Why do we start—and stop—exercising? Exploring the enactive and vicarious mechanisms in fitness apps

Purpose This study examines how gamification features in fitness apps shape users’ intention to exercise regularly and why such motivation often fails to develop into sustained exercise behavior. Drawing on social cognitive theory, it explains how achievement-based and social-based features operate through enactive and vicarious learning to strengthen self-efficacy. Design/methodology/approach A two-study design was employed. Study 1 used a quantitative survey of Strava users to test the relationships among achievement-based features, social-based features, self-efficacy and intention to exercise regularly. Study 2 used semi-structured interviews to corroborate and extend the quantitative findings by exploring why app-generated motivation often weakens before becoming routine behavior. Findings Achievement-based and social-based features significantly increase the intention to exercise regularly. Self-efficacy showed stronger mediation for social-based features, whereas its mediating role for achievement-based features was weak. Furthermore, achievement-based features provide mastery cues that support active learning, while social-based features stimulate vicarious learning through peer visibility and social persuasion. However, qualitative findings reveal a clear gap between intention and behavioral routine: gamification features often actually act as barriers to motivation for regular exercise, in addition to the internal and external barriers users face. Originality/value This study expands the gamification literature by showing that the motivational effects generated by gamification features tend to be fragile and depend on how users perceive the value of the features they use. This study conceptualizes fitness apps as digital learning environments where achievement- and social-based features shape self-efficacy through enactive and vicarious pathways. The value of this study lies in showing the limited role of fitness apps as tools for sustainable exercise behavior intervention.