The Road to Unintended Consequences Is Paved with Motivational Apps

Myriad automated interventions have been designed to help consumers set and achieve behavioral goals. Firms and governments are making significant investments in applications that help consumers manage their behavior. However, scant evidence demonstrates their effectiveness. Are such interventions effective? Are they worth our time and money? Might they do more harm than good? This study presents the results of an exploratory experiment using Self Determination Theory to test the efficacy of one type of motivational aid used in many apps—the automated prompt. We examine how effective this approach is at helping people make long-term behavioral changes. We also test whether providing people with motivational wisdom—i.e., "it takes three weeks to form a habit"—has an effect on behavioral change. In addition to practical implications for consumers' health, productivity, and happiness, and policy implications, our project contributes to the literature on consumers' motivation and goal pursuit.