Previously submitted to: JMIR mHealth and uHealth (no longer under consideration since Sep 03, 2026)
Date Submitted: Sep 3, 2026
Open Peer Review Period: Sep 3, 2026 - Sep 3, 2026
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When the Feed Knows You Too Well: Excessive Algorithmic Personalization, Psychological Reactance, and Exercise Motivation on Sport Short-Video Platforms
ABSTRACT
Background:
Sport short-video platforms increasingly use recommendation algorithms to personalize exercise content. However, excessive personalization may reduce users’ sense of autonomy and weaken exercise motivation.
Objective:
This study examined whether excessive algorithmic personalization reduces exercise motivation, whether psychological reactance mediates this effect, and whether user control weakens the negative consequences of excessive personalization.
Methods:
Three randomized experiments were conducted. Study 1 (N=312) compared moderate and excessive personalization. Study 2 (N=378) tested psychological reactance as a mediator. Study 3 (N=492) used a 2 × 2 design manipulating personalization and user control and included an exercise-related content choice.
Results:
Excessive personalization reduced exercise motivation in Studies 1 and 2. Study 2 further showed that excessive personalization increased psychological reactance, which predicted lower exercise motivation, with a significant indirect effect. In Study 3, the personalization × user control interaction on psychological reactance was in the predicted direction but did not reach statistical significance (P=.066). Excessive personalization increased reactance under low user control but not under high control. Experimental conditions did not directly affect exercise-related content choice, although exercise motivation significantly predicted exercise-video choice.
Conclusions:
Excessive algorithmic personalization may carry psychological costs when recommendation systems go beyond users’ stated preferences. Psychological reactance appears to be an important mechanism, while the buffering role of user control requires further testing.
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