Abstract:
In both individual and group exercise settings, it is common for people to make
references to others and note how they are performing in relation to themselves, a process known
as social comparison (Festinger, 1954). These tendencies have extended into the realm of
physical activity with the help of activity trackers. Researchers exploring the display of exercise
data have reported that those exercising with a partner/group tend to persist longer in exercise
than those exercising without a partner/group (Walmink, Wilde, & Mueller, 2014). The current
study aimed to experimentally explore the effect of displayed exercise data on individual
exerciser’s performance (mean HR, calories burned, and distance cycled) during group exercise.
Peloton bike riders (N=26) completed three exercise conditions: heart rate (HR) monitor with
group data display, HR monitor with individual data display, and HR with no display condition
and participants’ exercise performance was assessed for each condition. Repeated measures
ANOVA and linear regression analyses were used to explore differences in exercise performance
and the relationships between exercise performance and goal orientation (EO) and social
comparison orientation (SC). Analyses revealed a significant effect of condition on HR, calories
burned, and distance cycled, where the group data condition produced the highest exercise
performance. There was a strong positive correlation between SC and calories burned and
between calories burned and distance, a moderate to strong positive correlation between SC and
distance. Additionally, a moderate to strong negative correlation was found between EO and HR,
and between task and ego orientations. EO was a significant predictor of HR, accounting for
19% of the variance. SC orientation was a significant predictor of distance (20% of the variance)
and calories burned (27% of the variance). These results provide evidence for the impact social
comparison, ego orientation, and visually displayed data can have on exercise performance.
