The role of motivation in consumer experience with mobile health (mHealth) applications
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2022-08-30
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en
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This research investigates the growing concern about the lack of sustained usage of mobile health applications (mHealth apps). This problem gives rise to the question of how users experience mHealth apps. The research objective is to investigate the experiences of mHealth app users through a paradoxical lens and to identify whether the motives while using an mHealth app play a role in these experiences. The research question is answered through qualitative research in the form of semi-structured interviews. The results show that the intrinsic motives of mHealth app users are receiving factual information and seeking help through apps. Extrinsic motives include visual rewards, competition, notifications, and recommendations. Furthermore, seven paradoxes are identified, namely integration/ disintegration, independency/ dependency, engaging/ disengaging, private/ public, competence/ incompetence, confirmation/ disconfirmation, and fulfilment/ creation. These paradoxes cause tensions, i.e. fixation on objectives, unpleasant feedback, effortful to use the app, inaccuracy of the app, privacy concerns, social pressure, and notifications. Furthermore, the coping mechanisms users apply to handle tensions are discontinuing, partnering, adjusting, and distancing. To conclude, it is identified that the motives of a user play a role in the paradoxical experiences as extrinsically motivated users experience tensions to a greater extent than intrinsically motivated users.
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Faculteit der Managementwetenschappen