Exploring Common and Novel Actualized Affordances of Fitbit: Mixed Methods Study

Area of Science:

• Human-Computer Interaction
• Digital Health
• Behavioral Science

Background:

• Fitness apps show inconsistent effectiveness in promoting healthier lifestyles.
• Affordance theory identifies user value in exercise apps, but studies often group diverse apps.
• Previous research overlooked novel affordances emerging from specific user-app interactions.

Purpose of the Study:

• Identify common and novel affordances actualized by Fitbit users.
• Understand how these affordances influence user engagement and health outcomes.
• Extend the application of affordance theory to specific fitness technologies.

Main Methods:

• A two-stage mixed-methods design combining web-based surveys and analysis of app reviews.
• Survey of 442 US-based Fitbit users regarding perceived affordances.
• Thematic classification of 15,000 Google Play Store reviews using a transformer-based approach.

Main Results:

• Updating and reminding were the most frequently actualized affordances by Fitbit users.
• Gamification (competing, rewards) and benchmarking (comparing, guidance) were also noted.
• Novel affordances like encouraging others, accountability, and self-comparison were identified but less common.

Conclusions:

• Fitbit users predominantly engage with tracking and reminder functionalities.
• A minority of users leverage affordances related to self-regulation, social connection, and personal meaning.
• Optimizing fitness apps requires balancing core features with options for guidance, community, and personal relevance to enhance health benefits.