Cited by 274Innovative Human-Technology InteractionDecision-Making and Behavioral EconomicsMotivation and Self-Concept in Sports

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The Hidden Cost of Personal Quantification

Etkin, Jordan·2016·Journal of Consumer Research

DOI 10.1093/jcr/ucv095

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Abstract

From sleep and energy use to exercise and health, consumers have access to more information about their behavior than ever before. The appeal of personal quantification seems clear. By better understanding our behavior, we can make the necessary changes to live happier, healthier lives. But might the new tools people are using—quantifying life— rob them of some of the benefits of engaging in those activities? Six experiments demonstrate that while measurement increases how much of an activity people do (e.g., walk or read more), it can simultaneously reduce how much people enjoy those activities. This occurs because measurement can undermine intrinsic motivation. By drawing attention to output, measurement can make enjoyable activities feel more like work, which reduces their enjoyment. As a result, measurement can decrease continued engagement in the activity and subjective well-being. Even in the absence of explicit external incentives, measurement itself can thus have similar effects. The findings have implications for measurement’s use, as well as for the psychology of external incentives and intrinsic motivation.

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Authors: Etkin, J.
Affiliations: Duke University (US)
Corresponding author: Etkin, Jordan
ORCID: Etkin, Jordan
Venue: Journal of Consumer Research
Publisher: Oxford University Press (OUP)
Published: 2016-02-16
Volume: 42
Issue: 6
Pages: 967-984
ISSN: 0093-5301 (ISSN-L)
1537-5277
DOI: 10.1093/jcr/ucv095
OpenAlex: W2333629723
Cited by: 274
References: 73
Citations by year: 2026: 30 · 2025: 24 · 2024: 19 · 2023: 31 · 2022: 28 · 2021: 33 · 2020: 39 · 2019: 25 · 2018: 19 · 2017: 20 · 2016: 5
FWCI: 35.88
Type: journal article
Language: en
Open access: closed
Locations: Journal of Consumer Research (publishedVersion)
RePEc: Research Papers in Economics (submittedVersion)
HighWire Press Open Archive (submittedVersion)
Topics: Physical Sciences › Computer Science › Human-Computer Interaction › Innovative Human-Technology Interaction
Social Sciences › Decision Sciences › General Decision Sciences › Decision-Making and Behavioral Economics
Social Sciences › Psychology › Social Psychology › Motivation and Self-Concept in Sports
Keywords: measurement effects, intrinsic motivation, enjoyment, subjective well-being, activity engagement, extrinsic rewards, self-monitoring, health behavior, physical activity, sleep monitoring, consumer behavior

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The Hidden Cost of Personal Quantification

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