Smartphones have become ubiquitous commodities in our contemporary lives and essential to our daily experiences. With limited public transportation in the United States and dependence on cars, the combination of smartphones and driving raises important questions of safety. We discuss our collaboration with Chevrolet-GM in Detroit in product development and user experience research, namely beta-testing a mobile phone app that was developed by Chevrolet to eliminate texting while driving, thereby improving car and road safety. We illustrate that the heightened awareness of distracted driving to self and others created spaces for young adult drivers to demonstrate their moral personhood through the care of and for others in their individual use of the app and in their promotion of its use to family members and friends. The practical applications of this finding resulted in a successful app product and its launch campaign, which incorporated the emerging insights from this study.
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Winter 2023
Research Article|
November 17 2023
RESPONSIBLE DRIVING IN THE AGE OF SMARTPHONES: APPLIED RESEARCH FOR IMPROVING ROAD SAFETY IN THE MOTOR CITY
Yuson Jung;
Yuson Jung
Yuson Jung is Associate Professor of Anthropology at Wayne State University in Detroit, Michigan. Andrea Sankar is Professor of Anthropology at Wayne State University. They led a team of graduate students for this research. These student researcher co-authors include (in alphabetical order): Kaitlin Carter, Senior HF Researcher, Bold Insight (Chicago); Yen-Ting Chang, Experience Planning and Operations Manager, Klook (Taiwan); Bianca N. Dean, Independent Scholar (Detroit); Travis Kruso, Market Intelligence Specialist, PointClickCare (Chicago); Colleen Linn, Ph.D. candidate in Anthropology and Urban Sustainability, Wayne State University; Emily Lock, Research Manager, Planning Shop (Houston); Craig Meiners, Innovation Coach, General Mills (Minneapolis); Molly Sanford, Senior Insights Analyst, Escalent (Detroit); Haley Scott, Ph.D. candidate in Anthropology and Social Work, Wayne State University; Jasmine Walker, Lead Researcher, projekt202 (Dallas).
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Andrea Sankar;
Andrea Sankar
Yuson Jung is Associate Professor of Anthropology at Wayne State University in Detroit, Michigan. Andrea Sankar is Professor of Anthropology at Wayne State University. They led a team of graduate students for this research. These student researcher co-authors include (in alphabetical order): Kaitlin Carter, Senior HF Researcher, Bold Insight (Chicago); Yen-Ting Chang, Experience Planning and Operations Manager, Klook (Taiwan); Bianca N. Dean, Independent Scholar (Detroit); Travis Kruso, Market Intelligence Specialist, PointClickCare (Chicago); Colleen Linn, Ph.D. candidate in Anthropology and Urban Sustainability, Wayne State University; Emily Lock, Research Manager, Planning Shop (Houston); Craig Meiners, Innovation Coach, General Mills (Minneapolis); Molly Sanford, Senior Insights Analyst, Escalent (Detroit); Haley Scott, Ph.D. candidate in Anthropology and Social Work, Wayne State University; Jasmine Walker, Lead Researcher, projekt202 (Dallas).
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Kaitlin Carter;
Kaitlin Carter
Yuson Jung is Associate Professor of Anthropology at Wayne State University in Detroit, Michigan. Andrea Sankar is Professor of Anthropology at Wayne State University. They led a team of graduate students for this research. These student researcher co-authors include (in alphabetical order): Kaitlin Carter, Senior HF Researcher, Bold Insight (Chicago); Yen-Ting Chang, Experience Planning and Operations Manager, Klook (Taiwan); Bianca N. Dean, Independent Scholar (Detroit); Travis Kruso, Market Intelligence Specialist, PointClickCare (Chicago); Colleen Linn, Ph.D. candidate in Anthropology and Urban Sustainability, Wayne State University; Emily Lock, Research Manager, Planning Shop (Houston); Craig Meiners, Innovation Coach, General Mills (Minneapolis); Molly Sanford, Senior Insights Analyst, Escalent (Detroit); Haley Scott, Ph.D. candidate in Anthropology and Social Work, Wayne State University; Jasmine Walker, Lead Researcher, projekt202 (Dallas).
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Yen-Ting Chang;
Yen-Ting Chang
Yuson Jung is Associate Professor of Anthropology at Wayne State University in Detroit, Michigan. Andrea Sankar is Professor of Anthropology at Wayne State University. They led a team of graduate students for this research. These student researcher co-authors include (in alphabetical order): Kaitlin Carter, Senior HF Researcher, Bold Insight (Chicago); Yen-Ting Chang, Experience Planning and Operations Manager, Klook (Taiwan); Bianca N. Dean, Independent Scholar (Detroit); Travis Kruso, Market Intelligence Specialist, PointClickCare (Chicago); Colleen Linn, Ph.D. candidate in Anthropology and Urban Sustainability, Wayne State University; Emily Lock, Research Manager, Planning Shop (Houston); Craig Meiners, Innovation Coach, General Mills (Minneapolis); Molly Sanford, Senior Insights Analyst, Escalent (Detroit); Haley Scott, Ph.D. candidate in Anthropology and Social Work, Wayne State University; Jasmine Walker, Lead Researcher, projekt202 (Dallas).
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Bianca Dean;
Bianca Dean
Yuson Jung is Associate Professor of Anthropology at Wayne State University in Detroit, Michigan. Andrea Sankar is Professor of Anthropology at Wayne State University. They led a team of graduate students for this research. These student researcher co-authors include (in alphabetical order): Kaitlin Carter, Senior HF Researcher, Bold Insight (Chicago); Yen-Ting Chang, Experience Planning and Operations Manager, Klook (Taiwan); Bianca N. Dean, Independent Scholar (Detroit); Travis Kruso, Market Intelligence Specialist, PointClickCare (Chicago); Colleen Linn, Ph.D. candidate in Anthropology and Urban Sustainability, Wayne State University; Emily Lock, Research Manager, Planning Shop (Houston); Craig Meiners, Innovation Coach, General Mills (Minneapolis); Molly Sanford, Senior Insights Analyst, Escalent (Detroit); Haley Scott, Ph.D. candidate in Anthropology and Social Work, Wayne State University; Jasmine Walker, Lead Researcher, projekt202 (Dallas).
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Travis Kruso;
Travis Kruso
Yuson Jung is Associate Professor of Anthropology at Wayne State University in Detroit, Michigan. Andrea Sankar is Professor of Anthropology at Wayne State University. They led a team of graduate students for this research. These student researcher co-authors include (in alphabetical order): Kaitlin Carter, Senior HF Researcher, Bold Insight (Chicago); Yen-Ting Chang, Experience Planning and Operations Manager, Klook (Taiwan); Bianca N. Dean, Independent Scholar (Detroit); Travis Kruso, Market Intelligence Specialist, PointClickCare (Chicago); Colleen Linn, Ph.D. candidate in Anthropology and Urban Sustainability, Wayne State University; Emily Lock, Research Manager, Planning Shop (Houston); Craig Meiners, Innovation Coach, General Mills (Minneapolis); Molly Sanford, Senior Insights Analyst, Escalent (Detroit); Haley Scott, Ph.D. candidate in Anthropology and Social Work, Wayne State University; Jasmine Walker, Lead Researcher, projekt202 (Dallas).
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Colleen Linn;
Colleen Linn
Yuson Jung is Associate Professor of Anthropology at Wayne State University in Detroit, Michigan. Andrea Sankar is Professor of Anthropology at Wayne State University. They led a team of graduate students for this research. These student researcher co-authors include (in alphabetical order): Kaitlin Carter, Senior HF Researcher, Bold Insight (Chicago); Yen-Ting Chang, Experience Planning and Operations Manager, Klook (Taiwan); Bianca N. Dean, Independent Scholar (Detroit); Travis Kruso, Market Intelligence Specialist, PointClickCare (Chicago); Colleen Linn, Ph.D. candidate in Anthropology and Urban Sustainability, Wayne State University; Emily Lock, Research Manager, Planning Shop (Houston); Craig Meiners, Innovation Coach, General Mills (Minneapolis); Molly Sanford, Senior Insights Analyst, Escalent (Detroit); Haley Scott, Ph.D. candidate in Anthropology and Social Work, Wayne State University; Jasmine Walker, Lead Researcher, projekt202 (Dallas).
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Emily Lock;
Emily Lock
Yuson Jung is Associate Professor of Anthropology at Wayne State University in Detroit, Michigan. Andrea Sankar is Professor of Anthropology at Wayne State University. They led a team of graduate students for this research. These student researcher co-authors include (in alphabetical order): Kaitlin Carter, Senior HF Researcher, Bold Insight (Chicago); Yen-Ting Chang, Experience Planning and Operations Manager, Klook (Taiwan); Bianca N. Dean, Independent Scholar (Detroit); Travis Kruso, Market Intelligence Specialist, PointClickCare (Chicago); Colleen Linn, Ph.D. candidate in Anthropology and Urban Sustainability, Wayne State University; Emily Lock, Research Manager, Planning Shop (Houston); Craig Meiners, Innovation Coach, General Mills (Minneapolis); Molly Sanford, Senior Insights Analyst, Escalent (Detroit); Haley Scott, Ph.D. candidate in Anthropology and Social Work, Wayne State University; Jasmine Walker, Lead Researcher, projekt202 (Dallas).
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Craig Meiners;
Craig Meiners
Yuson Jung is Associate Professor of Anthropology at Wayne State University in Detroit, Michigan. Andrea Sankar is Professor of Anthropology at Wayne State University. They led a team of graduate students for this research. These student researcher co-authors include (in alphabetical order): Kaitlin Carter, Senior HF Researcher, Bold Insight (Chicago); Yen-Ting Chang, Experience Planning and Operations Manager, Klook (Taiwan); Bianca N. Dean, Independent Scholar (Detroit); Travis Kruso, Market Intelligence Specialist, PointClickCare (Chicago); Colleen Linn, Ph.D. candidate in Anthropology and Urban Sustainability, Wayne State University; Emily Lock, Research Manager, Planning Shop (Houston); Craig Meiners, Innovation Coach, General Mills (Minneapolis); Molly Sanford, Senior Insights Analyst, Escalent (Detroit); Haley Scott, Ph.D. candidate in Anthropology and Social Work, Wayne State University; Jasmine Walker, Lead Researcher, projekt202 (Dallas).
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Molly Sanford;
Molly Sanford
Yuson Jung is Associate Professor of Anthropology at Wayne State University in Detroit, Michigan. Andrea Sankar is Professor of Anthropology at Wayne State University. They led a team of graduate students for this research. These student researcher co-authors include (in alphabetical order): Kaitlin Carter, Senior HF Researcher, Bold Insight (Chicago); Yen-Ting Chang, Experience Planning and Operations Manager, Klook (Taiwan); Bianca N. Dean, Independent Scholar (Detroit); Travis Kruso, Market Intelligence Specialist, PointClickCare (Chicago); Colleen Linn, Ph.D. candidate in Anthropology and Urban Sustainability, Wayne State University; Emily Lock, Research Manager, Planning Shop (Houston); Craig Meiners, Innovation Coach, General Mills (Minneapolis); Molly Sanford, Senior Insights Analyst, Escalent (Detroit); Haley Scott, Ph.D. candidate in Anthropology and Social Work, Wayne State University; Jasmine Walker, Lead Researcher, projekt202 (Dallas).
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Haley Scott;
Haley Scott
Yuson Jung is Associate Professor of Anthropology at Wayne State University in Detroit, Michigan. Andrea Sankar is Professor of Anthropology at Wayne State University. They led a team of graduate students for this research. These student researcher co-authors include (in alphabetical order): Kaitlin Carter, Senior HF Researcher, Bold Insight (Chicago); Yen-Ting Chang, Experience Planning and Operations Manager, Klook (Taiwan); Bianca N. Dean, Independent Scholar (Detroit); Travis Kruso, Market Intelligence Specialist, PointClickCare (Chicago); Colleen Linn, Ph.D. candidate in Anthropology and Urban Sustainability, Wayne State University; Emily Lock, Research Manager, Planning Shop (Houston); Craig Meiners, Innovation Coach, General Mills (Minneapolis); Molly Sanford, Senior Insights Analyst, Escalent (Detroit); Haley Scott, Ph.D. candidate in Anthropology and Social Work, Wayne State University; Jasmine Walker, Lead Researcher, projekt202 (Dallas).
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Jasmine Walker
Jasmine Walker
Yuson Jung is Associate Professor of Anthropology at Wayne State University in Detroit, Michigan. Andrea Sankar is Professor of Anthropology at Wayne State University. They led a team of graduate students for this research. These student researcher co-authors include (in alphabetical order): Kaitlin Carter, Senior HF Researcher, Bold Insight (Chicago); Yen-Ting Chang, Experience Planning and Operations Manager, Klook (Taiwan); Bianca N. Dean, Independent Scholar (Detroit); Travis Kruso, Market Intelligence Specialist, PointClickCare (Chicago); Colleen Linn, Ph.D. candidate in Anthropology and Urban Sustainability, Wayne State University; Emily Lock, Research Manager, Planning Shop (Houston); Craig Meiners, Innovation Coach, General Mills (Minneapolis); Molly Sanford, Senior Insights Analyst, Escalent (Detroit); Haley Scott, Ph.D. candidate in Anthropology and Social Work, Wayne State University; Jasmine Walker, Lead Researcher, projekt202 (Dallas).
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Human Organization (2023) 82 (4): 382–393.
Citation
Yuson Jung, Andrea Sankar, Kaitlin Carter, Yen-Ting Chang, Bianca Dean, Travis Kruso, Colleen Linn, Emily Lock, Craig Meiners, Molly Sanford, Haley Scott, Jasmine Walker; RESPONSIBLE DRIVING IN THE AGE OF SMARTPHONES: APPLIED RESEARCH FOR IMPROVING ROAD SAFETY IN THE MOTOR CITY. Human Organization 1 December 2023; 82 (4): 382–393. doi: https://doi.org/10.17730/1938-3525-82.4.382
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