A processor-implemented method performed on a computing device, the method comprising: detecting an alert condition associated with an application executing on the computing device; and responsive to detecting the alert condition: determining a state associated with the application at a time associated with the alert condition, wherein determining the state associated with the application at the time associated with the alert condition comprises determining whether a user interface for the application was displayed on a display of the computing device at the time associated with the alert condition, and wherein displaying the user interface element of the application indicates an active state of the application; in accordance with a determination that the application was in an active state at the time associated with the alert condition, generating, by physical displacement of a component of the computing device relative to another component or a center of mass of the computing device, a first haptic output that represents occurrence of the alert condition, the first haptic output having a first set of output characteristics; and in accordance with a determination that the application was in an inactive state at the time associated with the alert condition, generating, by physical displacement of the component of the computing device relative to another component or a center of mass of the computing device, a second haptic output that represents occurrence of the alert condition, the second haptic output having a second set of output characteristics, wherein the second haptic output is different from the first haptic output. detecting an alert condition associated with an application executing on the computing device; and responsive to detecting the alert condition: determining a state associated with the application at a time associated with the alert condition, wherein determining the state associated with the application at the time associated with the alert condition comprises determining whether a user interface for the application was displayed on a display of the computing device at the time associated with the alert condition, and wherein displaying the user interface element of the application indicates an active state of the application; in accordance with a determination that the application was in an active state at the time associated with the alert condition, generating, by physical displacement of a component of the computing device relative to another component or a center of mass of the computing device, a first haptic output that represents occurrence of the alert condition, the first haptic output having a first set of output characteristics; and in accordance with a determination that the application was in an inactive state at the time associated with the alert condition, generating, by physical displacement of the component of the computing device relative to another component or a center of mass of the computing device, a second haptic output that represents occurrence of the alert condition, the second haptic output having a second set of output characteristics, wherein the second haptic output is different from the first haptic output. determining a state associated with the application at a time associated with the alert condition, wherein determining the state associated with the application at the time associated with the alert condition comprises determining whether a user interface for the application was displayed on a display of the computing device at the time associated with the alert condition, and wherein displaying the user interface element of the application indicates an active state of the application; in accordance with a determination that the application was in an active state at the time associated with the alert condition, generating, by physical displacement of a component of the computing device relative to another component or a center of mass of the computing device, a first haptic output that represents occurrence of the alert condition, the first haptic output having a first set of output characteristics; and in accordance with a determination that the application was in an inactive state at the time associated with the alert condition, generating, by physical displacement of the component of the computing device relative to another component or a center of mass of the computing device, a second haptic output that represents occurrence of the alert condition, the second haptic output having a second set of output characteristics, wherein the second haptic output is different from the first haptic output.