A Typology of Affordances: Untangling Sociomaterial Interactions through Video Analysis

In this study we untangle the sociomaterial interactions between developers, users, and artifacts by analyzing what types of affordances occur in the interactions between actors and artifacts in the context of group generativity. Hereto, we conducted an indepth ethnographic and interaction analysis of video data of the interactions of groups of people with each other and with a set of self-developed applications for supporting generative activities. On the basis of our findings, we propose a typology of affordances. Given that affordances are by definition sociomaterial, studying affordances helps us to provide empirical insights into sociomateriality. Furthermore, this typology of affordances enables us to empirically analyze the role of materiality as well as to theoretically explain how materiality affects the way people act and interact with each other and artifacts. Finally, important theoretical and methodological implications for the literature on sociomateriality are discussed.