Papers by Ana Marta M. Flores
Beyond Words: Tapping the Potential of Digital Diaries While Exploring Young Adults’ Experiences on Apps
Societies, Mar 14, 2024
In the dynamic landscape of online interactions, this article explores the use of digital diaries... more In the dynamic landscape of online interactions, this article explores the use of digital diaries to unravel the intricacy of Portugal young adults' experiences within the realm of apps and their connection to gender dynamics. By designing a digital participatory research method, we were able to reflect on the participants' experiences in maintaining the requested diaries, scrutinize the major themes in the narratives generated through this approach, and examine how participants interacted with the prompts sent to them. Therefore, we delved into how participants both challenged and (re)negotiated these solicitations and how their agency led to an untapped reservoir of insights for the project in ways that went beyond words. There were visual and non-verbal elements that brought insights into young adults' interactions with mobile applications, offering a comprehensive exploration of four key themes: mobile apps as part of young adults' routines, between performance and authenticity, making the diaries their own, and elaborating on feelings. We also explored diary methods at the convergence of various disciplines and their high potential for contributing to topics related to gender, mental health, productivity, relationships, online identity management, apps in everyday life, intimacy, and more in creative ways.
O artigo foi produzido a partir do desenvolvimento de um projeto de extensao em comunicacao comun... more O artigo foi produzido a partir do desenvolvimento de um projeto de extensao em comunicacao comunitaria realizado em 2006, no Centro Universitario Franciscano. Nesse contexto, a cidadania e a educacao ambiental sao reflexos da nova forma de encarar a relacao homem-natureza. Problemas que envolvem o meio ambiente fazem-se presentes no dia a dia da sociedade. O Clube Amigos dos Animais e uma organizacao santa-mariense nao-governamental que visa a erradicacao de parasitas em caes e gatos de rua, prevencao de doencas e reeducacao da sociedade santa-mariense. Com a perspectiva de solidificar a cidadania e apresentar a comunidade as acoes do Clube Amigos dos Animais, o projeto de comunicacao comunitaria resultou na elaboracao de um guia, como um meio de comunicacao que cumpre a funcao de estabelecer vinculos entre a comunidade e seus publicos.
Estudos em Jornalismo e Mídia, Dec 28, 2021
Doutora e mestre em jornalismo (PPGJOR/ UFSC), pós-doutoranda na Universidade de Coimbra e pesqui... more Doutora e mestre em jornalismo (PPGJOR/ UFSC), pós-doutoranda na Universidade de Coimbra e pesquisadora integrada ao ICNOVA (iNOVA Media Lab/Universidade NOVA de Lisboa) e Nephi-Jor (UFSC/ Grupo Hipermídia e Linguagem/CNPq
methaodos - Revista De Ciencias Sociales, 2025
While digital media have become integral parts of young adults' everyday lives, it remains unclea... more While digital media have become integral parts of young adults' everyday lives, it remains unclear whether health-focused media, like health apps, hold the same importance. This study explores health app usage patterns among young adults in Portugal, analysing tracking data from 342 participants over 90 days. The main findings reveal that contrary to global trends, engagement with health apps remains relatively low. Although the COVID-19 pandemic led to increased adoption of certain public health-related apps, this surge did not translate into sustained engagement. Gender and regional disparities were the most evident, with women and young adults in Lisbon showing higher usage levels. Additionally, the study highlights that a portion of the health app usage is connected with the COVID-19 context, where those apps function more as tools for navigating institutional requirements-such as COVID-19 certifications-rather than for sustained self-care practices. Our findings challenge assumptions about the widespread adoption of health-tracking technologies and emphasise the need for further research on sociocultural factors shaping digital health engagement in Portugal and beyond.
Youth, Sep 21, 2023
Better theories and practices are constructed through a deep understanding of the subjects involv... more Better theories and practices are constructed through a deep understanding of the subjects involved. In Portugal, young adults aged 18 to 30 are a group sometimes left out because the Portuguese official statistical data does not treat this as an age category by itself, dividing it either into young people or the general idea of adults. Through a social constructivist quantitative approach, this article seeks to construct a profile of young adulthood in Portugal, both in socio-demographic terms and in terms of their relationship with media. An online survey was conducted on a representative sample of young Portuguese adults (18-30 years), guaranteeing a margin of error of ±2.53% at the 95% confidence level. Results reveal that 83.5% of young adults identify themselves as heterosexual, and 83.5% do not have children. The average age of respondents with children is 26 years old. Most young adults (63.5%) live with their parents or other adult relatives, and the vast majority (82.2%) of these parents or relatives with whom they live are employed and have primary or secondary education. Mobile phones (92.8%), laptop computers (84.1%), and TV with a box (78.5%) are the primary media to which the young people in the sample have access. The mobile phone stands out in particular, as 90.2% of those inquired revealed that they use it every day. Social media are identified as the most frequently consumed type of media content (81.1% every day). These findings strengthen the idea of the centrality of the mobile phone in daily lives, especially among young adults, as well as social media platforms. This research helps to understand that the young adult profile in Portugal presents themselves as heterosexual, has no children, lives with parents or other adult relatives, and uses a mobile phone daily, despite having other media available for its use.
Trend Studies: an approach for analyzing and managing culture
ModaPalavra e-periódico, 2018
The present paper intends to discuss the development and consolidation process of Trend Studies, ... more The present paper intends to discuss the development and consolidation process of Trend Studies, as a transversal area with transdisciplinary characteristics that was developed in connection with the concepts and practices of areas such as Cultural Studies. The numerous perspectives of Trend Studies and their different associations promoted a dispersed development that should be considered and deconstructed by means of finding common points and practices, or different perspectives, to generate a greater cohesion of concepts and methodologies. In this sense, it is important to present a model for the purpose of systematic identification and observation of trends. The result can generate a parallel process of cultural analysis capable of contributing to a basis for the generation of strategic solutions for institutional and social problems, in a new approach to culture management.
Societies, 2024
In the dynamic landscape of online interactions, this article explores the use of digital diaries... more In the dynamic landscape of online interactions, this article explores the use of digital diaries to unravel the intricacy of Portugal young adults' experiences within the realm of apps and their connection to gender dynamics. By designing a digital participatory research method, we were able to reflect on the participants' experiences in maintaining the requested diaries, scrutinize the major themes in the narratives generated through this approach, and examine how participants interacted with the prompts sent to them. Therefore, we delved into how participants both challenged and (re)negotiated these solicitations and how their agency led to an untapped reservoir of insights for the project in ways that went beyond words. There were visual and non-verbal elements that brought insights into young adults' interactions with mobile applications, offering a comprehensive exploration of four key themes: mobile apps as part of young adults' routines, between performance and authenticity, making the diaries their own, and elaborating on feelings. We also explored diary methods at the convergence of various disciplines and their high potential for contributing to topics related to gender, mental health, productivity, relationships, online identity management, apps in everyday life, intimacy, and more in creative ways.
Intergenerational Solidarity: Perceptions of Young Adults
Lecture Notes in Computer Science, 2023
Media & jornalismo, Dec 12, 2022
Resumo Considerando o grupo específico de jovens adultos(as) em Portugal, o artigo visa perceber ... more Resumo Considerando o grupo específico de jovens adultos(as) em Portugal, o artigo visa perceber se e de que forma as aplicações móveis interferem com as identidades de género e as práticas sexuais. A abordagem metodológica adotada é quantitativa, operacionalizada através de um inquérito por questionário a uma amostra representativa (N=1500) de jovens (18-30 anos). Os resultados indicam que a orientação sexual influencia os comportamentos relacionados com a intimidade e os imaginários das identidades sexuais e de género. Atendendo à forma como as aplicações móveis são incorporadas no quotidiano, constata-se a relevância do género com 66,2% dos(as) participantes a designarem o género nas aplicações e 37,9% a afirmarem que este é a representação da sua identidade. Os resultados mostram ainda que 19,2% dos(as) inquiridos(as) mencionam que não há opção para o género com que se identificam, pelo que é possível inferir que as interfaces digitais podem limitar ou impor imaginários normativos. Palavras-chave identidades de género e sexualidades, culturas digitais, aplicações móveis, mediação digital Abstract Considering the specific group of young adults in Portugal, the article aims to understand if and how mobile applications interfere with gender identities and sexual practices. The methodological approach adopted is quantitative, operationalised through a questionnaire survey of a representative sample (N=1500) of young people (18-30 years old). The results indicate that sexual orientation influences behaviours related to intimacy and imaginaries of sexual and gender identities. Regarding the way in which mobile applications are incorporated into daily life, the relevance of gender is observed with 66.2% of the participants designating gender in the applications and 37.9% affirming that this is the representation of their identity. The results also show that 19.2% of those interviewed mention that there is no option for the gender they identify with, so it is possible to infer that digital interfaces may limit or impose normative imaginaries.
Routledge eBooks, May 25, 2023
The ageing trend in Europe has been intensifying over the last two decades. The way people age is... more The ageing trend in Europe has been intensifying over the last two decades. The way people age is exceptionally heterogeneous, diverse and full of various asymmetries, as reported, for example, by Fernández-Ballesteros et al. (1999), Fonseca (2005), Mair (2013) or Amaral et al. (2021). Studies have shown that the diversity of personal experiences and socio-cultural complexity influence the ageing process (Daniel et al., 2015). Homogeneous representations of the ageing process assume that older people are identical to the age criterion, which blurs the heterogeneity that characterises the ageing process. Furthermore, this homogenisation usually happens from retirement onwards, considering several age groups in one single category (Amaral et al., 2018). These assumptions contribute to ageism that is validated and legitimised by political and media representations (Robinson et al., 2008). The generalisation of the ageing process is a fallacy demonstrated by critical scholars (Cabral et al., 2013; Paúl, 2005), which provide evidence that social, cultural, and economic differences are set aside due to this homogenisation of various social groups at various levels. There are ethnic, age, gender and socioeconomic disparities that contribute to the diversity of the ageing experience (Daniel et al., 2012). Furthermore, feminist scholarship contends that intersecting systems of oppression (Edström, 2018) are conditioning people's lives from an intersectional perspective. People should be understood according to their, among other things, gender, race and class (Crenshaw, 2017) and as individually different. The World Health Organization (WHO) (2002) forecasts multiple factors that influence the ageing process and are decisive and pervasive to people. According to the WHO (2002), the ageing process is determined by personal dynamics, behavioural aspects, gender, race and class issues, habits and culture, health systems and social services, social and political environment and economic variables. Although the ageing of the population is one of the issues of our times and one of the main challenges societies face, media and social representations tend to mirror public policies of the older population as a homogeneous group. This chapter is grounded on a triple understanding on the ageing population, intersectionality, and the Internet's role as a mediating technology for quality of life and autonomy. We depart from an understanding of social
Revista Observatório, 2021
Identifying, characterizing and critically reflecting on the innovative processes of communicatio... more Identifying, characterizing and critically reflecting on the innovative processes of communication, media and journalism are central points of this thematic edition of Revista Observatório. The dossier presents four papers that explore the scenarios in Brazil and Colombia, highlighting innovations in the practical, academic, social and economic fields, where new forms of learning mediated by technologies, the creation of new business models and the transmedia expansion of content, products, or services for multiplatform environments are discussed. Furthermore, the health crisis emerges as an atypical context and a backdrop for some of the proposed reflections.
Revista Observatório, Oct 1, 2021
Identifying, characterizing and critically reflecting on the innovative processes of communicatio... more Identifying, characterizing and critically reflecting on the innovative processes of communication, media and journalism are central points of this thematic edition of Revista Observatório. The dossier presents four papers that explore the scenarios in Brazil and Colombia, highlighting innovations in the practical, academic, social and economic fields, where new forms of learning mediated by technologies, the creation of new business models and the transmedia expansion of content, products, or services for multiplatform environments are discussed. Furthermore, the health crisis emerges as an atypical context and a backdrop for some of the proposed reflections.
Scripted Gender Practices: Young Adults’ Social Media App Uses in Portugal
Social Media + Society
This research focuses on social media mobile applications as mediated interfaces of identity perf... more This research focuses on social media mobile applications as mediated interfaces of identity performances and interrogates to what extent everyday young adults’ uses are remaking gender scripts. We analyze young adults’ self-reported experiences on preferred social media apps and discourses of rejection of others, the technologies themselves, and how they favor certain behaviors. Theoretically, we resorted to feminist media studies and critical app research, focusing on users’ perceptions of their engagement with mobile technology. Empirically, we turned to semi-structured interviews with female and male young adults aged between 18 and 30 years. Results show limited agency to reshape normative gender scripts embedded in apps’ technological affordances and broad hegemonic discourses. We discuss these results and how they mirror normative gender expectations, recalling the impacts of contingent social formations in reproducing inequality.
What are data sprints for?
The data sprint approach enables various objectives for the digital methods community, from foste... more The data sprint approach enables various objectives for the digital methods community, from fostering interdisciplinary collaboration to providing teaching-learning spaces regarding creative methods. However, data sprints' purpose, advantages and concrete results are still little known across disciplines. Thus, this paper presents four facets pertaining to and deriving from data sprints to explain their prospects for different (non-) academic communities. First, we define the data sprint approach, providing a detailed description of what data sprints are and what they involve in practice and, in turn, propose guidance to facilitate the replicability of this work method. Second, we elucidate how data sprints are (1) a means of teaching and learning digital methods research, arguing that the data sprint environment is not only (2) a space for methods and tools creation but also (3) a reflective tool to understand the triad of data-, software-and platform-oriented research (from the standpoint of practice). Therefore, data sprints offer researchers situational ways to access and critique scientific knowledge production. Finally, we address a standard post-sprint procedure, (4) the reutilisation of data sprint reports for producing scientific knowledge, through academic and nonacademic publications, as an established research practice. The four facets unpack the data sprint approach for a broader audience whilst indicating the possible takeaways during and after such events. We conclude with reflections from and on data sprints.
Intergenerational Digitally Mediated Relationships: How Portuguese Young Adults Interact with Family Members Over 65+
Lecture Notes in Computer Science, 2022
Considering the issue of population ageing, its differences and inequalities, also in a pandemic ... more Considering the issue of population ageing, its differences and inequalities, also in a pandemic context, this paper aims to explore intergenerational digital mediation relations and practises in Portugal. Therefore, this research departs from the following questions: (RQ1): How do Portuguese young adults interact online with family members over 65+?; (RQ2): Do digital relationships across generations promote active citizenship participation? The survey has a representative sample (N = 1500) of the Portuguese population of young adults between 18 and 30 years old. Results show that the most frequent activities to interact with relatives over 65 years old are a) sending messages through mobile apps (48.67%); b) using social media (48.66%); c) making audio calls with them via mobile apps such as WhatsApp or Messenger (46.45%) and d) encouraging them to look for reliable information on the Internet (44%). The study's main conclusion is that the Portuguese context suggests intergenerational solidarity associated with technologies helps combat social isolation, promote autonomy, and prevent dependence within older generations.
MEDIA&JORNALISMO , 2022
Considering the specific group of young adults in Portugal, the article aims to understand if and... more Considering the specific group of young adults in Portugal, the article aims to understand if and how mobile applications interfere with gender identities and sexual practices. The methodological approach adopted is quantitative, operationalised through a questionnaire survey of a representative sample (N=1500) of young people (18-30 years old). The results indicate that sexual orientation influences behaviours related to intimacy and imaginaries of sexual and gender identities. Regarding the way in which mobile applications are incorporated into daily life, the relevance of gender is observed with 66.2% of the participants designating gender in the applications and 37.9% affirming that this is the representation of their identity. The results also show that 19.2% of those interviewed mention that there is no option for the gender they identify with, so it is possible to infer that digital interfaces may limit or impose normative imaginaries.
Artificial Intelligence and Journalism: Emerging Topics (2015-2020)
Social Science Research Network, May 31, 2021
Os Editores De Moda em Revista: Um Estudo De Caso Sobre Offsite Erika Palomino Ea Revista Elle1
intercom.org.br
Page 1. Intercom Sociedade Brasileira de Estudos Interdisciplinares da Comunicação X Congresso ... more Page 1. Intercom Sociedade Brasileira de Estudos Interdisciplinares da Comunicação X Congresso de Ciências da Comunicação na Região Sul Blumenau 28 a 30 de maio de 2009 1 Os editores de moda em revista: um ...
Brazilian journalism research
RESUMO - As plataformas sociais são ambientes priorizados por governos populistas em todo o mundo... more RESUMO - As plataformas sociais são ambientes priorizados por governos populistas em todo o mundo e configuram espaços de troca de informação sem mediação jornalística. Invalidar a imprensa é uma estratégia de ação cada vez mais evidente de vozes políticas: um sinal de alerta de violência contra jornalistas, amplificada durante a pandemia de Covid-19. Jair Bolsonaro é um dos exemplos mais contundentes no espectro nacional e este artigo pretende compreender a frequência e tipos de ataque à imprensa presentes nos vídeos publicados pelo canal do presidente brasileiro no YouTube. Para tal, reúne-se uma metodologia híbrida com análise de conteúdo e métodos digitais. O recorte temporal abrange os 100 primeiros dias de crise – de 26 de fevereiro a 4 de junho de 2020. Os resultados apontam que a imprensa é citada em 36% do conteúdo. Destes, 40% representam críticas, 28% ataques verbais e 26% descredibilização. ABSTRACT - Social platforms are environments prioritized by populist government...
Intercom: Revista Brasileira de Ciências da Comunicação, 2017
Resumo O artigo faz uma reflexão sobre a inovação no webjornalismo, com enfoque especial nos cont... more Resumo O artigo faz uma reflexão sobre a inovação no webjornalismo, com enfoque especial nos conteúdos expressivos e narrativas. Sob esta perspectiva, verifica-se que características como o texto longform, o uso renovador do áudio e conteúdos imersivos, como representações gráficas ou imagéticas em terceira dimensão e, mais recentemente, em realidade virtual (VR), têm se destacado nesse tipo de produto noticioso pelo menos, desde 2012. O trabalho apresenta, ainda, um breve estado da arte de produtos selecionados e media labs existentes em algumas organizações jornalísticas de referência. Com isso, discute-se o conceito de inovação à luz de autores dedicados ao tema, em uma revisão bibliográfica, complementada por descrições de iniciativas como media labs em algumas redações online, e análise de exemplos de narrativas que consideramos inovadoras no webjornalismo.
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Papers by Ana Marta M. Flores