Social Incentives To Encourage Physical Activity and Understand Predictors

Social Incentives To Encourage Physical Activity and Understand Predictors

This study tests the effectiveness of three social incentive-based gamification interventions to increase physical activity using a 24-week intervention period with a 12-week follow-up.

This is a four-arm randomized, controlled trial with a 24-week intervention period and 12-week follow-up period. Participants are considered ready to be randomized once they have completed all surveys, established a baseline step count, and selected a step goal increase.Participants in the control arm will receive no other interventions during the 24-week intervention period or the 12-week follow-up period. Participants randomized to the one of the three intervention arms will have a 4-week ramp up towards their step goal. The participant will then be asked to maintain their goal during the 20-week "maintenance period" and the 12-week "follow-up period." Participants in arms 2-4 will be entered into an intervention approach that has points and levels designed to incorporate insights from behavioral economics. Participants in the supportive social incentive arm will be asked to identify a family member or friend to be their support sponsor. This sponsor will be encouraged to support the participant in their progress during the study. Participants in the competitive social incentive arm will be in a group of three total participants.At the end of each week the participants will receive notification that ranks them on their cumulative points in the study thus far and also displays their level.This feedback may help to induce participants to compete for the top spot among the group. Participants in the collaborative social incentive arm will be in a group of three total participants as a team. Each day one of the members of the group will be randomly selected to represent their team for that day. In this design, each person is accountable to the others on the team and this may induce a collaborative effort to meet their daily goals.

Inclusion Criteria:

1. Age 18 years or older;
2. ability to read and provide informed consent to participate in the study;
3. Self-reported body mass index (BMI) of 25 or greater.
4. Smartphone or tablet compatible with application for the wearable activity tracking device.

Exclusion Criteria:

1. Conditions that would make participation infeasible such as inability to provide informed consent, illiteracy or inability to speak, read, and write English;
2. conditions that would make participation unsafe such as pregnancy or being told by a physician not to exercise;
3. already enrolled in another study targeting physical activity;
4. any other medical conditions or reasons he or she is unable to participate in a physical activity study for 36 weeks.