Demystifying Relative Evaluation in Social Fitness Apps

Recognition of activeness inferiority can motivate users to take on physical activities more frequently. Yet, at times, users can be daunted by other users’ greater activeness and become reluctant to take part in further relative evaluation. Drawing on the self-evaluation maintenance model, we integrate relative evaluation research, past works on social network, and the motivation literature into a research model. Specifically, this study examines the effects of peer activeness and network overlap on users’ need satisfaction and need frustration, and how these needs influence subsequent social fitness app usage. Results of our longitudinal field experiment show that peer activeness and network overlap jointly influence users’ perceived autonomy satisfaction and perceived competence frustration. Furthermore, whereas perceived autonomy satisfaction stimulates promotional compensation, it inhibits preventive compensation, and whereas perceived competence frustration dissuades promotional compensation, it advances preventive compensation. The theoretical and practical implications of the findings are discussed.