User Autonomy
The main strand of my research addresses user autonomy in technology use
Experiences of agency and autonomy are central to our enjoyment, effective behaviour and well-being. However these experiences are not always easy to understand. They gather “big”, lasting issues such as identity, chosing our path in life, and the ability to act for ourselves, but also “smaller”, alongside more passing experiences such as a sense of power and control in a game, or choice and self-expression in a social media feed.
How do these various aspects of agency and autonomy interconnect? Which aspects really matter? Can the passing experiences influence the more lasting experiences? Can even people exploit our need for immediate feelings of autonomy in ways that undermine our autonomy in more enduring ways?
I apply perspectives from philosophy and psychology to disentangle the various aspects of user autonomy and understand how technologies can support users in the ways that matter. I investigate how technologies can help users develop behaviours and competencies they personally value, understand and pursue their own goals, and navigate the “ultra-processed environments” of the attention economy.
Papers
How does HCI Understand Human Agency and Autonomy?.
Beyond Intrinsic Motivation: The Role of Autonomous Motivation in User Experience
Autonomous Regulation of Social Media Use: Implications for Self-Control, Well-Being and UX
“I’m the leader and I’m going to save the world”: Characterizing Empowering and Disempowering Game Experiences
Jank Accounts: We Should Study “Broken” Games