The Role and Function of Modern Technologies in Digitalization of Lifestyle of Secondary Girl Students of Ahvaz

The purpose of the present study is to understand the digital lifestyle of female students in Ahvaz and the role of modern technologies—especially the Internet and virtual social networks—in the digitalization of lifestyle. New technologies have infiltrated all social, organizational, and individual spaces in human societies and have influenced people's daily lives, work, and knowledge. The research method is grounded theory. Research data were collected through in-depth interviews using a purposive sampling method with 15 secondary school students from the four districts of Ahvaz. For data analysis, the 2015 version of Corbin and Strauss’s method was employed, involving five steps: coding and identifying concepts, developing concepts into dimensions and properties, contextual analysis, process analysis, and integration of categories. After analyzing and coding the interview data, three main categories were identified. These categories were organized into three core dimensions: conditions, action–interaction, and consequences. In the conditions dimension, categories such as appeal and pleasure, curiosity and excitement, isolation and loneliness, feelings of lagging behind global technologies, and the desire for synchronization were extracted. In the action–interaction dimension, categories included overcoming problems and escaping reality, maintaining and continuing intimate relationships by reducing spatial distance, engaging in interpersonal communication beyond family constraints, and bold self-expression. In the consequences dimension, the results included leisure, access to information, e-commerce, and the saving of time and acceleration of access to facilities and services. By analyzing and integrating these three dimensions, the core concept of "digital transformation in students' lifestyle" was identified. This indicates that interaction with new technologies is a two-way process of cognition and use, through which individuals not only respond to their daily needs but also redefine their identity, social relationships, and lifestyle.