The British Medical Journal has published a study on Pokémon GO that examines players and their urge to move. Here are the results.
The British Medical Journal (BMJ) investigated whether players move more because of Pokémon GO and whether the increased urge to move remains constant. They found out that trainers do indeed move more at first. However, this typically stops after 6 weeks, and players revert to their old movement patterns – before Pokémon GO. Over 1,800 Pokémon enthusiasts aged 18 to 35 participated in the study. The experiment was conducted in the US using an iPhone 6 app that counts daily steps.
The average step count of the test subjects was compared to that of non-players. It looked at how many steps were taken before installing the app and how this changed during the course of playing Pokémon GO. In the first week after installing, the trainers’ step count rose sharply. They walked an average of 955 more steps per day than before.
However, the step counts decreased week by week, until there was ultimately no significant difference compared to before the installation of Pokémon GO. The study took many factors into account to arrive at this conclusion. The video below summarizes the study again:
Leya says: When I look at myself, the result of the study does not surprise me. When you start Pokémon GO, you want to explore everything, everything is new, and you just run everywhere. Eventually, however, you find your regular routes or a PokéStop where you can comfortably sit down.
I have already noticed that many of my friends who are a bit lazy have suddenly started running around outside. Most, however, have stopped going on Pokémon hunts or are playing very limited, and as a result, are probably moving less again. I find it interesting that an app like Pokémon GO can motivate you to move more through a fun system. According to another study, Pokémon GO can even aid in education and communication.
In this regard, further research could explore how to sustain the urge to move.
What kind of game would make you a constant mover, or is there nothing that can get you off the couch? Maybe funny hats would do the trick…
