Smartwatch Adoption within the Running Community

This research investigates the adoption of smartwatches within the running community. By using a mixed methods design consisting of quantitative surveys and qualitative interviews, this study asks runners what factors influence their adoption of smartwatches, what information is valued and most utilized, and the impact of these devices on their behavior. This study primarily relies on Diffusion of Innovations theory as a lens through which to view the factors of adoption for runners, but it also utilizes questions from the Technology Acceptance Model to attempt to better understand the role of these devices within the running community. Through the utilization of surveys and interviews, this study identifies relative advantage to be the primary factor in adopting smartwatches and trialability to be an unimportant factor. Further, all interview participants in this study reported that smartwatches made them more aware of their behavior, and 14 of 15 interview participants stated that their behavior and/or training regimens had changed due to data they obtained via smartwatches. The findings of this study suggest that more research is needed to determine whether these changes are temporary or part of a larger, permanent trend. Further, based on this study, there is a need for more research into the impact of smartwatches in other communities to determine whether the effect of smartwatches on behavior is isolated to athletes who are actively training or whether more fitness data and greater awareness of one's activity spurs greater movement in the population more generally.