WHO Etkin
WHAT The unintended negative consequences of personal quantification
WHEN 2016
WHERE Journal of Consumer Research
WHY YOU SHOULD CARE Tracking the output of activities, such as exercise and eating, can make those activities less enjoyable.
First, let’s start off on the same page. Personal quantification - what is it? It is the tracking of any behavioral output, such as our caloric intake, the number of steps we take in a day, or how many hours of sleep we got last night. Think Fitbit.
Ok, seems like a good thing. Knowing and understanding our behavior and habits can help us make positive choices and engage in more healthy behaviors, right? Yes, but there is also a downside to this. While measurement does increase how much of an activity people do, it decreases how much people enjoy that activity. How?
WHAT The unintended negative consequences of personal quantification
WHEN 2016
WHERE Journal of Consumer Research
WHY YOU SHOULD CARE Tracking the output of activities, such as exercise and eating, can make those activities less enjoyable.
First, let’s start off on the same page. Personal quantification - what is it? It is the tracking of any behavioral output, such as our caloric intake, the number of steps we take in a day, or how many hours of sleep we got last night. Think Fitbit.
Ok, seems like a good thing. Knowing and understanding our behavior and habits can help us make positive choices and engage in more healthy behaviors, right? Yes, but there is also a downside to this. While measurement does increase how much of an activity people do, it decreases how much people enjoy that activity. How?