Technological Trust Perceptions in Wearable Fitness Technology: A Person-Centred Approach

Abstract

AbstractTechnological trust is a key element impacting the success of a technology. This study focuses on fitness tracker users and their perceptions of trust towards the device. The aim of the study is to identify distinct subgroups of technological trust perceptions of fitness tracker users (n = 150) adopting a person-centred approach. Furthermore, the role of age, experience with the device and effort expectancy in trust perception subgroup membership are examined. Three distinct subgroups could be identified. The first subgroup is characterised by neutral to low data privacy perceptions and moderate perceptions towards reliability, validity, system capability and system transparency perceptions. The second subgroup is characterised by moderate to high trust perceptions, and the third group shows the highest trust perceptions in comparison to the other subgroups. Age and experience with the device were no significant predictors of trust profile membership; effort expectancy, however, was a significant predictor. Users who perceive that using the device does not require high effort and that using the tracker is easy are more likely to be classified in the high trust subgroup and in the moderate to high trust subgroup than in the low to moderate trust subgroup. Furthermore, differences between two latent profiles regarding their usage of the wearable in their physical activities were found.