The Effect of Presentation Characteristics of “Quantified Self” Data on Consumers’ Continuance Participation Intention: An Empirical Study Based on Health-Related Apps

PURPOSE: The COVID-19 pandemic has greatly influenced the health and lifestyles of individuals. Increasing numbers of consumers now participate in quantified self (QS) process to learn more about their health-related behaviors. Understanding how to increase consumers’ QS continuance participation intention is critical. Drawing on Social Cognitive Theory and Self-Construal Theory, this study investigates how the presentation characteristics of QS data and consumers’ self-construal can influence their continuance participation intention during QS process. METHODS: Three between-subjects scenario simulation experiments were conducted to examine the influence mechanisms of the presentation mode and type of QS data and self-construal on consumers’ continuance participation intention. RESULTS: The study found: (1) the presentation mode (horizontal comparison vs vertical comparison) and type (descriptive vs analytic) of QS data had significant interaction effects on consumers’ continuance participation intention; (2) consumers’ self-construal (interdependent vs independent) and the presentation mode of QS data had obvious interaction effects on their continuance participation intention; and (3) consumers’ self-construal and the presentation type of QS data had interaction influences on their continuance participation intention. CONCLUSION: This research combined Social Cognitive Theory and Self-Construal Theory to analyze the influence mechanisms of the presentation characteristics of QS data and consumers’ self-construal on their continuance participation intention. These findings not only expand the research field and the scope of application of Social Cognitive Theory, but also provide new insights for the study of consumers’ QS problems. They have reference value for the optimization of the presentation features of QS data, and for improving the match between QS data presentation and consumers’ self-construal types, to motivate continued participation in QS process.