Applying an Integrative Technology Adoption Paradigm to Health App Adoption and Use

The present study employs an audience-centered approach to examine motivations for mobile fitness app use. We explicate and test an Integrated Technology Adoption model, which incorporates perspectives on competition, self-esteem, self-efficacy, and audience uses and gratifications. An online survey of 469 respondents reveals that app adoption intentions were predicted by internal competition orientations and gratifications, exercise self-efficacy, social utility motives, and attitudes toward the app. External competition decreased behavioral intentions related to app use. Study results thus provide support for an integrative model linking social cognitive factors with a new set of mobile app uses and gratifications.