Support or competition? How online social networks increase physical activity: A randomized controlled trial.

ABSTRACT: To identify what features of online social networks can increase physical activity, we conducted a 4-arm randomized controlled trial in 2014 in Philadelphia, PA. Students (n = 790, mean age = 25.2) at an university were randomly assigned to one of four conditions composed of either supportive or competitive relationships and either with individual or team incentives for attending exercise classes. The social comparison condition placed participants into 6-person competitive networks with individual incentives. The social support condition placed participants into 6-person teams with team incentives. The combined condition with both supportive and competitive relationships placed participants into 6-person teams, where participants could compare their team's performance to 5 other teams' pe

SUBMITTER: Zhang J 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5008041 | biostudies-literature | 2016 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature