Consumers Quantified Self: Cost of Immediate Feedback

Abstract

The main objective of this research is to identify a negative consequence of consumers self-quantification behavior in terms of its nature to constantly provide immediate feedback (i.e. measurement) of the activitys progress. As consumers are increasingly measuring and quantifying personal data via tracking devices, the current research aims to reveal that the timing of feedback (immediate vs. delayed) plays a significant role in undermining activitys enjoyment and subsequently the services effectiveness perceived by the consumers. This study shows that delayed (vs. immediate) feedback increases perceived service effectiveness for promotion focused individuals because they are better motivated by internal standards, more specifically, their sense of flow and activity enjoyment. Thus, the current research compares two types of self-quantification with different feedback timings (immediate vs. delayed) to demonstrate its significance on the perception of the services effectiveness depending on the individuals regulatory focus.