Happiness and Sadness - Exploring the Role of Emotions in Continuous Use of Activity Trackers

Self-tracking through activity trackers has become increasingly popular, enabling individuals to monitor and assess their own health. These devices record physical activities such as step counts, distance covered, sleep patterns, and food intake, promoting healthy living and encouraging individuals to engage in more physical activity. With the rising global prevalence of obesity, activity trackers play a crucial role in combating this issue by motivating users to adopt healthier lifestyles and combat sedentary behaviors. Gamification elements integrated into activity trackers, such as rankings and reward systems, enhance motivation and user engagement. However, despite their potential benefits, many users discontinue their use of activity trackers shortly after adoption. The impact of emotions on sustained usage of activity trackers remains largely unexplored. This study addresses the research gap by investigating the influence of happiness and sadness on continued use of activity trackers. Understanding the role of emotions in this context can provide insights into designing effective interventions to promote long-term engagement with activity trackers and facilitate healthier behaviors.