Enduring Exercise Habits: Trending Norms

Learning that most people engage in an activity can be a powerful motivator to adoption. But are there instances in which people can similarly find motivation from learning that only a minority of others engage in a behavior? Evidence suggests this may be possible when the message is that the size of the minority has been growing in recent years. In this study, we first examine how gym members' exercise patterns shift when they are informed that the minority versus the majority of (a subpopulation of) other Americans exercise frequently. We also test how gym members are affected by learning that the number of frequent exercisers has increased in recent years.