ABSTRACT

This paper illuminates the role of activity theory in addressing theoretical and practical challenges raised by the growing role of digital technology in human activity. We explore and review the role of activity theory in the study of crucial digital technologies such as social media, smartphones, blockchain, artificial intelligence, and algorithmic decision-making, considering the unique ways that activity theory accommodates such technologies and can generate novel insights. We identify several apparent limitations of activity theory with an eye toward promoting its development and ability to incorporate modern perspectives and conditions. An important contribution of this paper is to stimulate future research that brings together activity theorists to study, in greater depth, the impacts of digital technology, and to help generate ideas on how it should shape future human activity. The themes covered are pressing questions not only for activity theorists, but for the ways we live, work, and play. We suggest activity theory can play a larger role in discourse on digital technologies, and their impact and evolution over time.

摘要

本文阐明了活动理论在解决数字技术在人类活动中日益重要的作用所带来的理论和实践挑战方面的作用。我们探索和回顾活动理论在研究社交媒体、智能手机、区块链、人工智能和算法决策等关键数字技术中的作用，考虑活动理论适应这些技术并可以产生新见解的独特方式。我们确定了活动理论的几个明显局限性，着眼于促进其发展以及融入现代观点和条件的能力。本文的一个重要贡献是激发未来的研究，将活动理论家聚集在一起，更深入地研究数字技术的影响，并帮助产生关于它应该如何塑造未来人类活动的想法。涵盖的主题不仅是活动理论家的紧迫问题，也是我们生活、工作和娱乐方式的紧迫问题。我们建议活动理论可以在有关数字技术及其影响和随时间演变的讨论中发挥更大的作用。