Motivating Physical Activity with Fitness Tracking and the Interpersonal Context

Many societies have aging populations. Getting older people to exercise can help them achieve a higher quality of life. Fitness tracking and social support can buttress that goal. This study tested the effects of fitness tracking and spousal influence on the physical activity of older adults. In a 2 (blinded vs. feedback) x 2 (individual vs. dyad) between-group experiment, 240 participants received a fitness tracker with a visible or blinded display. They participated in the three-month experiment either individually or with their spouses. Participants who received feedback met daily step counts of 7500 and 10,000 more frequently than those without feedback. Interestingly, those who participated with their spouses had lower mean and median step counts and met daily step counts of 10,000 and 15,000 less frequently than those who participated by themselves. The results show that real-time personalized feedback can motivate physical activity among older adults, while engrained routines among older couples may impede behavior change. Whereas individuals can adjust their personal routines to achieve a physical activity goal, such adjustment is more complex when it involves the quotidian routines of dyadic partners.