Abstract Running is one of the most popular physical activities. With the development of technologies, there have been mobile applications (e.g., Nike + Running) designed to track exercisers' running data (duration, distance, and heart rate). To increase exercisers' and potential exercise group users' (spectators) motivation to run, this study designed a mobile running application, Gatherun, based on selfdetermination theory. Gatherun is a real-time, interactive mobile application for 2 groups of users: exercisers and spectators. Exercisers can create a new race event or participate in an existing race. When exercisers are running, which is virtualized as an avatar in the system, spectators can watch exercisers' running performance and provide audio feedback. The objective of the study was to investigate how intrinsic motivations (autonomy, competence, and relatedness) affect exercisers and spectators' perceptions using real-time interactive mobile running applications. The technology acceptance model was adopted to assess both user groups' attitude and behavioral intention using the system. The results found that the social interaction between exercisers and spectators increased both groups of users' relatedness, thus indicating that the system is useful. The relatedness of using Gatherun also increased users' autonomy motivation. Perceived usefulness and attitude had positive relationships with behavioral intention for both user groups. Result differences were also found between the 2 user groups. The study can have implications on the future development of persuasive technologies to improve users' exercising habits.

中文翻译：

---

在社交锻炼平台上跑步：应用自决理论增加参加体育赛事的动力

摘要 跑步是最受欢迎的体育活动之一。随着技术的发展，出现了旨在跟踪锻炼者跑步数据（持续时间、距离和心率）的移动应用程序（例如，Nike + Running）。为了提高锻炼者和潜在锻炼组用户（观众）的跑步动机，本研究基于自我决定理论设计了一款移动跑步应用程序 Gatherun。Gatherun 是一款实时交互式移动应用程序，适用于两组用户：锻炼者和观众。锻炼者可以创建新的比赛项目或参加现有的比赛。锻炼者跑步时，在系统中虚拟化为虚拟化身，旁观者可以观看锻炼者的跑步表现并提供音频反馈。该研究的目的是使用实时交互式移动跑步应用程序调查内在动机（自主性、能力和相关性）如何影响锻炼者和观众的感知。采用技术接受模型来评估使用该系统的用户群体的态度和行为意图。结果发现，锻炼者和观众之间的社交互动增加了两组用户的相关性，从而表明该系统是有用的。使用 Gatherun 的相关性也增加了用户的自主动机。感知有用性和态度与两个用户群体的行为意向呈正相关。在 2 个用户组之间也发现了结果差异。