We are being observed in unexpected places.
For example our identity, activity and behaviour. Those systems are aware of
the environment: other devices, lightning or location. Thanks to these context-aware systems, computers know
more about what’s happening in our environment and in us than we know.
Quantifying-self is one example of context aware systems. Nowadays activity watches are
quite popular and easy way to track
and logg your personal data e.g.
heart rate. There’re claimed to be lost of benefits using this little device
that measure your every heartbeat.
It’s surprising how effective those tiny dots
on the screen can be in the emotional level (pic 1). More dots means high
activity and more happiness. Less dots, more bad feelings about lack of activity.
It also vibrates when you’re been sitting too long – annoying interruption!
But those much talked positive outcomes are
related to achieving goals and plans, like marathon or weight loss. So no goals
mean no results and no positive feedback. But maybe the goal should be
something else than getting a full circle of dots?
Quantifying-self can also improve self-knowledge! Emmi has her own
experience on that: What I’ve learned
using the watch? Well, I sit too much. But I also kind of know what’s enough
movement for one day. And the most important: it’s good to breath during the
exercise!
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Pic 1 –
Those tiny little dots! Not even close yet. (Putkonen, E.)
|
Also nice thing is that through the app, the context information is in a easily
understandable visual form in front of your eyes. At least what the numbers
say, but not necessarily what it means. That’s a whole different story.
It’s good to remember that not all monitoring
is done by us to ourselves. There’re lots of technologies to monitor other people.
It can be a positive thing, like employers watching what their employees are
doing. And effectivity is a good thing, isn’t it.
This monitoring system is called Computer Performance Monitoring (CPM).
It can actually increase the work performance because of the feeling of being
evaluated. The thing behind this phenomenon is called social facilitation or audience effect which describes "an improvement in
performance produced by the mere presence of others". So we do better job
when we know someone’s watching us.
And here come the party pooper: CPM and the
positive feedback given from it only improves the short term performance. So
it’s not necessarily the best way to motivate employees. It’s crucial to
consider the feedback given to the employees and the downsides of CPM. The
climate of monitoring at the workplaces can cause negative feelings such as
stress, lack of control and social isolation. In the long run those feeling may
affect negatively to employees and their performance.
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| Pic 2 – Ever feeling like somebody’s watching you? (Mascaro, M.) |
What do you think – is monitoring a good thing
or a threat to the mankind? Do you quantify yourself?
Sources:
About Quantified-Self
Frequently Monitoring Progress Toward Goals
Increases Chance of Success
Computer Monitoring in the Workplace:
Performance Effects and Perceptions
Social Facilitation
Additional
information:
Find the joy of running | Polar M200 GPS
Running Watch
As an amateur runner, I use Runtastic, that is connected to my cellphone health app which monitored the steps I make every day, My goal (5000 steps per day).
ReplyDeleteMy personal opinion about how this Quantifying-self is affecting me psychologically is that, depends. If my results are better than before I feel great. When for example I make 10k faster than last week, I immediately feel awesome but if the opposite my whole run experience is negative because I felt bad of not doing as good as before, especially if I don't know why.
In conclusion, I think we, as humans are still very vulnerable, we are easy to influence and somehow these apps could make some kind of damage, putting us more stress that is necessary instead of helping us to feel better.
Valentina Ramírez
I have read from somewhere (no source sorry!) that competitive or pressuring situations make the performance worse in tasks that require innovation and creativity. I believe that CPM is a system that would infact worsen those employees' efficiency even in short term. I also think that what is very mundane and automated to someone else might be very demanding and requiring creativity for someone else, like programming for example. For these reasons I think that monitoring systems have to be used very sparingly in work environment and maybe trust your employees more.
ReplyDeleteMonitoring myself is a whole another subject, especially monitoring health-related issues like activity, heart rate etc. This can provide valuable help to spot health issues early and remind people to be healthy.
This is a nice post ! I never used quantifying self devices because don't feel like I need it. It gives obvious information. I don't need to buy a special watch to tell me that sit too much or that I must exercise more. That's things we are supposed to know by listening to our body. We know when we are sad, we know when we are stressed ! Yet, your blog made me think of it and maybe those can be useful sometimes.
ReplyDeleteAbout the CPM, I think this is a really bas idea. As you said, it can cause stress which decrease work perfomances. Plus, people may feel unwell being observed. Overall, people shoud work because they want to and not because they are monitored. It is a better motivation.
Jeanne Raynaud
Interesting post.
ReplyDeleteI've noticed a trend of having heart rate and step monitors lately at my workplace. When I asked a few how did it change their lives, they told me that now they know how many steps they make in a day and what their heart rate was (I'm a programmer, so these kind of answers are expected). When I asked them about what did they change about their habits, many responded nothing. So it would seem, that people might want to subject themselves for being monitored only for the sense of being ok. The watch might as well say "you're all right!" and it would seem to bring same-ish effect.
As for the CPM, I don't think that it is a good idea. There are field and jobs where CPM not only viable, but mandatory, but from the perspective of the employees, it is never considered good. While the feeling of being observed might incline for boosting performance at first, the feeling wears off quickly and leaves a sour aftertaste. Implying CPMs might be considered as a sign of distrust: the employer does not trust an employee to do their job. Not a great thing to imply, right?
However, it could be turned around if the employer was using CPM to monitor the well being of an employee and giving them (for example) extra days off or longer breaks if they seem to be under-performing. I'm yet to encounter such an employer :)
- Ivan Dubrovin
Nice post! I have been using activity watch for a few months now. At first I noticed, that I tried to actively reach my 10k steps goal and I enjoyed it very much. It gave me a reason to walk longer distances. After a while the novelty wore out. Now I use it more as a smart watch than as an activity tracker. Although, I do enjoy the data that it is collecting. I just don't monitor it as closely as before.
ReplyDeleteI don't have personal experience about the CPM, but I would imagine it having the effect that you described. At first there might be a fear, that the employer gets to know all the little "breaks" that you are not actively working. After a while, the fear wears out and, what is left, is just employees' feeling resentful against stalking employers.