Moved by Love: Kama Muta and Personal Growth in Peloton Users
ABSTRACT
Social isolation during COVID-19 inspired record sales of home exercise equipment. Among Peloton users, members claimed across social media that the Peloton experience was critical to their mental health and personal growth. This study examined how interactive exercise interfaces with features that create social presence may offset the isolation of solitary exercise. Using self-determination theory (SDT) as a framework, we investigated how Peloton’s structural features relate to feelings of social connection and personal growth. The emotional experience of community was measured using kama muta (KM), a Sanskrit term for “moved by love” that captures the profound emotional and physical sensations of connectedness with others. A sample of 1,036 Peloton users completed an online survey. Findings indicated that structural features facilitating social engagement were significant predictors of kama muta. Greater experiences of kama muta explained 36% of the variation in personal growth measures. Results suggest that technology-enabled virtual experiences helped fulfill social connection needs during the pandemic that were related to personal growth, highlighting the importance of social experience for sustained engagement.
Keywords: Peloton, kama muta, personal growth, fitness, belonging, exercise motivation
Pamela Rutledge, Ph.D., M.B.A., is the Director of the Media Psychology Research Center (MPRC), Professor Emerita at Fielding Graduate University, and an advisory board member for UC Irvine Extension’s Social Media and Internet Marketing Program. Dr. Rutledge specializes in audience profiling and linking consumer and brand stories for maximum engagement. She is a co-author of Exploring Positive Psychology: The Science of Happiness and Well-Being and the upcoming Good Media: Positive Psychology Applied to Media and Technology. drpam.subtack.com.
Michael Scott Garner, Ph.D., is a adjunct faculty at Emory University, Oxford College, and Carnegie Mellon. He is a senior programming and brand strategist, with 25 years of experience in content curation, marketing and research for leading Fortune 500 companies. Garner uses a data-driven approach to build competitive and strategic business plans that define, differentiate and accentuate a brands platform to successfully connect with consumers. He currently runs his own consulting firm, Conqueror Media, focused on helping both large and small clients navigate the rapidly evolving media and entertainment industry. Scott specializes in consumer insight and primary research, trend tracking, competitive landscape analysis, content library management, domestic and international program strategy and content acquisitions and management. Scott holds a Ph.D. in Media Psychology at Fielding University and a Master of Arts degree from Columbia University (New York City) michaelscottgarner@me.com
Holly Collins, Ph.D., is a behavioral scientist with a passion for translating human insight into strategic impact. With a background in psychology applied to media & technology, she brings over a decade of experience bridging research, communications, and consumer behavior, helping organizations understand why people act, how they engage, and what drives action. https://www.linkedin.com/in/drhollyncollins/
Peloton Became More Than Just a Bike
When COVID-19 sent everyone home in 2020, Peloton sales increased by 172% as people sought solutions to an extended period of social isolation, anxiety, and stress (Valinsky, 2020). What happened next surprised observers. As gyms reopened and life returned to something resembling normal, Peloton members didn’t leave. They stayed, with membership retention remaining high for the industry despite marketing and production missteps (Bowman, 2022). Many claimed their Peloton experience had become essential to their mental health and personal growth, reporting personal value beyond the convenience of having a bike at home (Burns, 2022).
What made a stationary bike so meaningful during one of the most isolating periods in recent history? The answer reveals something important about how we connect with each other and how technology can create genuine emotional experiences that change us.
Interactive exercise platforms like Peloton offer users control over their workout experience while integrating social cues that create a sense of presence. Features like live leaderboards, dynamic instructors, and real-time high-five emojis might offset the isolation of exercising alone. But the real story goes deeper than clever design features.
The Theoretical Framework: Understanding Motivation and Connection
Self-determination theory (SDT) posits that people are actively driven to seek growth by meeting intrinsic needs for autonomy, competence, and social connection in pursuit of well-being (Deci & Ryan, 2000). SDT has been used extensively as a framework to understand exercise motivation, most commonly focusing on autonomy and competence as predictors (Wilson et al., 2008). Research based on SDT shows consistent support for the relationship between regular exercise and autonomy and competence (Teixeira et al., 2012). However, SDT fundamentally includes social connection as equally important to human motivation and flourishing.
Several theoretical perspectives have been used to understand the motivation for exercise behaviors, given the importance of exercise to physical and mental health. According to Brand and Cheval (2019), the majority of these are cognitive-behavioral approaches focused on control, beliefs, or efficacy. These include self-determination theory, an intrinsic needs framework for understanding motivation due to the emphasis on the psychological need for autonomy and competence.
The threat of COVID-19 increased anxiety and fear globally (Asmundson & Taylor, 2020) while restrictions severely limited normal social connection, which functions as a protective factor against stress, depression, and anxiety (Roohafza et al., 2014). Many took to social media to express their emotions, frequently characterized by distress and uncertainty (Kim et al., 2022). Others used social media to find and offer support and share effective coping strategies (Saud et al., 2020). Among Peloton members, there was an outpouring of positive comments about the perceived therapeutic benefits and meaningfulness of their Peloton experience (Abad-Santos, 2020; Barton, 2021).
The importance of exercise as a protective factor for stress systems is well documented. Exercise is consistently associated with improved mood and subjective well-being (Chan et al., 2019). However, pandemic restrictions removed many of the social and organizational structures for exercise motivation, increasing sedentary behaviors (Stephanie et al., 2021). These findings were in marked contrast to the vocal enthusiasm among Peloton members, raising questions about the motivating power of virtual exercise environments.
Kama Muta: Measuring the Emotional Experience of Belonging
Central to this study is the concept of kama muta (KM), a Sanskrit term meaning “moved by love.” Kama muta links the experience of social connection with the physiological sensations of poignant and powerful emotions, such as goosebumps, tears, or a lump in the throat (Zickfeld et al., 2019). It describes the social-relational emotional response to heightened feelings of connection to others and has been shown to strengthen relationships and heighten the sense of communal sharing associated with trust, unity, closeness, and kindness (Steinnes et al., 2019; Zickfeld et al., 2020).
Research has demonstrated that virtual experiences can influence feelings of social connection, from the sense of others’ presence to experiencing music or media personas as social surrogates or empathetic friends (Schäfer & Eerola, 2020). The experience of kama muta is associated with strengthened interpersonal bonds, greater empathy, and increased prosocial and communal behaviors (Seibt et al., 2018). This construct provides a way to capture the deeper emotional fabric of belonging that goes beyond simple cognitive appraisal of social features. Kama muta is associated with similar constructs from positive psychology, such as elevation (Haidt, 2000), describing the affective responses to experiences that increase empathy and prosocial behavior.
Kama muta gave us insight into the emotional impact of Peloton use and reflected a more profound sense of belonging that comes from acceptance and inclusion. The two subscales of kama muta capture slightly different aspects of this emotional fabric. Kama muta appraisal (KMA) represents a more internalized sensation of social connectedness, while kama muta motivation (KMM) reflects the desire to express connectedness outwardly and more physically, such as wanting to hug someone or do something nice for them.
Research Design and Hypotheses
Given how social isolation eliminated the sense of presence experienced with in-person exercise, and recognizing social connection as a key behavioral motivator, we evaluated exercise equipment with immersive and interactive features in the context of SDT’s intrinsic needs. Many of Peloton’s features had explicit or implicit social cues, such as group hashtags, leaderboards, dynamic instruction, and social media links.
Assuming an increased demand for social connection due to the constraints of COVID isolation, we hypothesized that the interactive social features might be acting as a social surrogate by creating a meaningful sense of shared experience, group identity, social presence, and connection to a community that could motivate exercise behaviors by fulfilling the need for connectedness.
We proposed four main hypotheses:
H₁: A preference for social motivations predicts perceptions of Peloton’s impact on member mental health.
H₂: Motivations to use the cycling classes will be differentially related to the experience of kama muta, such that:
- H₂a: A preference for social and hedonic motivations positively predicts kama muta appraisal (KMA)
- H₂b: A preference for social and interactive motivations positively predicts kama muta motivation (KMM)
H₃: KMA and KMM will positively predict personal growth, such that:
- H₃a: KMA and KMM will positively predict increased appreciation of personal strengths
- H₃b: KMA and KMM will positively predict increased openness to new opportunities
H₄: Parasocial interaction (PSI) with Peloton instructors will positively moderate the relationship of KM measures with personal growth.
Measures and Methodology
Participants
We recruited 1,036 Peloton users through social media postings after eliminating incomplete responses and checking for outliers. The recruitment approach created a sample bias toward enthusiastic fans. The group was predominantly female (95%) and white (85%), with household incomes over $50,000 (85%). Ages ranged from 20 to 78, with a mean of 41 years. These demographics roughly matched Peloton’s user base at the time.
Most participants (92.8%) used the Peloton brand bike rather than the mobile app with other bikes. The pandemic’s impact showed clearly in membership length, with 83% reporting two years or less. While 56% said COVID-19 influenced their purchase decision, over 99% planned to continue their membership post-pandemic. These were highly active users: 99% reported regular use, and 94.7% rode daily or several times per week.
Kama Muta Assessment
Kama muta was measured using the KAMMUS Two instrument, which has demonstrated validity in cross-cultural studies across 19 countries and 15 languages (Zickfeld et al., 2019). We used two subscales deemed most appropriate for self-report of remembered exercise experiences:
- Scale 2 (Kama Muta Appraisal – KMA): Measures the appraisal of communal sharing and internalized sensations of connectedness
- Scale 3 (Kama Muta Motivation – KMM): Captures motivations for communal sharing behaviors and outward expression of connection
All items used a 5-point Likert scale for consistency. Each subscale’s scores were averaged. Internal consistency was high, with Cronbach’s alpha of .88 for KMA and .87 for KMM.
Personal Growth Measurement
Personal growth was measured using two factors from the Post-Traumatic Growth Inventory (PTGI), which assesses self-perceptions of growth after significant events (Tedeschi & Calhoun, 2004). The PTGI has been validated in multiple settings and cultures (Horswill et al., 2016). Although developed for assessing growth post-trauma, the scales do not refer to trauma and are easily adaptable to notable events or experiences. We adapted the wording from “as a result of my crisis” to “as a result of my Peloton membership.” The two factors used were:
- Openness to New Opportunities (PTGO): Four items measuring willingness to explore new possibilities (Cronbach’s alpha .87)
- Appreciation of Personal Strengths (PTGS): Five items assessing recognition of personal capabilities (Cronbach’s alpha .88)
The stress of change and trauma can cause transformation by challenging core beliefs and behaviors, which in turn can create a greater sense of personal resilience and increased mastery (Tedeschi & Calhoun, 2004). While adversity imposed by the pandemic was traumatic, crises and trauma are not the only antecedents for personal growth. Challenges bring opportunities for growth (Kashdan et al., 2004).
Parasocial Interaction Scale
Parasocial interaction was measured using an adapted version of the Rubin and Perse (1987) Parasocial Interaction Scale. The PSI-Scale has been shown to be internally consistent and unidimensional (Rubin et al., 1985). The scale has frequently been altered by revising wording or dropping items to measure parasocial interaction with a variety of media characters and experiences (Dibble et al., 2016). Consistent with other studies, the measure was reduced to nine items relevant to the Peloton coaching environment. The adapted nine-item scale showed strong internal consistency (Cronbach’s alpha .85).
Several factors aid in the development of parasocial interactions, the one-sided socioemotional bonds members experience with their favorite instructors. Frequency enhances liking and increases parasocial closeness. The demonstrated ability of parasocial interaction to fill social needs and decrease loneliness suggested that connection to instructors and members could play an important role during COVID-19 and social distancing (Bond, 2016, 2021).
Peloton Motivational Features
Specific features were queried to understand user preferences, including music, instructor coaching, social elements, activity data, leaderboard competition, and real-time measures of physical effort. These were grouped into four variables representing experiences related to:
- Social connection: Coaching style, social presence
- Hedonic experiences: Physical exertion, music
- Interactive and agentic experiences: Class choice, customization
- Evidence of competence: Progress tracking, performance data
Mental Health Assessment
Three statements assessed how members perceived Peloton’s contribution to their mental health during COVID-19, scored on a 5-point Likert scale.
Results
H₁: Social Motivations and Mental Health
The relationship of social motivations to mental health was statistically significant, F(1, 1304) = 106.85, p < .001, adjusted R² = .093. Social motivations explained 9% of the variation in perceived mental health contributions, representing a small but meaningful effect size. H₁ was supported.
Using stepwise regression to determine if other motivation categories would improve predictive ability, we found that the full model was statistically significant, F(3, 1302) = 70.5, p < .001, adjusted R² = .168, increasing the explanatory power from 9% to 16.8%. The addition of hedonic motivations and competence motivations significantly improved the model, while agentic motivations did not add predictive value.
Among all participants, 96% agreed that Peloton had contributed to their mental health, and 65% specifically felt it provided support during the pandemic. Contrary to expectations, social experiences on the app were not the most popular features, nor did they provide the most explanatory power. Evidence of progress, coaching, and physical effort contributed the most predictive power.
These findings align with social cognitive theory, since evidence and effort contribute directly to self-efficacy (Bandura, 2001). The instructors may function as role models demonstrating exercise behaviors with visible results while acknowledging and accepting the “transitional character” who struggles to overcome challenges and barriers to exercise (Mailey et al., 2016).
H₂: Motivational Attributes and Kama Muta
Multiple regression analysis tested the ability of different attributes of the Peloton experience to predict both subscales of kama muta.
H₂a: Predicting Kama Muta Appraisal (KMA)
The relationship between social and hedonic elements and KMA was statistically significant, F(2, 1033) = 173.59, p < .001, adjusted R² = .250. The predictors explained 25% of the variation in KMA, representing a large effect size. Both social motivations (β = .389, p < .001) and hedonic motivations made statistically significant contributions to the model. H₂a was supported.
When we examined all four motivational categories together, the full model remained significant, F(4, 1031) = 92.2, p < .001, adjusted R² = .261, with all predictors making statistically significant contributions (social and hedonic at p < .001; interactive and competence at p < .05).
H₂b: Predicting Kama Muta Motivation (KMM)
Multiple regression analysis testing social and interactive elements as predictors of KMM was statistically significant, F(2, 1033) = 127.12, p < .001, adjusted R² = .196. Both social motivations (β = .389, p < .001) and interactive motivations (β = .114, p < .001) added significantly to the prediction, explaining 19.6% of the variation in KMM. H₂b was supported.
These findings reveal that members who preferred social features were more likely to experience both forms of kama muta. The relative strength of the relationship between social features and kama muta reflects this construct’s ability to capture the emotional sensations of communal feelings rather than just cognitive appraisal. Members who felt “moved” by their Peloton experience were more likely to express it as a feeling of inclusion (KMA) than as a motivation to connect with others outwardly (KMM).
While the Peloton interface provides real-time ways to connect with other members, virtual environments have known constraints. High-fives don’t deliver the psychological rewards of a real hug. Nevertheless, virtual social actions can enhance the experience of belonging. As Kyriakou and Chrysanthou (2018) found, responsive crowd behaviors toward participants in virtual environments increased feelings of presence, social relatedness, and group membership.
H₃: Kama Muta and Personal Growth
The relationship between kama muta and personal growth proved to be substantial and significant across both growth measures.
H₃a: Kama Muta Predicting Appreciation of Personal Strengths (PTGS)
Multiple regression analysis showed that KMA and KMM significantly predicted PTGS, F(2, 1033) = 290.68, p < .001, adjusted R² = .359. Both variables added significantly to the prediction (p < .001), with KMA contributing β = .379 and KMM contributing β = .271. Together, they explained 36% of the variation in PTGS, representing a large effect size. H₃a was strongly supported.
H₃b: Kama Muta Predicting Openness to New Opportunities (PTGO)
The model predicting PTGO was equally robust, F(2, 1033) = 285.36, p < .001, adjusted R² = .36. Both KMA (β = .376, p < .001) and KMM (β = .271, p < .001) contributed significantly, explaining 36% of the variation in PTGO. H₃b was strongly supported.
These findings provide compelling evidence that the emotional experience of belongingness plays an important role in personal growth and self-efficacy. The substantial explanatory power (36% of variance) indicates that feeling deeply connected and moved by the community experience had a meaningful relationship with members’ perceptions of their own growth and development.
This supports existing research on social support in virtual communities and the exploration of antecedents to personal growth. The relationship between kama muta and personal growth may be explained by positive emotions serving three social functions: improving bonds, influencing others, and motivating self and others.
H₄: Parasocial Interaction as Moderator
Contrary to our expectations, parasocial interaction did not moderate the relationship between kama muta and personal growth measures.
H₄a & H₄b: PSI Moderation Effects
Multiple regression analysis tested PSI as a moderator of KMA and KMM’s ability to predict both PTGO and PTGS. While the overall models were significant for both outcomes, F(5, 1030) = 121.3, p < .001, adjusted R² = .37, the interaction effects for PSI with both KMA and KMM were not significant. H₄ was not supported.
PSI did emerge as a significant independent predictor for both PTGS and PTGO, contributing to the model’s overall explanatory power. However, it was significantly correlated with the kama muta variables and did not show the hypothesized interaction effect.
This finding suggests that parasocial interaction and kama muta, while both related to social connection, operate differently. PSI focuses on a person-specific connection to individual instructors, whereas kama muta captures the overall sense of love from being part of a community. Both contributed to personal growth, but as independent rather than interactive effects.
Future research might examine social cognitive theory and social identity theory as additional lenses to explore the positive effects of immersive exercise environments on self-narratives, affiliation, and inclusion. It would also be valuable to investigate what personal or stylistic factors increase an individual’s identification with an instructor who enhances growth potential.
Discussion: The Centrality of Belonging
This study demonstrates that the emotional experience of connection, operationalized through the construct of kama muta, serves as a powerful mediator between interactive exercise platform features and personal growth outcomes. The findings reveal several important insights about how technology can facilitate meaningful social experiences that contribute to psychological well-being.
Kama Muta as a Window into Emotional Connection
The use of kama muta as a theoretical construct proved particularly valuable in capturing aspects of the member experience that simple feature preferences could not reveal. While respondents endorsed embedded social experiences like riding with friends and giving high fives, these features showed relatively lower importance compared to categories such as choice and performance feedback. However, kama muta measures told a deeper story about emotional belonging.
The distinction between kama muta appraisal (KMA) and kama muta motivation (KMM) illuminated different facets of the emotional fabric of communal belonging. KMA captures the internalized sensation of social connectedness—that warm, moved feeling of being part of something larger. KMM reflects the desire to express that connectedness outwardly, through physical gestures or acts of kindness. Our findings showed that members who preferred social features experienced higher levels of both forms of kama muta, but the relationship was stronger for KMA than KMM.
This pattern makes theoretical sense. Virtual environments, by their nature, constrain certain forms of physical expression. A virtual high-five, while meaningful, cannot replicate the neurochemical and psychological rewards of physical touch. Yet the emotional experience of inclusion and belonging can still flourish in virtual spaces. The fact that KMA showed stronger relationships than KMM suggests that Peloton succeeded in creating internalized feelings of connection even when opportunities for outward expression were limited.
The Role of Social Features in a Technology-Mediated Experience
Our findings regarding social motivations and mental health (H₁) revealed an interesting complexity. Social features explained 9% of the variance in perceived mental health contributions—a meaningful but modest effect. When other motivational categories were added, the model’s explanatory power increased to nearly 17%, with evidence of progress (competence) and physical effort (hedonic) contributing additional predictive power.
This suggests that members’ mental health benefits derived from multiple sources. Social connection contributed importantly, but competence and hedonic elements also played significant roles. However, the consistent significance of social motivations across models indicates that belonging remained an important component. The instructors emerged as particularly important, potentially serving multiple functions: as role models (social cognitive theory), as targets of parasocial bonds, and as architects of community experience.
The instructors’ consistent messaging of acceptance—acknowledging that “showing up and clipping in” represents victory—may reinforce both self-efficacy and belonging. This dual function could explain why coaching emerged as one of the most valued features despite being categorized as a social element.
Kama Muta and Personal Growth: A Substantial Relationship
The most compelling findings emerged from the relationships between kama muta and personal growth (H₃a and H₃b). Both subscales of kama muta explained 36% of the variance in both personal growth measures—a substantial effect size that indicates meaningful psychological impact.
This finding extends previous research on social support in virtual communities (Tanaka et al., 2018) and posttraumatic growth in several important ways. First, it demonstrates that the emotional quality of connection matters critically for growth outcomes. The presence of connection alone proved insufficient. Members who experienced kama muta, those moved by love, feeling deeply connected to the community, showed greater appreciation of their personal strengths and increased openness to new opportunities.
Second, it suggests that transformative experiences can arise from positive emotional experiences of belonging as well as from overcoming trauma or adversity. While COVID-19 created stressful circumstances, the growth reported by members appears to have stemmed substantially from positive emotional experiences of belonging. This aligns with research on positive psychology showing that peak experiences, flow states, and communal bonds contribute to personal development (Watson & Nesti, 2005).
Third, the similar effect sizes for both personal growth measures (PTGS and PTGO) indicate that kama muta relates to growth broadly conceived—both inward recognition of existing strengths and outward orientation toward new possibilities. This comprehensive relationship suggests that feeling deeply connected creates a psychological foundation from which people can both appreciate who they are and envision who they might become. This may be explained by positive emotions serving three social functions: improving bonds, influencing others, and motivating self and others (Sels et al., 2021).
The Independent Contribution of Parasocial Connection
The lack of moderation effects for parasocial interaction (H₄) requires careful interpretation. While PSI did not moderate the relationship between kama muta and personal growth, it did contribute independently to the models as a significant predictor. This suggested that connection to instructors and connection to community operate as parallel pathways to growth rather than as interactive forces.
Theoretically, this makes sense. Kama muta captures a social-relational emotion focused on communal sharing and collective belonging. Parasocial interaction represents a one-sided bond with a specific media figure. Both fulfill needs for connection, but in qualitatively different ways. An individual might feel deeply moved by the sense of community (kama muta) while simultaneously developing a personal attachment to a favorite instructor (PSI), with each contributing separately to their sense of growth and well-being.
This finding points toward social identity theory and social cognitive theory as potentially productive frameworks for future research (Kelman, 2004). Identification with the Peloton community as an in-group, combined with observational learning from instructors as aspirational models, could provide additional explanatory power for understanding these experiences.
Implications for Technology Design and Virtual Communities
These findings carry practical implications for designing technology-mediated experiences intended to foster engagement and well-being. The success of Peloton during the pandemic stemmed from addressing fundamental human needs for autonomy, competence, and especially social connection. Providing a solution to closed gyms proved insufficient without this deeper psychological foundation.
The strategic focus on features that create social presence—leaderboards, real-time interaction, community hashtags, social media integration—successfully generated emotional experiences of belonging. The design integrated multiple motivational elements (choice, performance feedback, hedonic experience) to create a comprehensive experience where social connection enhanced rather than supplanted other needs.
For companies creating virtual experiences, this suggests that technological sophistication cannot substitute for psychological sophistication. Understanding what creates kama muta—those moments when people feel moved by love and connection—requires attention to the emotional architecture of experience, not just its technical features.
Positive Technology and Human Flourishing
This study represents one of the first applications of kama muta to technology-mediated exercise experiences, demonstrating the construct’s utility for understanding emotional engagement in virtual environments. The findings support the positive technology framework, which emphasizes designing mediated experiences that enhance learning, insight, and human flourishing (Riva et al., 2016).
Technology design and interactivity have been shown to enhance positive emotions, provide opportunities for engagement and flow, and facilitate experiences of social presence and connectedness (Gaggioli et al., 2009). SDT has been used to design technology to increase well-being (Peters et al., 2018) by offering choice and personalization to increase autonomy, challenges and feedback loops to build competence, and technology-enabled social presence to encourage engagement.
During an unprecedented period of isolation and uncertainty, Peloton created a technological solution that addressed fundamentally human needs. The substantial relationship between kama muta and personal growth (36% of variance explained) indicated that members experienced far more than fitness maintenance during lockdown. They were having emotionally meaningful experiences that contributed to their psychological development.
This suggests important directions for understanding how technology can support well-being. Platforms that create genuine emotional experiences of connection, that move people in profound ways, may provide contexts for personal transformation. They offer entertainment and utility while also enabling deeper psychological growth.
Limitations and Future Directions
Several limitations warrant consideration when interpreting these findings. The recruitment method through social media created a self-selection bias toward particularly enthusiastic members. The participants’ exuberance may have compressed some nuance in sentiment and restricted the range of responses. However, these findings remain valuable as they represent the preferences and experiences of brand advocates—the type of customers most likely to share experiences through word of mouth and contribute to membership sustainability.
The sample did not reflect current U.S. demographics by gender (95% female) or race (85% white), nor did it precisely match Peloton’s reported global subscriber base (49% female, 43% male, 7% other). A more demographically diverse sample might yield different results, particularly given potential cultural variations in the experience and expression of kama muta.
The data reflects a specific historical moment: November and December 2020, during the emergence of the Omicron COVID-19 variant. At this time, the threat of further restrictions remained salient, potentially influencing participants’ perceptions of Peloton’s value. Future research could investigate whether post-pandemic patterns show different relationships between features, kama muta, and growth outcomes as the salience of social isolation diminishes.
The collinearity between kama muta subscales and parasocial interaction, while not severe enough to invalidate the models, suggests these constructs share substantial overlap. Future research might benefit from examining the unique variance contributed by each construct through structural equation modeling or other techniques better suited to handling correlated predictors.
Additionally, the cross-sectional nature of this study prevents causal interpretation. While the theoretical framework suggests that features create kama muta, which contributes to growth, alternative causal patterns remain possible. Longitudinal designs tracking members over time could clarify the directionality of these relationships and identify whether growth precedes, follows, or develops concurrently with kama muta experiences.
Conclusion
This study demonstrates that during an unprecedented period of social isolation, an exercise platform succeeded in creating emotionally meaningful experiences of belonging that contributed to personal growth. The construct of kama muta proved valuable in capturing the profound emotional quality of these connections, revealing that 36% of variance in personal growth measures could be explained by the experience of being “moved by love” through community belonging.
The findings extend self-determination theory by highlighting social connection as a critical component of exercise motivation, particularly during times of stress and isolation. They also contribute to positive technology research by demonstrating how strategic design focusing on social presence and emotional engagement can create virtual experiences that support psychological flourishing.
For practitioners and designers, these results emphasize that technological sophistication must serve psychological sophistication. Features matter because of the emotional experiences they generate. Technical capabilities alone prove insufficient without attention to psychological impact. Creating environments where people feel deeply connected, moved, and part of something meaningful can facilitate engagement, commitment, and personal transformation.
Popular media has described user connection to Peloton as “cult-like,” but our data suggest something more psychologically nuanced. What members experienced was kama muta—a validated emotional state of profound social connection that humans have experienced throughout history in contexts from religious gatherings to musical performances to shared adversity. Peloton succeeded in creating the conditions for this ancient human emotion to flourish in a modern technological context.
The pandemic forced society to find new ways to connect. This study suggests that technology-mediated experiences, when thoughtfully designed around fundamental human needs, can generate genuine emotional experiences of belonging that contribute meaningfully to well-being and growth. As we move forward into an increasingly digital world, understanding how to create these emotionally meaningful connections through technology becomes not merely an academic question but a practical imperative for supporting human flourishing.
The investment Peloton made in selecting and training diverse instructors, crafting conscious messaging of acceptance and encouragement, and building features that enhance social presence paid substantial dividends in members’ psychological experiences. Both growth measures—appreciation of personal strengths and openness to new opportunities—reflect increased self-confidence and optimism that are central to positive behavior change and sustained engagement.
For companies creating virtual experiences, the lesson is clear: sustaining membership will rely on the psychological value members receive. While more classes, instructors, and music increase choice and variety, the real power lies in the ability to enhance positive emotions by literally and figuratively “moving” people, creating an environment where community feels palpable and where individual growth, empowerment, and resilience can emerge.
The story of Peloton during the pandemic is ultimately a story about belonging. When people feel deeply connected and experience kama muta, consistent exercise becomes intertwined with personal growth. They recognize their strengths and open themselves to new possibilities. Technology made this possible, but humanity made it meaningful.
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