This article is from WeChat public account: china Youth Research (ID: china-youth-study) , author: Song Qingyu, Zhang Qin, from the topic map: Visual China
Abstract: With the development of science and technology, people can monitor their physical condition, manage and adjust their body at any time. With wearables, people rely on numbers to understand themselves and their bodies, showing a “physical data” trend. This article selects runner groups, observes and analyzes their use of wearable devices, analyzes how these devices enter people’s daily lives, what impact these wearable devices have on people’s lives, and explores the relationship between wearable devices and self and body relationship. This article finds that the emergence of wearable devices has made the body show a data-oriented tendency. In order to achieve improvements in physical data, young runners learn to use technological equipment to ultimately understand and manage their bodies and increase their physical capital. In addition, the youth group will display physical data through channels, social media and other channels to expand their social capital.
Keywords: wearable devices; physical management; data; human capital; social capital
I. Preface
In recent years, people have begun to pay attention to physical health and pursue a healthy lifestyle. Especially with the development of genetic engineering, plastic surgery, sports science and other technical means, people’s control of the body has reached an unprecedented level. [1] . Among them, sports have become the first choice for many people to manage the body because it is the least harmful to the body. More and more people are participating in sports and fitness, and there is a “exercise fever”. Another social background in which the “sports fever” is located is the rise of the digital society. Wearable devices such as sports watches and health-related mobile phone applications have developed rapidly, infiltrated into people’s daily lives, affecting people’s behavior, and affecting people’s management Body Practice [3] . According to the latest report released by market research agency IDC, global shipments of the wearable device market in 2019 are expected to exceed 222.9 million units. China’s wearable market is also developing rapidly, and its share in the global market continues to increase. In 2020, China’s wearable market will reach 76.74 billion yuan.
The development of wearable devices has met the needs of modern individuals, especially young people, to understand themselves accurately. [4] , through smart wearable devices According to various data, indicators and other digital content, people understand their physical conditions, daily life rules and behavior characteristics, etc., discover physical problems, adjust and change their behaviors, and ultimately achieve physical health “label =” Remarks “> [5] [6] [7] . Wearables have changed the way people look at their bodies. People are no longer based on personal feelings, but data and indicators. This is the “quantified self.”
“Quantified Self” is a concept proposed by Gary Wolf and Kevin Kelly of Wired Magazine in 2007, advocating that people understand themselves through numbers, and shape them into a kind of self-understanding and self-progress. Movement, “It has transformed into the lifestyle of ordinary people” [8] . In May 2011, the first global quantitative self-conference was held in California, USA. Subsequently, “quantified self” was accepted by more and more people, affecting more and more countries and regions. At the end of 2012, the “Quantitative Self” Conference held its first meeting in China.
The “quantified self” movement affects medical, sports, and education fields. Science and technology have never been as tightly integrated with the human body as now. Because these electronic devices continuously measure and record the behavior and state of the body, we can get data from more and more people in our daily lives. The “quantified self” movement and wearable devices have greatly changed people’s daily lives, especially the way people exercise. However, less attention has been paid to the use of wearable devices in China. [9] . Therefore, understanding how these wearable devices affect people’s behaviors can allow us to understand a new lifestyle, and even the impact of technological changes on the lives of individuals. This article wants to answer these questions: How can people use wearable devices to manage their bodies? What impact will this new lifestyle have on individuals?
II. Literature Review
Since modern society, the ability of humans to transform the world has continued to increase. The popularity of technology applications has gradually transformed the body from the subject that controls technology to the subject that is being transformed by technology. The Taylor system derived from the machine production process in the industrial society is based on the goal of maximizing the efficiency of the machine and counteracting the workers’ grinding behavior. >, In the name of “science” to reshape the physical behavior of workers during labor. If we call the above process passively being technologically transformed by the body, then the digital society after the application of information technology has generated people’s active embrace of technology to technologically transform their own social phenomena, especially around the world.Circumventing the needs of public health, people use the body as a plan and project. [11] There are three main ways to transform the body: body replacement, Physical expansion / improvement and community / political transformation [12] .
The involvement and influence of science and technology on the body is also increasing day by day, making the body present technical characteristics, especially the emergence of wearable devices. Technology is embedded in people’s physical practice. [13] [14] . Lupton ’s research on wearable devices and mobile phone applications has found that these technical devices can monitor, measure and represent the body, get detailed physical data, and share it with others. It is called “mobile medical” [15] . Because these devices can “automatically track”, users can detect changes in physical indicators, and then they can better manage their bodies and improve their physical condition, which is called “quantified self.” Some scholars call it “dataization” [18] , which translates personal life, including physiological, behavioral and local aspects into quantitative data Everything can be quantified. If you cannot measure your body effectively, you cannot improve your body. Therefore, the society and individuals tend to quantify everything.
The “dataization” of the body is not just a medical gaze, it is also a daily practice of what Foucault calls “monitoring society” [19 ] [20] [21] . Foucault’s “life power” concept has been widely used in sports and quantitative self research [22] [23] . The reason why researchers use the “life power” theory to study wearable devices is precisely because wearable devices and technologies allow users to visualize the structure and function of their bodies, promote users to live healthier lives, and manage their personal lives. Wearable devices not only monitor and record individuals ‘physiological indicators at any time, but also record individuals’ daily habits, rhythms, preferences and tendencies. With the popularity of wearable devices, personal self-examination of the bodyAnd self-responsibility has become a trend [24] . Physical health and image have become the moral indicators of individuals. Only by actively managing the body can an individual achieve a healthy body state. If an individual is unable to effectively implement physical self-management, the moral pressure and self-guilt produced will drive a person to constantly monitor himself and optimize his own body.
It is against this background that the “quantified self” movement and “exercise fever” have emerged. This is the product of the upgrading of the external discipline strategy in the “Panorama Surveillance Society”, both in terms of physical movements, and control of time and rhythm, reaching the point where it cannot be added [25] . Wearable devices and mobile phone applications can continuously monitor and record daily exercise, sleep quality, food intake and other data. The combination of body-technology-data has broken the boundaries between humans and machines. This phenomenon is called “Syborg” [26] [27] . This marks the further penetration of technology into the body. This new type of body form is the abstraction and reproduction of life experience data. Inevitably, data drives the self-construction of the individual, that is, the individual’s self-knowledge continues to grow, better manage the body, and feel that the self can control the body Satisfy. How individuals manage their own physical health has become a topic to be considered in many aspects of daily life, and strengthened individual responsibility [28] .
Because people believe in the accuracy of the data, they believe that it reflects their status more than they feel. [30 ] . In the process of physical management, individuals understand and balance the relationship between body and technology, and encourage individuals to understand the body and self through numbers in daily life., That is, forming a “technical habit” [31] [32] . Physical health is more than just physical health, it has become a way of life. Users of wearable devices will have a sense of self-monitoring, self-management satisfaction and honor [33] . Of course, to maintain the current self-identity and identity, individuals need to continue to manage and control their bodies through quantitative practice.
The development of social platforms has expanded the display platform for physical health. Individuals share personal data on social platforms to expand the recording and management of the body into the attention of the group. The attention of others increases the pressure on users to change their lifestyles. Imagine the community will urge individuals to review unhealthy behaviors in life. Continue self-monitoring [36] .
In order to answer these questions, this article selects runners as the research object and pays attention to their use of wearable devices and practice of physical management. The reason why the runner group is selected is that firstly, modern society’s running is to meet the needs of individuals to increase their physical capital. , The current trend, whether professional athletes or amateur runners are using wearable devices to help training, dataBecome a force to change and guide people’s behavior
III. Research Methods and Research Designs
The most common explanation for the technicalization of running sports is that running, especially ultra-long distance races such as marathons, often challenge physical limits and require runners to manage their bodies scientifically. [40] . Therefore, wearable devices such as running watches are essential for runners, and they need the support and assistance of these devices in daily training or formal competitions. As technology advances, more and more functions can be provided by wearable devices. Runners use these devices to organize and analyze the data generated to make them run faster and strengthen their running motivation. Wearables have become an integral part of runners’ self-narration and identification.
If the pursuit of faster performance is the only driving force for technicalization, then we should see that the technical level of those non-marathon runners is significantly weaker than that of marathon runners. However, in public data and actual research, we will find that running electronic devices and applications are often the same. In order to answer the above questions, this article interviewed a total of 17 runners, both runners with decades of running experience; and individuals who have just started running after the upsurge of running. Regardless of the running level, most of them use sports watches such as Jiaming or Songtuo. Among them, many people also use mobile apps such as Yuehuan. See the following table for details:
The content of the interview roughly includes the following parts: Basic information of runners (History and motivation of running, “First horse” completion situation, etc.) runners ’daily training and official competitions; injury history and their own coping styles; wearable equipment used by runners (sports watches, Running app, etc.) . In addition, this article will collect second-hand materials such as books and online materials published by runners, such as “You Can Run Faster: Key Running Data That Runners Should Understand”, “Running Guide” and other books on how to use them correctly Wearable devices better manage the body and improve training; WeChat public accounts such as 98 Run introduce scientific running training techniques and stopwatch use methods. This content guides runners to better arrange training and manage their bodies.
Fourth, data body and human capital
More and more young runners use wearable devices such as watches and sports apps. Not only can they understand the body through body data, understand subjective physical feelings, and accurately grasp their physical conditions; they can also use various body data as a Physical capital, in the study of human capital, health is an important type of capital [42] . Physical capital can be regarded as an important component of human capital.
1. “Quantification” of physical capital
In running sports, runners need to accurately record time and distance, for example, the generation of a stopwatch, accurate recording of running time, and the concept of a world record. This has brought a huge sensation and promoted running. Development of the movement. The time and distance of running becomes an important dimension for individual runners to show themselves. The popularity of smartphones has facilitated the recording of running trajectories, time and distance, etc. “As long as one is installed on a mobile phone, bring it with you when you run, and start the software, you can implement reminders, encouragement, recording, analysis, sharing and other functions “Among them, the more widely used mobile application APPs are Nike +, Yue running circle, Guru and so on. These smart applications make it easy to record body data, and the analytical functions applied allow individuals to learn more about their bodies and the effects of each run.
Many runners use professional watches with GPS chips. Running watches can not only record basic data such as pace, time, distance, etc., some models can also display the runner’s heart rate, maximum oxygen uptake, training effects and other functions; and provide uploading and analysis of running data, etc. Function, detailed statistics and analysis of each run [43] .
If you have some long-distance training, you still have to track your speed, heart rate, especially heart rate, because running is not very dangerous, but after all, long-distance running is very stressful . (Interview No. 1217001)
The development of wearable devices allows runners to understand their speed, heart rate, calories burned, and even detailed data such as maximum oxygen uptake and training effects. More and more physical data allows runners to recognize the body based on these objective data instead of physical feelings; the body is separated from the social background and reorganized and merged through different data streams. Indicators such as cadence are used to recognize the body. When physical perception and body data are inconsistent, people will eventually choose body data to judge their condition. The body becomesA kind of data exists, which is the data of the body.
Another important significance of physical data is the quantification of physical capital. It is the precision given by the data that makes it easy for people to integrate their experiences of each run into a comparable data set. As a result, individuals can easily determine whether they have “progressed” or “regressed” through the data, and which variable in the running process caused the change. The accuracy brought by data makes physical capital an “asset” that can be accumulated and calculated.
Runners believe that “using these modern tools, you can use your data to determine your strengths and weaknesses, and then you can adjust your future training direction more specifically.” Notes “> [44] . Most young runners pay attention to data such as pace and cadence. Because, these data reflect the strength of runners and their position in the running group. For example, it takes less than 3 hours and 30 minutes to complete the full marathon, which is the symbol of elite runners. Therefore, many runners set a goal of 3 hours and 30 minutes. An important signal for runners to know each other is the runner’s finish. Therefore, data such as pace has become an important factor in determining the individual’s position in the runner group, and has become an important component of the runner’s physical capital.
Of course, different runners have different goals. Not every runner targets 3 hours, 30 minutes, 3 hours or less; however, almost every young runner will pay attention to his data. Physical indicators such as maximum oxygen uptake show growth or improvement, which means not only good physical condition, but also means breaking through past self and achieving better self. The change in physical data is of great significance to individualistic youth. It not only means good health and increased human capital; more importantly, self-realization is a value practice of “live for yourself” -remarks “label =” Remarks [[45] .
2. Physical data and self-empowerment
The data generated by wearable devices increase individual human capital, which not only refers to the physical health of young runners, but also includes young people’s deeper understanding of the body and the ability to control their own bodies. With the accumulation of physical data, young runners have formed their own cognition of physical laws, and then improved their bodies more specifically, further improved their physical capabilities, and increased their human capital.
Running is a sport that requires professional knowledge. In the past, running sports often required the guidance of coaches or experienced runners, and they depended on professionals. However, with the help of wearable devices, young runners learn how to use wearable devices and learn about body and running. Wearable devices such as running watches are equivalent to “a small handheld computer”. If you do not understand the indicators and data correctly and make full use of the technical functions of the wearable device, you may incorrectly judge your physical condition and cannot effectively Managing the body can even cause injuries.
They spent a lot of time training, and they also bought a multi-function stopwatch … I don’t know much about “the meaning behind numbers”. Seeing the treasures that can improve the efficiency of training are near them, but I do n’t know how to use them. I always feel a pity.
With the accumulation of physical data and knowledge, more and more young runners’ use of wearable devices has changed from “very amateur” to “professional”. Individuals have gradually developed a way to recognize physical conditions based on various physical data, adjust physical behavior, and expect that the body and life meet scientific expectations. Finally, these runners can make their own training plans and reduce their reliance on authority such as coaches.
Most running enthusiasts may not be able to pay for coaches, but wearable devices that are becoming increasingly popular in modern times can play a supporting role. I think it is a tool to help runners recognize themselves [47] .
Running, especially long-distance running such as marathon, often breaks the physical limit. Without the professional guidance of coaches, the risk of injury is very high, which runs counter to people’s goal of pursuit of physical health and human capital. The advent of wearable devices has just fulfilled the desire of young people to increase their physical capital through running. The data provided by the wearable device not only reflects the physical state, but also shows what can be improved. All this provides the help of runners with professional knowledge.
I think this watch is necessary for a serious runner, because first it can monitor your heart rate. Like a watch, if the function is a little bit more, heart rate oxygen uptake, including your scientific training, how much space you have for future improvement, it will have some display, that is, if you control some of your own space, Some better grasp. (Interview Number: 1207001)
Wearables have changed the way people recognize and manage their bodies, which is based on various indicators and numbers of the body. The body in wearable device data is an objective body that accurately reflects changes in the body. The body data does not take into account the social background of the runner ’s identity, and only focuses on the runner ’s body, allowing the runner to communicate with Compare yourself in the past. This comparison of historical data allows individuals to recognize changes in their bodies. Without relying on professional authority such as coaches, ordinary individuals can formulate scientific running training plans and become a certainty of managing themselves. In this process of self-management, young runners can not only maintain physical health, but also achieve control of their own bodies. Individual autonomy has been greatly improved. This is a form of self-liberation and empowerment.
Fifth, data body and social capital
If the value of technology itself only points to the self-transcendence of runners, then the running movement we observe should be an individual “lonely” journey. But in the actual running interview, we also found the existence of “run group”, and a large number of runners are keen to share running experience and running data to different groups. Therefore, the data assets generated during the running process will also exist as a kind of social capital.
1.Tour group—the accumulation of social capital within the organization
Running group (running club) is a social place where runners interact with others, learn about running, and exercise [48] . As an informal organization, the regiment lacks mandatory binding force on members, but in order to operate normally, it also needs a control system [49] , the most important part of which is the punch card system that supervises the training of runners. Wearable devices provided important support for the supervision of the running group.
The check-in system is such that each member is required to complete at least ten kilometers per month. This is a minimum requirement. You can use these 10 kilometers once or multiple times, but the distance for each check-in must not be less than 3 kilometers. Then, there is also a requirement for pace. If the pace cannot exceed 10 minutes, it is equivalent to 1km. You must be within 10 minutes. You can walk or run. It is actually a very loose standard. (Interview No. 1122001)
Wearable devices ’pace, mileage and other data make it unnecessary for members of the running group to gather in time and space. As long as their running data is uploaded to the running group ’s WeChat group or mini program, the running group ’s supervision function for members Made it happen. Running team members upload their running data every day, which has become a daily ritual activity of the running team. Running data has become an important carrier for young runners to participate in running groups and a social capital for runners. As Putnam said, active participation in sports is an important social capital. [50] Running data can be enhanced as a cohesive social capital. Unity among the members of the running team.
Because after you get to the running group, everyone will count the running amount every month … I didn’t really have this concept before. I was very impressed. When I entered the running group, someone asked me How many times can you run in a month? I have never counted, never counted, even those numbers on the APP, I have never paid attention to the (Interview Number : 1218001) .
Many social relationships within the running organization are constructed from physical and running data. Indicators such as “time to complete”, “PB”, “pacing”, and “heart rate” have become common concerns for members of the running group. The attention and discussion of these data, Let individuals find a sense of belonging, Some people have not used wearable devices before. In order to communicate with everyone, they later bought wearable devices such as watches. Running data not only allows runners to find belonging, but also marks the individual’s position in the running organization. The running organization and its members will group members according to running data, which represents a person in the running organization or even the runner group.position.
It can be known from Table 1 that different data represent the running ability of an individual. A runner can roughly understand his own performance through the training level he can complete, which also determines his position in the organization. In particular, the members of Group A were basically regarded as “great gods” by others in the running group and became the focus of everyone’s attention. Therefore, many young people who join the running group will work hard to train and hope to continuously improve their abilities and become members of the faster group.
2. Extensible expression—various running experiences after data integration
Young runners will not only show their physical capital in organizations such as running groups, but also make more use of platforms such as the Internet and social media to show their running data and running experience in a wider range. In addition to the runners showing basic running data on their WeChat circle of friends, there are many young runners who will creatively use wearable devices to show the creativity of young people and the fun of running. First of all, many young runners combine running activities with meaningful events for individuals, collectives, etc., and give new meaning to running.
Share some feelings in the circle of friends … Sensitive to some numbers, want to play some number games … Run some numbers, run some birthdays, etc. It’s all the same. (Interview No .: 1218002)
Through running, individuals have the feeling of participating in the event, not only giving emotion and meaning to running, but also showing themselves running in the circle of friends. The young runners showed their uniqueness by showing themselves in important circles and other important events and dates such as birthdays and New Years through running. At the same time, they also showed their physical status and received social recognition and approval.
There are also some young runners who not only passively record their activities by wearable devices such as watches, they will actively use the watch’s recording function and creatively use them.data. For example, young runners consciously design their own running routes based on recording functions such as watches, and use their bodies as “brushes” to draw creative trajectories on the map. Young runners are good at operating electronic devices. They will pre-design some running routes on the device instead of boring about running data. There are famous running routes such as specific numbers or text, roses, little monsters and elephants. These running roadmaps add fun to running sports, letting people not only focus on changes in physical data, but also creative display. Developing new creative running routes has become one of the goals of some young runners. With the help of social media such as circle of friends and Weibo, these creative running routes have won more social praise for runners and increased the meaning of running for individuals.
This interesting meaning is that the running data and trajectory that were originally regarded as the expertise of a specific group are re-created after dataization and become public information that everyone can read. Running behavior has the ability to show to unspecified objects. By using these creative displays of wearable devices, young runners show that when people face physical data, they do not have any free space and can only follow the rule of data. Technology and data as an objective existence, individuals can exert their creativity and freedom from it.
Six conclusions and discussions
The development of science and technology is changing the social situation and achieving comprehensive monitoring of the entire society. It is in this social context that individuals can also monitor their lives and bodies in real time. With the help of wearable devices, people can understand the physical indicators in real time, analyze the physical condition, and the body exhibits indexed characteristics. This is concentrated in the quantitative self-movement. Although the Quantitative Self-Movement has just emerged in China, its impact is not great, but its potential impact can be seen in the future. Especially with the domestic socio-economic development, the importance of physical health to individuals is increasing; in addition, the domestic population death factor has gradually become lifestyle-relatedChronic factors. Therefore, maintaining an individual’s health is of great significance to both the individual and the country.
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