Can reciprocity beat self-interest in motivating healthy behavior?

Would you go for a run if a notification popped up to remind you?

Would you be even more motivated to run if it could mean giving a gift to a friend?

The Center for Digital Health and Artificial Intelligence (CDHAI) delves into an anthropological trait every human being has possessed since ancient times: reciprocity. The paper is the first of its kind to investigate the power of reciprocity to motivate healthy actions.

Researchers at CDHAI, together with a co-author from Indiana University, conducted a rigorous, randomized field experiment with 1,700 participants on an online Twitter-like platform for runners in Taiwan. All runners were challenged to run 19 miles. One group ran to earn prizes for themselves, while the other group ran to earn prizes shared with friends on the platform. The group who ran to earn gifts for their friends were 32 percent more likely to complete the challenge than those who ran to earn prizes for themselves. The results also reveal that the magnitude of the effect hinges on how well-acquainted the givers and receivers are. Surprisingly, when two people have a moderate level of social closeness, as opposed to being the closest or most distant, it can promote healthy behaviors in a sustainable manner that leads to a more positive response in the long run.

With social media platforms, mobile technology, and wearable technology becoming more embedded in our lives, taking advantage of reciprocity is becoming an increasingly important and cost-effective way to promote healthy behavior. Companies, schools, and other public entities can leverage this understanding of technology to improve the physical, mental, and social well-being of their community, aligning with the higher mission of the Center. When we realize that reciprocity-based programs are more effective than other widely used incentives, and when large-scale health behavior programs are launched on highly utilized platforms, it will have a huge impact on public health.

Read more about the research into reciprocity.