In WAZE we trust? GPS-based navigation application users' behavior and patterns of dependency

Area of Science:

• Psychology
• Human-Computer Interaction
• Digital Well-being

Background:

• Functional technological applications are increasingly integrated into daily life, influencing human reasoning and behavior.
• The rise of GPS-based navigation apps like WAZE raises questions about potential technological dependency.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate if and how the use of the WAZE app leads to behaviors indicative of technological dependency.
• To explore the specific patterns and underlying reasons for such dependency among WAZE users.

Main Methods:

• Conducted semi-structured in-depth interviews with 50 users of the WAZE navigation application.
• Utilized a framework inspired by the Information Technology (IT) addiction model, assessing parameters like withdrawal, conflict, mood modification, relapse, tolerance, and saliency.

Main Results:

• The WAZE app effectively meets users' functional needs, contributing to its usage patterns.
• Four behavioral characteristics associated with IT addiction were identified in WAZE users: mood modification, conflict, relapse, and withdrawal.
• Evidence suggests patterns and behaviors resembling technological dependency specifically linked to the WAZE app.

Conclusions:

• Functional technological applications, exemplified by WAZE, can potentially trigger behavioral indicators of technological addiction.
• Understanding these behavioral patterns is crucial for promoting digital well-being and responsible technology use.