Enduring Exercise Habits
Condition: Healthy
Study type: Interventional

Summary: 
      The objective of this study is to test whether the interventions offering short-term
      incentives (points redeemable for prizes), specific cued plans, and science-backed tips can
      help with creating enduring exercise habits. There are four (4) sub-studies within this
      protocol.
    

Detailed description: 
      The four sub-studies are:

        1. Sweet spot

           Past studies have shown that steady routines associated with stable cues are a hallmark
           of successful habits. However, recent research has demonstrated that incentivizing an
           overly rigid routine (e.g., every workout must be at the same time each day) creates a
           less lasting exercise habit than incentivizing a flexible exercise routine (e.g.,
           workouts can be at any time of day). In this study, the investigators examine whether
           offering higher rewards for exercise that occurs at a planned, routine time than for
           exercise at other times, but still offering some rewards for exercise outside of these
           planned moments, may improve over total flexibility for producing lasting habits.

        2. Falling off the Wagon (FOTW)

           In the long run, missing one workout won't make much difference to a person's overall
           health. Psychologically, however, missing a workout may lead people to feel they've
           already failed at meeting their fitness goals, zapping their motivation to exercise in
           the future. In this study, the investigators examine whether offering 50% larger
           incentive for exercise to people after they miss a planned workout leads to more
           sustained exercise habits than incentivizing all workouts equally.

        3. Think Twice

           Studies have shown that people tend to fall into the planning fallacy -- optimistically
           overestimating their performance in some future activity. In this study, the
           investigators examine whether people who the investigators taught about the planning
           fallacy would make more realistic exercise plans and adhere to those plans better.

        4. Weekly vs. Daily Routines (WDR)

      This study will examine whether incentivizing people to create a daily routine that is
      consistent every day for a month or a weekly routine that is consistent every week for a
      month helps people build a more lasting exercise habit. In the daily routines condition,
      participants will be required to schedule workouts (and associated text reminders) at the
      same time of day on every weekday, and the same time of day on each weekend throughout our
      four week treatment period. In the weekly routines condition, participants will be allowed to
      schedule workouts (and associated text reminders) at different times on different days of the
      week, but their schedule must be the same for each of the four weeks of our four week
      treatment period.
    

Intervention name(s): Sweet Spot: Flexible high incentive condition; Sweet Spot: Flexible low incentive condition; Sweet Spot: Rigid high incentive condition; Sweet Spot: Rigid low incentive condition; FOTW: High incentive control condition; FOTW: Low incentive control condition; FOTW: High incentive treatment condition; FOTW: Low incentive treatment condition; Think Twice: Control condition; Think Twice: Treatment condition; WDR: Control condition; WDR: Treatment condition
Intervention type(s): Behavioral; Behavioral; Behavioral; Behavioral; Behavioral; Behavioral; Behavioral; Behavioral; Behavioral; Behavioral; Behavioral; Behavioral
Intervention description(s): Participants receive text reminders 30 minutes before their workouts and weekly emails reminding them of their schedule.; Participants receive text reminders 30 minutes before their workouts and weekly emails reminding them of their schedule.; Participants receive text reminders 30 minutes before their workouts and weekly emails reminding them of their schedule.; Participants receive text reminders 30 minutes before their workouts and weekly emails reminding them of their schedule.; Participants receive text reminders 30 minutes before their workouts and weekly emails reminding them of their schedule.; Participants receive text reminders 30 minutes before their workouts and weekly emails reminding them of their schedule.; Participants receive text reminders 30 minutes before their workouts and weekly emails reminding them of their schedule.; Participants receive text reminders 30 minutes before their workouts and weekly emails reminding them of their schedule.; Participants receive text reminders 30 minutes before their workouts and weekly emails reminding them of their schedule.; Participants receive text reminders 30 minutes before their workouts and weekly emails reminding them of their schedule.; Participants receive text reminders 30 minutes before their workouts and weekly emails reminding them of their schedule.; Participants receive text reminders 30 minutes before their workouts and weekly emails reminding them of their schedule.
Allocation: Randomized
Intervention model: Parallel Assignment
Masking: None (Open Label)
Primary purpose: Supportive Care
Keywords: Interest in exercising more