Sociology
Project: “From Supplement to Substitute?” Personal Values and the Use of Digital Health Behavior Change Interventions
Supervisors: Thomas Heinze, Anna Sieben
Contact
pelzer@uni-wuppertal.de
+49-202-439-5822
Glanzstoffhaus
Kasinostraße 19–21
42103 Wuppertal
6th Floor, Room 21
Project Summary
Digital Health Technologies are transforming health systems and health-related behavior by offering new forms of engagement. Drawing on the theoretical frameworks of Historical Institutionalism and Schwartz’s theory of basic human values, the proposed project investigates how personal values shape the adoption and use of Digital Health Behavior Change Interventions (DHBCI) in a cross-cultural comparison. It addresses an important gap in sociological research by explaining shifting use patterns of such technologies and its consequences. By using experimental online surveys, the proposed project tries to explain whether DHBCIs displace or layer upon existing health intervention, and how values can influence user engagement. The project aims to contribute to the interdisciplinary understanding of digital transformations in health-related behavior.
Short Biography
- Since 2025: Ph.D. candidate in Sociology of Science, Bergische Universität Wuppertal
- 2021–2025: MA in Sociology, Bergische Universität Wuppertal
- 2016–2021: BA in Sociology, Bergische Universität Wuppertal
