Online Peers Are Best Exercise Motivators

Want to make sure you go back to the gym? Get some online peers to guilt trip you. Researchers at the University of Pennsylvania have found that the social influence of online peers is more effective for improving people’s exercise habits than motivational messages from you health club or employer. A UPenn news release reports that the researchers created a website where 217 graduate students enrolled in free exercise classes at the University of Pennsylvania gym. Part of the group also received promotional messages, including motivational videos and infographics emphasizing fitness tips and the importance of exercise, from the University.  Another part of the group saw no advertising messages, but was placed social networks with six of their peers. The peer groups remained anonymous to one another, and participants were regularly updated on each other’s fitness achievements. They could monitor each other’s progress on the website, and when one signed up for a weightlifting or yoga class, for example, the others were notified by email. How did it go? The envelope please…By the end of the 13 week study, the findings were clear. Promotional messages caused an initial bump in class attendance, but the motivational effects quickly wore off. The promotional messages had almost no long term effect on class participation. Program-assigned “buddies,” on the other hand, were much more effective at motivating people to exercise.  As the weeks went by, the motivating effects increased, producing a substantial growth in enrollment levels among people in peer networks.