IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jijerp/v17y2020i20p7639-d431661.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

The Use of Smartphone Fitness Applications: The Role of Self-Efficacy and Self-Regulation

Author

Listed:
  • Anna Vinnikova

    (School of Management, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei 230026, China)

  • Liangdong Lu

    (School of Management, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei 230026, China)

  • Jiuchang Wei

    (School of Management, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei 230026, China)

  • Guangbao Fang

    (Faculty of Education, Monash University, Melbourne 3800, Australia)

  • Jing Yan

    (School of Management, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei 230026, China)

Abstract

With the popularity of the health and wellness trend in recent years, smartphone fitness applications have become more and more popular. Thus, this study explored factors affecting the behavioral intention to use and the actual usage behavior of smartphone fitness apps from technical, health, and social perspectives by integrating the Social Cognitive Theory (SCT) and Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology (UTAUT). We examined whether perceived usefulness, perceived ease-of-use, social influence, self-efficacy, goal-setting, and self-monitoring predict usage behavior. Based on the survey responses of 1066 smartphone fitness apps users, we revealed that all of the variables, except for self-monitoring, significantly influence usage behavior, while behavioral intention acts as a total mediator between perceived usefulness, perceived ease-of-use and usage behavior. Drawing on the research findings, we suggest that influencing behavioral intention to use a fitness app can be an effective method to increase its adoption. Therefore, app developers need to pay attention to interventions that seek to enhance the usefulness of the app, provide professional counseling, as well as an opportunity for effortless goal setting features.

Suggested Citation

  • Anna Vinnikova & Liangdong Lu & Jiuchang Wei & Guangbao Fang & Jing Yan, 2020. "The Use of Smartphone Fitness Applications: The Role of Self-Efficacy and Self-Regulation," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(20), pages 1-17, October.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:17:y:2020:i:20:p:7639-:d:431661
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/17/20/7639/pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/17/20/7639/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Hyun Byun & Weisheng Chiu & Jung-sup Bae, 2018. "Exploring the Adoption of Sports Brand Apps: An Application of the Modified Technology Acceptance Model," International Journal of Asian Business and Information Management (IJABIM), IGI Global, vol. 9(1), pages 52-65, January.
    2. Teun Terpstra, 2011. "Emotions, Trust, and Perceived Risk: Affective and Cognitive Routes to Flood Preparedness Behavior," Risk Analysis, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 31(10), pages 1658-1675, October.
    3. Sinan Aral & Dylan Walker, 2011. "Creating Social Contagion Through Viral Product Design: A Randomized Trial of Peer Influence in Networks," Management Science, INFORMS, vol. 57(9), pages 1623-1639, February.
    4. Hoque, Md. Rakibul & Karim, Mohammad Rezaul & Amin, Mohammad Bin, 2015. "Factors Affecting the Adoption of mHealth Services among Young Citizen: A Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) Approach," Asian Business Review, Asian Business Consortium, vol. 5(2), pages 60-65.
    5. Barbara H. Wixom & Peter A. Todd, 2005. "A Theoretical Integration of User Satisfaction and Technology Acceptance," Information Systems Research, INFORMS, vol. 16(1), pages 85-102, March.
    6. Hana Kim & Hyung Jin Lee & Hosoo Cho & Eungdo Kim & Junseok Hwang, 2018. "Replacing Self-Efficacy in Physical Activity: Unconscious Intervention of the AR Game, Pokémon GO," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 10(6), pages 1-13, June.
    7. Viswanath Venkatesh & Fred D. Davis, 2000. "A Theoretical Extension of the Technology Acceptance Model: Four Longitudinal Field Studies," Management Science, INFORMS, vol. 46(2), pages 186-204, February.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Salvador Angosto & Jerónimo García-Fernández & Moisés Grimaldi-Puyana, 2023. "A systematic review of intention to use fitness apps (2020–2023)," Palgrave Communications, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 10(1), pages 1-11, December.
    2. Yinhua Hao & Xiangmin Zeng & Megat Al Imran Yasin & Ng Boon Sim, 2024. "Factors Influencing College Students’ Learning Intention to Online Teaching Videos During the Pandemic in China," SAGE Open, , vol. 14(3), pages 21582440241, July.
    3. Eunhye Kim & Semi Han, 2021. "Determinants of Continuance Intention to Use Health Apps among Users over 60: A Test of Social Cognitive Model," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(19), pages 1-19, October.
    4. Baudier, Patricia & Kondrateva, Galina & Ammi, Chantal & Chang, Victor & Schiavone, Francesco, 2023. "Digital transformation of healthcare during the COVID-19 pandemic: Patients’ teleconsultation acceptance and trusting beliefs," Technovation, Elsevier, vol. 120(C).
    5. Chengxiang Chu & Zhenyang Shen & Hanyi Xu & Qizhi Wei & Cong Cao, 2024. "How to avoid sinking in swamp: exploring the intentions of digitally disadvantaged groups to use a new public infrastructure that combines physical and virtual spaces," Palgrave Communications, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 11(1), pages 1-17, December.
    6. Yu-dong Zhang & Hui-long Zhang & Jia-qin Xie & Chu-bing Zhang, 2023. "The influence of self-quantification on individual’s participation performance and behavioral decision-making in physical fitness activities," Palgrave Communications, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 10(1), pages 1-11, December.

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Ofir Turel & Catherine E. Connelly, 2012. "Team Spirit: The Influence of Psychological Collectivism on the Usage of E-Collaboration Tools," Group Decision and Negotiation, Springer, vol. 21(5), pages 703-725, September.
    2. Roxana Ologeanu-Taddei & David Morquin & Claudio Vitari, 2016. "Perceptions of an Electronic Medical Record (EMR): lessons from a French longitudinal survey," Grenoble Ecole de Management (Post-Print) halshs-01923438, HAL.
    3. Morgan-Thomas, Anna & Veloutsou, Cleopatra, 2013. "Beyond technology acceptance: Brand relationships and online brand experience," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 66(1), pages 21-27.
    4. Alam, Mohammad Zahedul & Hu, Wang & Kaium, Md Abdul & Hoque, Md Rakibul & Alam, Mirza Mohammad Didarul, 2020. "Understanding the determinants of mHealth apps adoption in Bangladesh: A SEM-Neural network approach," Technology in Society, Elsevier, vol. 61(C).
    5. Johannes Putzke & Detlef Schoder & Kai Fischbach, 2010. "Adoption of Mass-Customized Newspapers: An Augmented Technology Acceptance Perspective," Journal of Media Economics, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 23(3), pages 143-164.
    6. Donglin Han & Huiying (Cynthia) Hou & Hao Wu & Joseph H. K. Lai, 2021. "Modelling Tourists’ Acceptance of Hotel Experience-Enhancement Smart Technologies," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(8), pages 1-19, April.
    7. Kathrin Dudenhöffer, 2013. "Why electric vehicles failed," Metrika: International Journal for Theoretical and Applied Statistics, Springer, vol. 24(2), pages 95-124, July.
    8. Rolfsen Christian Nordahl & Lassen Ann Karina, 2020. "On-site inspections: the shift from forms to digital capture," Organization, Technology and Management in Construction, Sciendo, vol. 12(1), pages 2064-2071, January.
    9. Roxana Ologeanu-Taddei & David Morquin & Claudio Vitari, 2016. "Perceptions of an Electronic Medical Record (EMR): lessons from a French longitudinal survey," Post-Print halshs-01923438, HAL.
    10. Arpan Kumar Kar, 2021. "What Affects Usage Satisfaction in Mobile Payments? Modelling User Generated Content to Develop the “Digital Service Usage Satisfaction Model”," Information Systems Frontiers, Springer, vol. 23(5), pages 1341-1361, September.
    11. Hsiao, Chun Hua & Yang, Chyan, 2011. "The intellectual development of the technology acceptance model: A co-citation analysis," International Journal of Information Management, Elsevier, vol. 31(2), pages 128-136.
    12. Sasmita Palo & Linu Charles, 2015. "Investigating Factors Affecting Knowledge Sharing Intention of Salespeople," Management and Labour Studies, XLRI Jamshedpur, School of Business Management & Human Resources, vol. 40(3-4), pages 302-324, August.
    13. Cheikh-Ammar, Mustapha, 2024. "Toward a theory of technology desirability: Blending task and feature fit with mutual values," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 198(C).
    14. Pillet, Jean-Charles & Carillo, Kevin Daniel André, 2016. "Email-free collaboration: An exploratory study on the formation of new work habits among knowledge workers," International Journal of Information Management, Elsevier, vol. 36(1), pages 113-125.
    15. Paul Juinn Bing Tan, 2019. "An Empirical Study of How the Learning Attitudes of College Students toward English E-Tutoring Websites Affect Site Sustainability," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(6), pages 1-19, March.
    16. Sa-Rang Um & Hye-Ri Shin & Young-Sun Kim & Gurvan Branellec & Ji-Yong Lee, 2022. "Fintech et seniors Sud-Coréens : Une étude des facteurs d'acceptation," Post-Print hal-03584620, HAL.
    17. Jo-Hung Yu & Gordon Chih-Ming Ku & Yu-Chih Lo & Che-Hsiu Chen & Chin-Hsien Hsu, 2021. "Identifying the Antecedents of University Students’ Usage Behaviour of Fitness Apps," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(16), pages 1-13, August.
    18. Nan Zhang & Xunhua Guo & Guoqing Chen, 2011. "Why adoption and use behavior of IT/IS cannot last?—two studies in China," Information Systems Frontiers, Springer, vol. 13(3), pages 381-395, July.
    19. Tanuj Singh & Alka Sharma & Chandra B. Singh, 2016. "Social Construction of Technology: A Flexible Strategy for DL Success," Global Journal of Flexible Systems Management, Springer;Global Institute of Flexible Systems Management, vol. 17(3), pages 265-273, September.
    20. Kwahk, Kee-Young & Ahn, Hyunchul & Ryu, Young U., 2018. "Understanding mandatory IS use behavior: How outcome expectations affect conative IS use," International Journal of Information Management, Elsevier, vol. 38(1), pages 64-76.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:17:y:2020:i:20:p:7639-:d:431661. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: MDPI Indexing Manager (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.