Motivating physical activity at work: Using persuasiveUsing persuasivesocial media for social media for

competitive step countingcompetitive step countingDerek Foster, Conor Linehan, Shaun Derek Foster, Conor Linehan, Shaun

Lawson, Gary James Lawson, Gary James

Lincoln Social Computing Research Lincoln Social Computing Research CentreCentre

IntroductionIntroduction

Sustainability:Sustainability:– a new device for every identified problem is not a good a new device for every identified problem is not a good

idea.idea.

Behaviour change can be brought about Behaviour change can be brought about through:through:– Simple, accessible technologySimple, accessible technology– Concentration on psychological processesConcentration on psychological processes

Whether online social interaction & Whether online social interaction & competition can improve users activity competition can improve users activity levels.levels.

Case Study: Walking at WorkCase Study: Walking at Work

StructureStructure

Background – Exercise at workBackground – Exercise at work Background – Pedometers as health Background – Pedometers as health

interventionsinterventions Method – Participants & DesignMethod – Participants & Design Method - Materials (i.e. devices, apps)Method - Materials (i.e. devices, apps) ResultsResults DiscussionDiscussion ConclusionConclusion

Exercise at workExercise at work

Modern lifestyles are becoming increasingly Modern lifestyles are becoming increasingly sedentary - only 11.6% of UK adults are sedentary - only 11.6% of UK adults are classed as physically active.classed as physically active.

Physical exercise has been shown to improve Physical exercise has been shown to improve health conditions such as heart disease and health conditions such as heart disease and depression.depression.

Figures suggest that UK workers spend up to Figures suggest that UK workers spend up to 60% of their waking hours at work.60% of their waking hours at work.

There is scope to utilise some of this non-There is scope to utilise some of this non-social time to encourage more physical social time to encourage more physical activity activity

Pedometers as health Pedometers as health interventionsinterventions

Chan et al. (2004) - 1442 employees over a 12 Chan et al. (2004) - 1442 employees over a 12 week period. Pedometers used to measure week period. Pedometers used to measure effects of two intervention types.effects of two intervention types.

Found that social interactions & competitiveness Found that social interactions & competitiveness may have increased participant step count. may have increased participant step count.

No technology used for feedback - social and No technology used for feedback - social and competitive feedback presented to participants competitive feedback presented to participants was indirect, infrequent and over a long period was indirect, infrequent and over a long period of time….. of time…..

……..More direct and frequent feedback, could ..More direct and frequent feedback, could lead to more positive gains in physical activity. lead to more positive gains in physical activity.

StudyStudy

So, we used pedometers to record activity of So, we used pedometers to record activity of nurses at work over 21 daysnurses at work over 21 days

An application, developed using the Facebook An application, developed using the Facebook API, was used to record step-counts for each day API, was used to record step-counts for each day over the course of the study.over the course of the study.

Condition A, socially enabled - could see their Condition A, socially enabled - could see their friends’ step data as well as their ownfriends’ step data as well as their own

Condition B there were no social features Condition B there were no social features available - only see their own step activityavailable - only see their own step activity

Hypothesis - participants would be more active Hypothesis - participants would be more active when using the socially enabled conditionwhen using the socially enabled condition

Method – ParticipantsMethod – Participants

Participants: Ten Registered Nurses (Nine Participants: Ten Registered Nurses (Nine females and one male) recruited through females and one male) recruited through personal contact.personal contact.

Regular users of Facebook for the past 12 Regular users of Facebook for the past 12 months.months.

Were given a pedometer and asked to Were given a pedometer and asked to wear it during working hours.wear it during working hours.

Also asked to record step-count after a Also asked to record step-count after a shift using the facebook app.shift using the facebook app.

Method – DesignMethod – Design

Independent Variable - interaction mode, Independent Variable - interaction mode, either social or non-social. either social or non-social.

Dependent Variable - the number of steps Dependent Variable - the number of steps taken by each participant, with a total step taken by each participant, with a total step count being recorded in each condition for count being recorded in each condition for each participant.each participant.

Repeated measures designRepeated measures design Each participant experienced both Each participant experienced both

conditions, and order effects were conditions, and order effects were controlled for as carefully as possible.controlled for as carefully as possible.

Method - MaterialsMethod - Materials

Pedometer - commercial off-the-shelf Pedometer - commercial off-the-shelf pedometer – the ‘Silva Ex3 plus’ (£20)pedometer – the ‘Silva Ex3 plus’ (£20)

Small, robust ‘accelerometer’ based Small, robust ‘accelerometer’ based pedometer that easily fits in pocket or pedometer that easily fits in pocket or around neck with straparound neck with strap

Method - MaterialsMethod - Materials

Leveraged the Facebook API and external Leveraged the Facebook API and external SQL database to implement StepmatronSQL database to implement Stepmatron

Nurses add Stepmatron to their Facebook Nurses add Stepmatron to their Facebook profile to access and share their step profile to access and share their step activity data activity data

Features include a step input interface, a Features include a step input interface, a rankings interface and a comments boardrankings interface and a comments board

Stepmatron sends notification updates to Stepmatron sends notification updates to users when their friends update their step users when their friends update their step activity or post commentsactivity or post comments

Only technology required is the pedometer Only technology required is the pedometer and a web browserand a web browser

Method - MaterialsMethod - Materials

Stepmatron user steps input interface

Comments board for rankings interface

Method - MaterialsMethod - Materials

Stepmatron friends notification feed

Rankings interface showing friends activity

ResultsResults

9/10 participants walked more steps in the 9/10 participants walked more steps in the social condition than in the non-social social condition than in the non-social condition, with mean step ratings of condition, with mean step ratings of 42004.4 and 38132.1 for social and non-42004.4 and 38132.1 for social and non-social conditions respectively. social conditions respectively.

A Wilcoxon test showed that the total A Wilcoxon test showed that the total number of steps taken was significantly number of steps taken was significantly higher when participants used the social higher when participants used the social condition (Z= -2.5, N=10, p=0.013). condition (Z= -2.5, N=10, p=0.013).

ResultsResults

ResultsResults

Google Analytics - In the 21 days the Google Analytics - In the 21 days the experiment was run, there were 1142 pages experiment was run, there were 1142 pages views, with 224 unique visits to the Step views, with 224 unique visits to the Step Matron application, equalling 5 page views Matron application, equalling 5 page views per visit. The average time spent during per visit. The average time spent during each visit was 6 minutes 11 seconds.each visit was 6 minutes 11 seconds.

User generated comments indicated participants were engaged in playful disclosure of information on their own activity and reciprocated comments from friends

ResultsResults

User commentsUser comments– Competition: “ooooh im number 1 so far :-)”

and “hay, im number one. not bad for a lazy **** hole like me lol”.

– Motivation: “we have walked 7 miles between us not bad eh? X” and “hahaha well done [name omitted]!!”

– External motivation: ”was out dancing fri night, can you imagine how many steps that would have been!!!” with a response showing empathy over the ‘lost’ steps, “aaahhh shame! Wouldve bin loads x”

DiscussionDiscussion

Participants recorded a significantly higher Participants recorded a significantly higher number of steps in the social condition number of steps in the social condition

- This suggests that social interaction over - This suggests that social interaction over an online social network, such as viewing an online social network, such as viewing each other’s step counts, comparing own each other’s step counts, comparing own usage to that of peers, and commenting usage to that of peers, and commenting on each other’s progress, can help on each other’s progress, can help motivate participants to increase physical motivate participants to increase physical activity in the workplace.activity in the workplace.

DiscussionDiscussion

Simple mobile devices can function as Simple mobile devices can function as successful triggers for positive behaviour successful triggers for positive behaviour change, when delivered as part of a larger change, when delivered as part of a larger programme. programme.

Participants only had access to a simple Participants only had access to a simple digital read-out during working hours. - it digital read-out during working hours. - it is apparent that the competitive activities is apparent that the competitive activities occasioned by the Facebook application occasioned by the Facebook application were not only in action while participants were not only in action while participants used the application.used the application.

DiscussionDiscussion

Also demonstrates that social network Also demonstrates that social network applications can serve as a powerful applications can serve as a powerful context that allows participants to context that allows participants to understand quantitative behavioural understand quantitative behavioural measures as more than mere numbers measures as more than mere numbers

ConclusionConclusion

The current study demonstrates that the The current study demonstrates that the carefully considered combination of two carefully considered combination of two simple technological elements, informed simple technological elements, informed by an understanding of successful by an understanding of successful behaviour modification programmes, can behaviour modification programmes, can be effective in motivating behaviour be effective in motivating behaviour change. change.