Sociology
Project: Values, Culture, and Health Information: Understanding the Adoption and Transformation of mHealth Technologies
Supervisors: Thomas Heinze
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 and cultural orientations shape the adoption and use of mHealth technologies in a cross-cultural comparison. It addresses an important gap in sociological research by combining individual-level values, cultural influences, and institutional factors. By using experimental online surveys, the proposed project tries to explain whether DHTs displace or layer upon existing health technologies, 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
