An Empirical Study of the Factors Influencing User Behavior of Fitness Software in College Students Based on UTAUT

Abstract

Only one decade since the emergence of the first sports-related mobile app, although there is a large amount of fitness software, the quality is uneven, and some people still have concerns about whether to use fitness software. College students account for a large proportion of the number of people using fitness software; through empirical research on the factors affecting the use of fitness software, it is of great significance to further promote people’s healthy behavior. This study investigates the factors that influence the user behavior of fitness software in college students and then addresses the promotion of better health behaviors among college students. Using a Likert scale, 994 college students (51.3% male, 48.7% female) in five universities (each university accounted for about 20% of students) were given questionnaires. Based on the Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology (UTAUT), assumptions were proposed, and a structural equation model (SEM) was constructed. The maximum likelihood method was used to analyze data and verify hypotheses. The results of the study show that social influence, performance expectancy, and effort expectancy significantly affect college students’ behavioral intention. Behavioral intention and gender have a significant positive effect and a moderating effect on user behavior. The development of fitness software should consider the factors mentioned above to enhance the health levels of college students.