title: Effects of Performance Versus Game-Based Mobile Applications on Response to Exercise.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Given the popularity of mobile applications (apps) designed to increase exercise participation, it is important to understand their effects on psychological predictors of exercise behavior.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  This study tested a performance feedback-based app compared to a game-based app to examine their effects on aspects of immediate response to an exercise bout.
  
  
  METHODS
  Twenty-eight participants completed a 30-min treadmill run while using one of two randomly assigned mobile running apps: Nike + Running, a performance-monitoring app which theoretically induces an associative, goal-driven state, or Zombies Run!, an app which turns the experience of running into a virtual reality game, theoretically inducing dissociation from primary exercise goals.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The two conditions did not differ on primary motivational state outcomes; however, participants reported more associative attentional focus in the performance-monitoring app condition compared to more dissociative focus in the game-based app condition.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Game-based and performance-tracking running apps may not have differential effects on goal motivation during exercise. However, game-based apps may help recreational exercisers dissociate from exercise more readily. Increasing the enjoyment of an exercise bout through the development of new and innovative mobile technologies is an important avenue for future research.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, University of Colorado Boulder, Muenzinger D244, 345 UCB, Boulder, CO, USA. Arielle.Gillman@Colorado.EDU.
authors.forename: Arielle S
authors.initials: AS
authors.lastname: Gillman
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, University of Colorado Boulder, Muenzinger D244, 345 UCB, Boulder, CO, USA.
authors.forename: Angela D
authors.initials: AD
authors.lastname: Bryan
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001288:Attention; D015444:Exercise / Q000523:psychology*; D030141:Feedback, Psychological; D005260:Female; D006040:Goals; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D063731:Mobile Applications; D009042:Motivation; D012420:Running / Q000523:psychology; D018910:Video Games / Q000523:psychology*; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Exercise; Goals; Mobile apps; Motivation; Reversal theory