How sports application functions promote college students’ exercise behavior: a mixed-methods study

This study explores how sports and fitness application functions influence college students’ physical exercise behavior, focusing on three core dimensions: system quality, information quality, and service quality. We adopted a hybrid method of hierarchical regression analysis and fuzzy-set qualitative comparative analysis (fsQCA). This core innovation enables simultaneous exploration of the linear effects of individual variables and the non-linear configurational patterns of app functionality combinations. Results identify two equifinal core pathways (collectively explaining 55.3–59.1% of positive exercise outcomes): a technology-utility path consisting of system availability, real-time feedback, and perceived usefulness, and a social-hedonic path comprising perceived fun, perceived usefulness, and interactive socialization. Notably, system availability and real-time feedback emerge as key linear predictors of exercise behavior, while perceived usefulness acts as a universal anchor across both pathways. This dual-method approach breaks the limitations of single-method analyses in interpreting variable effects, deepening the understanding of complex relationships between app functions and exercise behavior. It further provides actionable insights for app developers (e.g., prioritizing real-time feedback optimization for efficiency-oriented users) and health educators (utilizing digital tools to implement scalable health promotion initiatives).