Activity tracking gone wrong – Motivational costs and abandonment of wearable activity tracker usage

Abstract

Question: Measuring and monitoring physical activity data via wearable activity trackers is a promising solution for motivating users to increase physical activity, therefore fight obesity and prevent cardiovascular diseases. Despite their widespread adoption, many users discontinue activity tracking after a few months, probably impeding large-scale health effects. For identifying long-term adoption barriers, it is crucial to understand the reasons of former users for abandoning wearable activity tracking.
Research design: With two online surveys, we investigated (1) negative consequences of activity tracking on motivation for physical activity (N = 210 current users) and (2) reasons for tracker abandonment (N = 159 ex-users). In both studies, selected aspects of user diversity (i.e., personality, tracking motivations, usage patterns) were taken into account to shed light on psychological processes underlying motivational impairments and abandonment decisions.
Results: Our first study showed that motivational losses that become apparent in situations when the tracker is not available play a role in everyday usage, especially when users stated to be extrinsically motivated to track. Our second study revealed that a decreasing tracking motivation was the most prevalent reason contributing to abandonment decisions, followed by a disruption of the tracking routine and changes in priorities or life circumstances. Moreover, several user diversity variables were linked to single abandonment reasons.
Limitations: Based on our online survey approach, causal inferences could not be drawn. Moreover, the gender distribution in both samples has not been even, with a bias towards female users.
Theoretical/Practical Implications: On a theoretical level, our findings underline the crucial role of user diversity variables regarding negative motivational effects of activity tracker feedback and concerning tracking discontinuance. On a practical level, study findings indicate the significance of tracking demotivation for tracker abandonment. Hence, tracker feedback should strengthen autonomous tracking motivation (i.e., emphasize users’ self-determination).
Relevance/Contribution: Our studies conduce to a deeper understanding of user-tracker interaction, especially regarding usage motivations and usage barriers.

Full text

Activity tracking gone wrong – Motivational costs and abandonment
of wearable activity tracker usage
Christiane Attiga*, Thomas Frankeb
aDepartment of Psychology, Cognitive and Engineering Psychology, Chemnitz University of Technology, Wilhelm-
Raabe-Str. 43, 09120 Chemnitz, Germany
bInstitute for Multimedia and Interactive Systems, Engineering Psychology and Cognitive Ergonomics, University of
Lübeck, Ratzeburger Allee 160, 23562 Lübeck, Germany
Abstract
Question: Measuring and monitoring physical activity data via wearable activity trackers is a promising
solution for motivating users to increase physical activity, therefore fight obesity and prevent
cardiovascular diseases. Despite their widespread adoption, many users discontinue activity tracking after
a few months, probably impeding large-scale health effects. For identifying long-term adoption barriers, it
is crucial to understand the reasons of former users for abandoning wearable activity tracking.
Research design: With two online surveys, we investigated (1) negative consequences of activity tracking
on motivation for physical activity (N = 210 current users) and (2) reasons for tracker abandonment (N =
159 ex-users). In both studies, selected aspects of user diversity (i.e., personality, tracking motivations,
usage patterns) were taken into account to shed light on psychological processes underlying motivational
impairments and abandonment decisions.
Results: Our first study showed that motivational losses that become apparent in situations when the
tracker is not available play a role in everyday usage, especially when users stated to be extrinsically
motivated to track. Our second study revealed that a decreasing tracking motivation was the most
prevalent reason contributing to abandonment decisions, followed by a disruption of the tracking routine
and changes in priorities or life circumstances. Moreover, several user diversity variables were linked to
single abandonment reasons.
Limitations: Based on our online survey approach, causal inferences could not be drawn. Moreover, the
gender distribution in both samples has not been even, with a bias towards female users.
Theoretical/Practical Implications: On a theoretical level, our findings underline the crucial role of user
diversity variables regarding negative motivational effects of activity tracker feedback and concerning
tracking discontinuance. On a practical level, study findings indicate the significance of tracking
demotivation for tracker abandonment. Hence, tracker feedback should strengthen autonomous tracking
motivation (i.e., emphasize users’ self-determination).
Relevance/Contribution: Our studies conduce to a deeper understanding of user-tracker interaction,
especially regarding usage motivations and usage barriers.
The full publications can be found here:
Attig, C., & Franke, T. (2018). I track, therefore I walk – Exploring the motivational costs of wearing activity trackers
in actual users. International Journal of Human-Computer Studies, 127, 211-224.
doi:10.1016/j.ijhcs.2018.04.007
Attig, C., & Franke, T. (2020). Abandonment of personal quantification: A review and empirical study investigating
reasons for wearable activity tracking attrition. Computers in Human Behavior, 102, 223-
237. doi:10.1016/j.chb.2019.08.025