[researcher][0:00] This is an interview following our two week study period for our paper and research into the uses of Instagram and the related mobile app of particular people, with me now is a participant in the study. He's just finished the two week logging period and is now here to have an interview and talk about some of the questions, thoughts and feelings around the study. Just so you are aware this interview is being recorded as was set out in the consent form. If you have any issues with that, then please do let us know also. You're also reminded you're welcome to not answer any question at any point if any of them do make you uncomfortable.
[researcher][0:34] Okay, so to begin, could you tell me about sort of the main hobbies and activities you do in your day to day life.
[participant][0:42] So apart from school, I'm also a professional waterpolo player. So I have three to four trainings per week in Mechelen, which is another city outside of Brussels. And also, most of time, have a game every Saturday night. I also go to the gym in the mornings, most of the time, to train myself. So I think sport is the only hobby like I have, except for school and stuff.
[researcher][1:07] Do you find that you have any sort of interaction with your apps, like your mobile banking app or Instagram, during these periods? Do they interfere at all? Do they support it?
[participant][1:18] I think the only relationship is the transportation while going to the training or coming back. Because, for example, I take public transportation to somewhere in Brussels for my teammates to take me by car to Mechelen, and they drive me for thirty or forty minutes. And sometimes they speak French in the car, so I don't understand anything. So I get bored, and I open my phone to look at the apps, either Instagram or like some other apps. And also with the gym, I take the metro, like the public transportation. So also there, I might have used my Instagram to just look at some stuff.
[researcher][2:06] Before starting this two week logbook period, how would you describe your typical interactions with Instagram and your mobile banking app?
[participant][2:13] With my banking app, I think it's just day to day, checking my balance and paying for stuff, receiving money, so it's just a regular thing that I have had for all of my life. And with Instagram, I'm not that much of an Instagram user, so I don't think I have high numbers of Instagram usage. I'm mostly off the social media, I don't have any photos, I don't share anything, I don't follow people, and I don't like celebrities posts, so it's fine.
[researcher][2:46] So, you've said that you're not a huge user of social media, but have you ever felt like maybe your use on either app, including your mobile banking app, has ever been sort of too much and that's caused you to then set any screen time limits or put any sort of warnings or measures in place to try and limit your usage of either app?
[participant][3:04] No, I have never used the screen time limits in my life. I don't think I use the apps in my phone that much.
[researcher][3:08] Okay, so you just haven't felt the need to, it's not like its been a problem.
[participant][3:11] No, never felt the need.
[researcher][3:13] Okay, and as you were looking and thinking a lot more about your usage over this logbook period, how would you describe any patterns you might have noticed?
[participant][3:29] I noticed that at night, when I'm bored in my bed and watching a series or something, and it's not really engaging. I open my Instagram, to check it out in the background, and just do nothing. And then I feel guilty afterwards, because it's just useless, then I close it. That's a pattern that I noticed. The other pattern that I noticed is that I use the banking app a lot more than I thought I did, because I just open it and look at my balance, because I'm just curious, and I just want to check it out. Like, what's there? What's not there?
[researcher][4:13] So you mentioned there about how much you thought you used it. Out of interest, how much do you reckon you averaged a day, on either app?
[participant][4:18] I think with Instagram, it should be around fifteen to twenty minutes. I will estimate, seventeen/eighteen, not twenty, not fifteen. And with the banking app, it should be around ten to fifteen, but I think I open it a lot and I close it a lot, so it should be one to three minute, but I think I close it lot, so it should be around one minute, two minute periods
[researcher][4:41] Okay, and do you think that varied at all throughout the week, so on particular days you used it more per day, or less per day?
[participant][4:52] With my banking app, I think I use it more on weekdays, because I go out with my friends, to eat outside at restaurants in between classes. So I think I use my banking app more on weekdays. And I think with Instagram, I use it more on weekends, but not particularly, I'm not sure. For time, I think the banking app, mostly in the mornings, and Instagram, mostly at night.
[researcher][5:21] Okay, and do you think, over this period, your usage was higher than average? Lower than average? Or where you would expect it to be, compared to normal?
[participant][5:32] My average, or the human average?
[researcher][5:33] No, in terms of how you felt you have used the apps over this time period, do you feel it was more than you would usually use them, or less than you would usually use them? Or of around average?
[participant][5:45] I think it should be around the average that I use it
[researcher][5:46] Okay, and across the two week periods, what typically prompted you to open Instagram, and likewise with your banking app?
[participant][5:53] With Instagram, its what I already told you, it's being bored and finding nothing to do, or when a series or like movie is boring, so I open instagram in the background, and also when I'm in the metro on public transport. With my banking app, to see if i've recieved money from my friends after the restaurant, or if I need to pay my rent or a bill. But most of my bills are automatic except for my rent. It's mostly out of curiosity.
[researcher][6:28] Okay, and actually bringing the two apps together, was there a time where you noticed you would go directly from Instagram to your banking app or vice versa?
[participant][6:37] No, I didn't notice a direct switch from one app to another, if there is that I would be surprised.
[researcher][6:43] Okay, and were there particular times the day, each day, where you would use it more or less?
[participant][6:52] I think with Instagram, it's at night, because there's nothing to do in my home, so I open it out of boredom, and with the banking app, it's in the day, or most of the times that I'm out with my friends eating.
[researcher][7:05] Okay, and did you notice any changes to your emotional state? How you were feeling before you opened the app, during the app use, and then any feelings you might have had afterwards?
[participant][7:17] I actually have a specific example, with my banking app in the last two days, I have felt really bad when I looked at my balance, because I have spent a lot of money in the last few days. So the banking app, it's not felt good when i've looked at the balance. And with Instagram, it's most time it's if I'm getting bored, I open the app to get entertained and then closing it, or I'm getting bored so open the app, but am still bored, then feeling guilty about using Instagram then closing it. So those are emotional behaviors I noticed for myself.
[researcher][8:03] Interesting, thank you for sharing that. Earlier, I asked you the question about how long you estimated your usage to be. And you said, for Instagram, maybe somewhere between fifteen and twenty minutes a day, and your mobile banking up a little less, at around ten to fifteen. So as you know, we collected your screen time data during the study, and you actually averaged about thirty-five minutes a day on Instagram and around twenty-five minutes on your banking app.
[researcher][8:25] Knowing the actual data, how do you feel about the comparison between what you estimated versus what it actually is?
[participant][8:32] Well, I estimated it less than I actually used. Maybe with the banking app, it's still one to three minutes usage, but I use it a lot. And with Instagram, maybe I forgot the time that had passed. So it felt like fifteen minutes, but it was actually twenty/twenty-five minutes every time I used it.
[researcher][8:58] And obviously, this study will have brought to the forefront of your mind, your usage. But now, having not only the data, but having to answer these logbook questions every time you were using the app, do you feel it's going to influence your perspectives and your behaviors to do with these apps, and also your wider usage on your phone following this study?
[participant][9:16] I think so. I think, even though I thought I used Instagram for only fifteen minutes, it's actually firty-five minutes, so it shows me how addicive it is, that I forget the time usage while just scrolling down. So that's the thing I should consider. And with banking up, I shouldn't open it that much. I shouldn't be like concerning about my balance all the time. That's not a good thing to do, maybe I should lower the numbers overall.
[researcher][9:44] Okay, so last question. Obviously, I've asked quite a few today, and you've also had to answer quite a few as well during the during the log book collection period. But has there been anything you've noticed during the course of this study that's not been asked in any of these questions?
[participant][9:59] No not exactly, I think everything was answered. I don't have anything else to share.
[researcher][10:04] Okay great, well thank you so much for participating in the study.