Research-Thesis: How do perceived social comparison features embedded in self-tracking technologies influence continuance intention through competitive motivation and psychological pressure

Abstract

The rapid growth of self-tracking technologies such as fitness applications, smartwatches and wearable devices has transformed the way individuals monitor and manage their health-related behaviours. While these technologies offer valuable opportunities for self-improvement, they increasingly rely on social comparison features such as leaderboards, rankings, activity feeds, challenges and streaks to encourage user engagement. However, the psychological consequences of these features remain insufficiently understood. This thesis investigates how perceived social comparison features embedded in self-tracking technologies influence continuance intention through two opposing psychological mechanisms: competitive motivation and psychological pressure. Drawing on Social Comparison Theory, Self-Determination Theory, gamification literature and continuance intention research, a dual-pathway conceptual model was developed and empirically tested using a quantitative survey. Data were collected from 141 users of self-tracking applications and analysed through regression and mediation analyses. The results indicate that perceived social comparison features positively influence both competitive motivation and psychological pressure. Competitive motivation was found to positively affect continuance intention, whereas psychological pressure negatively affected continuance intention. Mediation analyses further revealed that psychological pressure significantly mediates the relationship between social comparison features and continuance intention, while the mediating effect of competitive motivation was not supported. These findings demonstrate that social comparison features simultaneously create motivational benefits and psychological costs. Although comparison mechanisms can stimulate engagement and performance improvement, they may also generate stress, feelings of inadequacy and perceived pressure, thereby reducing users’ willingness to continue using the technology. From a managerial perspective, the results suggest that self-tracking platforms should adopt a more balanced and personalised approach to comparison-based design. From a theoretical perspective, this research contributes to the literature by integrating positive and negative pathways within a single framework, offering a more nuanced understanding of user engagement and continuance intention in digital self-tracking environments.