Perception of Physical Activity Leaderboards
Digital health tools to promote physical activity frequently incorporate leaderboards, to encourage physical activity by activating social comparison processes (self-evaluation relative to others). However, the acceptability and utility of leaderboards to the general population remain unclear.
Dr. Kayla Nuss, Klein Buendel Scientist, collaborated on a set of research studies led by Rowan University to compare leaderboard display formats and their relationship to physical activity motivation. The significance, methods, analysis, and findings of the two studies are detailed in the journal Digital Health.
One hundred forty-five (145) young adults from the United States (Study 1) and 1,510 adults from Germany and Austria (Study 2) evaluated two common leaderboard display formats and provided explanations for preferences. Participants also reported their physical activity motivation following exposure to fixed (Study 1) or randomized (Study 2) leaderboard placements. Open-ended responses were analyzed using content analysis and sentiment analysis in Python.
Familiarity with leaderboards was low (Study 1: 43%; Study 2: 19%) and display preferences varied. Approximately 43-49% across both studies reported high physical activity motivation post-leaderboard exposure. Both analytic methods showed that these participants subsequently expressed a range of perceptions of physical activity leaderboards (positive, negative, and neutral). Further, ∼21% of each sample reported low motivation for physical activity after exposure, yet their perceptions ranged from rejecting competitive comparisons to recognizing that leaderboards could benefit others. Sentiment analysis further revealed that participants who reported no display preference expressed the most negative sentiment, regardless of their motivation.
Findings demonstrate considerable heterogeneity in adults’ perceptions of physical activity leaderboards, even among those who experience high motivation for physical activity following leaderboard exposure. Because a single ideal format may not meet all users’ needs, personalized designs that account for individual factors may better support long-term engagement with digital health tools and sustained physical activity.
This research was supported by an NIH Director’s New Innovator Award (HL173857; Dr. Danielle Arigo, Principal Investigator) and Klein Buendel. Collaborators include Ninelle Edenne, Raj Harsora, Angelica Rivera, and Dr. Danielle Arigo from Rowan University; Dr. Laura Konig from the University of Vienna; and Dr. Kayla Nuss from Klein Buendel.
