DigiConsumers - Improving young people's financial skills in a digitalised consumer society

DigiConsumers in a nutshell

DigiConsumers is a multidisciplinary research project for identifying solutions to improve the economic and consumer skills of young people between the ages of 13 and 25 especially in digital environments.

Digitalisation has changed a number of everyday habits, such as consumption, savings and other money-related activities.

The goal of the research

Actions to promote digital and economic skills require a comprehensive understanding of young people’s consumption habits and economic behaviours, as well as the factors that influence them in digital environments.

The aim of the study is to find practical solutions to improve young people’s economic and digital skills and to promote sustainable consumption.

A multidisciplinary consortium

DigiConsumers is a multidisciplinary consortium focusing on changes in the consumption cultures, consumption and economic behaviours and economic and digital skills of young people. The project will be carried out between 2019 and 2025 and it is funded by the Strategic Research Council (SRC) at the Academy of Finland.

Led by the University of Jyväskylä, the consortium also consists of University of Helsinki, University of Vaasa, Pellervo Economic Research PTT and Economy and youth TAT.

What is DigiConsumers? Read more 

Work packages

Young people as consumers in digital environments

The factors affecting young people´s digital and financial skills inside and outside school
Assessing Financial Literacy – PISA and background
Game-based approaches and digital tools in financial education

Communications and interaction

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Publications

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Research Article • Anu Sirola, Julia Nuckols, Jussi Nyrhinen & Terhi-Anna Wilska
10.06.2022

The use of the Dark Web as a COVID-19 information source: A three-country study

Technology in Society, Volume 70, August 2022, 102012

Highlights:

  • The Dark Web is known to contain risky COVID-19 information and forged certificates.
  • COVID-19 skepticism is related to Dark Web use as an information source.
  • Loneliness and high engagement in online activities are related to Dark Web use as an information source.
  • The unregulated nature of the Dark Web makes it a risky alternative to official COVID-19 information.
  • The Dark Web poses various risks particularly for vulnerable individuals.

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Research Article • Matti Mäntymäki, A.K.M. Najmul Islam, Ofir Turel & Amandeep Dhir
30.05.2022

Coping with pandemics using social network sites: A psychological detachment perspective to COVID-19 stressors

Technological Forecasting and Social Change

Highlights

  • We examine psychological detachment from the COVID-19 pandemic through SNS (social network sites) use.
  • We place perceived isolation and work-family conflict as COVID-specific stressors.
  • Work-family conflict drives psychological detachment through SNS use.
  • Perceived isolation does not drive psychological detachment through SNS use.

 

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Research Article • Sonali Srivastava, Terhi-Anna Wilska & Johanna Sjöberg
28.04.2022

Girls’ portrayals in fast fashion advertisements

Consumption Markets & Culture

This study analyses the visual construction of girls and notions surrounding young femininities articulated by 15 contemporary advertisements of Nordic fast fashion companies, available on their public Facebook pages in Finland. A visual discourse analysis identifies some blatantly stereotypical and a few complex visual constructions of girls as heterosexual, caring, innocent, sexy posers, active self-presenters and self-surveyors, carefree and environmental activists.

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