Social Comparison Features in Physical Activity Promotion Apps: Scoping Meta-Review

Abstract

Background Smartphone apps promoting physical activity (PA) are abundant, but few produce substantial and sustained behavior change. Although many PA apps purport to induce users to compare themselves with others (by invoking social comparison processes), improvements in PA and other health behaviors are inconsistent. Existing literature suggests that social comparison may motivate PA for some people under some circumstances. However, 2 aspects of work that apply social comparison theory to PA apps remain unclear: (1) how comparison processes have been operationalized or harnessed in existing PA apps and (2) whether incorporating sources of variability in response to comparison have been used to tailor comparison features of apps, which could improve their effectiveness for promoting PA. Objective The aim of this meta-review was to summarize existing systematic, quantitative, and narrative reviews of behavior change techniques in PA apps, with an emphasis on social comparison features, to examine how social comparison is operationalized and implemented. Methods We searched PubMed, Web of Science, and PsycINFO for reviews of PA smartphone apps. Of the 3743 initial articles returned, 26 reviews met the inclusion criteria. Two independent raters extracted the data from these reviews, including the definition of social comparison used to categorize app features, the percentage of apps categorized as inducing comparison, specific features intended to induce comparison, and any mention of tailoring comparison features. For reference, these data were also extracted for related processes (such as behavioral modeling, norm referencing, and social networking). Results Of the included review articles, 31% (8/26) categorized app features as prompting social comparison. The majority of these employed Abraham and Michie’s earliest definition of comparison, which differs from versions in later iterations of the same taxonomy. Very few reviews specified what dimension users were expected to compare (eg, steps, physical fitness) or which features of the apps were used to induce comparison (eg, leaderboards, message boards). No review referenced tailoring of comparison features. In contrast, 54% (14/26) reviews categorized features for prompting behavioral modeling and 31% (8/26) referenced tailoring app features for users’ personal goals or preferences. Conclusions The heterogeneity across reviews of PA apps and the absence of relevant information (eg, about dimensions or features relevant for comparison) create confusion about how to best harness social comparison to increase PA and its effectiveness in future research. No evidence was found that important findings from the broader social comparison literature (eg, that people have differing preferences for and responses to social comparison information) have been incorporated in the design of existing PA apps. Greater integration of the mobile health (mHealth) and social comparison literatures may improve the effectiveness of PA apps, thereby increasing the public health impact of these mHealth tools. International Registered Report Identifier (IRRID) RR2-https://osf.io/nh4td/

Interplay of Support, Comparison, and Surveillance in Social Media Weight Management Interventions: Qualitative Study

“…This study reaffirmed the prevalence of peer comparison in cyberspace [ 20 , 23 ], and identified the mutual reinforcement of peer comparison, peer support, and surveillance in shaping group norms and engagement. Our findings support the notion that social media create an exhibition space that permits users to play multiple roles as supporters, comparison targets, and surveillants during group interactions [ 46 ].…”

“…In a large-scale online weight management program, the design of within-team and among-team competitions improved participants’ overall level of physical activity, although the specific mechanisms by which social comparison exerted these influences were unspecified [ 22 ]. A metareview of 26 studies of physical activity apps found that modeling, information sharing, and social networking may be the underlying factors prompting online social comparison [ 23 ]. One suggestion derived from the metareview was to investigate different dimensions of social comparison behaviors and their relationships with other social factors [ 23 ].…”

“…A metareview of 26 studies of physical activity apps found that modeling, information sharing, and social networking may be the underlying factors prompting online social comparison [ 23 ]. One suggestion derived from the metareview was to investigate different dimensions of social comparison behaviors and their relationships with other social factors [ 23 ]. An interview study of user perspectives on a fitness app revealed that social comparison motivated some users to self-improve and be physically active; however, it also demotivated others when they were unable to catch up with high performers [ 24 ].…”

Operationalizing Behavior Change Theory as Part of Persuasive Technology: A Scoping Review on Social Comparison

“…Using designs this way obfuscates the effect of the specific strategy. Research in the context of apps promoting physical activities has raised similar questions around app features that arguably facilitate social comparison even though they are not used as such (Arigo et al, 2020). It seems that a specific design can represent a multitude of strategies, and also a specific strategy can be represented by a multitude of designs.…”

“…In addition, the way social comparison has been implemented varies significantly in terms of the type and dimension of comparison as well as design specific features that evoke the comparison effect (Mylonopoulou et al, 2018). Social comparison is embedded in various forms, for example, leaderboards, sharing information with and allowing connection between users, modeling of the correct behavior as well as the provision of normative feedback as part of group settings (Arigo et al, 2020). Moreover, techniques used in behavior change interventions such as "behavioral modeling" and "norm referencing" are often seen as explicit entities next to social comparison (Michie et al, 2013), even though the techniques arguably meet Festinger's description of social comparison (Festinger, 1954).…”