How to conquer one's weaker self: Does autonomy affordance increase goal performance and well-being?

Abstract

Positive self-tracking technologies support users in conducting personal analytics and aim to foster their users' goal attainment and well-being. A driver for these two is the experience of autonomy which can be afforded by self-tracking IS. In this paper, we examine the influence of autonomy affordance provided by self-tracking IS as well as its actualization on goal performance and well-being. For this purpose, empirical data was collected in a field experiment using a self-developed mobile self-tracking application. The results of a path analysis indicate that the mere provision of autonomy affordance is positively linked to well-being and that its actualization positively affects goal performance, in turn improving well-being. Contributing to design knowledge in positive computing and self-tracking IS as well as Affordance Theory, we find that the design of self-tracking IS should provide autonomy affordance to further both their users' goal performance and well-being.