JMIR Publications

ABSTRACT

Background:

The growing individualization within the last decades has been described as a fundamental shift in society. Studies have reported, how the digital age promotes new forms of individualism with self-tracking technologies and self-presentation in social networks as prominent examples. The questions, how different generations experience the challenges and possibilities of the internet and social media, and if this leads to an increased self-relatedness have not yet been investigated.

Objective:

The aim of the present study was to ask whether the use of the internet and social media have led people today to be more concerned about themselves than former generations.

Methods:

A focus group approach was chosen to ask people of the age groups Baby Boomers (1950-1965), Generation X (1966-1980) and Digital Natives (1981-2000). We organized six focus groups with 36 participants who discussed about their private usage of the internet and social media, different devices, platforms and functions, communication behavior and self-tracking. We applied inductive category formation and followed the reporting standards of the SRQR checklist.

Results:

We found differences in the three generations regarding the reasons of their use of the internet and social media, the effects of this use, personal feelings and experiences, expressions of self-relatedness, and social relationships. The Baby Boomers expressed self-relatedness by voicing the wish to stay autonomous and not to follow all latest internet trends. The Generation X included enthusiastic members who appreciate the possibilities of self-tracking for reasons of curiosity and fascination, but also people, who felt fears about data surveillance. The Digital Natives reported to make use of self-tracking with the explicit aim to optimize the own body. As well they expressed to be faced with norms and expectations that were communicated via the internet and social media.

Conclusions:

All generations expressed self-relatedness, yet by different means. People of the two younger generations discussed issues of individualization like self-tracking and self-optimization. Especially the Digital Natives felt a high pressure of expectations via social media and were faced with social comparisons. It remains unclear if this is a sign or a precondition of individualization. However, it may promote mental distress and needs further investigation. Clinical Trial: This study is registered by the DRKS with the following ID: DRKS00014815.