Lunch Seminar Virt
uous and Vicious Self-Governance Practices: Mechanisms of Moral Forma
tion Through Personal Data Routines via Wearables by prof. Andreas Ec
khardt (Department of Information Systems, Production and Logistics M
anagement, University of Innsbruck). The seminar will take place on T
uesday, February 3rd, from 12:00 to 13:00 (HG-06A37). You can find mo
re information below. It has been organized by ABRI and the KIN Cente
r for Digital Innovation.
This is a lunch seminar; please regi
ster your attendance by accepting/declining your emailed invitation b
y Friday, January 30th, at 10 AM at the latest (for catering).
Abstract
Consumer wearables enable self-governan
ce practices that shape how users understand and manage themselves th
rough data, producing subjectivities. These subjectivities embody ide
ntities characterized by moral dispositions: some users exhibit disci
plined, health-promoting conduct, whereas others display compulsive d
ata routines that undermine well-being. Although IS research recogniz
es that personal data digitalization has normative implications, the
mechanisms by which self-governance practices morally form users into
distinct subjectivities remain theoretically underspecified. Drawing
on Vallor's virtue ethics, we model the recursive relationship betwe
en self-governance practices and moral dispositions, conceptualized a
s virtues and vices. Using this model, we analyze semi-structured int
erviews with 50 wearable users and identify three subjectivities, cha
racterized by distinct dispositional configurations: Devotee, Challen
ger, and Calibrator. We theorize three mechanisms that drive moral fo
rmation: transfusion (importing external dispositions), transposition
(cultivating new dispositions through device use), and transmutation
(oscillating between a virtuous disposition and its vices of deficie
ncy or excess). These mechanisms operate in a salience hierarchy (pri
mary, secondary, tertiary) that differs across each subjectivity, exp
laining why self-governance practices persist or change. Our study co
ntributes to IS research by showing how personal data digitalization
has normative ramifications through three distinct mechanisms, how it
co-constitutes subjectivities that embody morally laden identities,
and why similar devices produce divergent engagement patterns and wel
l-being outcomes. Practically, we propose interventions targeting eac
h mechanism that challenge the ideology of continuous improvement emb
edded in wearables and show when stepping back from self-improvement
better supports flourishing.
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