Dr. Yanxiang Yang
Professional career
Yanxiang Yang obtained his B.M. in Management at Shanghai University, China (2009-2013). Thereafter, he worked at Manpower Group and BGI (2013-2016). With a passion for physical activity research, Yanxiang completed his M.Sc. in Sport Science at Shanghai Jiao Tong University, China (2016-2019). During that time he has spent three months at the German Sport University Cologne (granted by the DAAD) and six months at the University of Copenhagen (granted by the CSC). Yanxiang loves playing tennis as well as running. Between November 2019 and November 2023, he has been a PhD student at the Chair of Sport and Health Management. In 2022, he has been a visiting researcher at Temple University, USA, for six months. In October 2023, he received this PhD, with the thesis entitled "Essays on the Role of Gamified Smartphone Applications for Physical Activity".
Research interests
Yanxiang is interested in consumers' physical activity management and associated behavior change, with a focus on the implementation of mHealth such as smartphone apps and activity wearables.
Publications
Publications in peer-reviewed journals
Seufert, Tamara, Yanxiang Yang, Iris Perey, and Joerg Koenigstorfer (2025): Fan Attitude toward Athlete Activism for Black Lives Matter, in: Journal of Sport & Social Issues, forthcoming.
Yang, Yanxiang, Joerg Koenigstorfer, and Tim Pawlowski (2024): Predicting Transfer Fees in Professional European Football before and during COVID-19 Using Machine Learning, in: European Sport Management Quarterly, Vol. 24, No. 3, 603-623. https://doi.org/10.1080/16184742.2022.2153898
Kær Thorsen, Ida, Yanxiang Yang, Laura Staun Valentiner, Charlotte Glümer, Kristian Karstoft, Jan Christian Brønd, Rasmus Østergaard Nielsen, Charlotte Brøns, Robin Christensen, Jens Steen Nielsen, Allan Vaag, Bente Klarlund Pedersen, Henning Langberg, and Mathias Ried-Larsen (2022): The Effects of a Lifestyle Intervention Supported by the InterWalk Smart-Phone Application on Increasing Physical Activity among Persons with Type 2 Diabetes: A Parallel-Group, Randomized Trial, in: Journal of Medical Internet Research mHealth and uHealth, Vol. 10, No. 9, e30602. https://doi.org/10.2196/30602
Yang, Yanxiang and Joerg Koenigstorfer (2022): Effects of Gamified Smartphone Apps on Physical Activity: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis, in: American Journal of Preventive Medicine, Vol. 62, No. 4, 602-613. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.amepre.2021.10.005
Behrens, Anton, Yanxiang Yang, and Sebastian Uhrich (2022): Keeping it Real or Bridging the Gap? Brand Positioning of US Sport Teams in Germany and China, in: Journal of Sport Management, Vol. 36, No. 2, 105-115. https://doi.org/10.1123/jsm.2020-0426
Huang, Tao, Kefeng Zheng, Shiyuan Li, Yanxiang Yang, Lingxuan Kong, and Ying Zhao (2022): Screen-Based Sedentary Behaviors but not Total Sedentary Time Are Associated with Anxiety among College Students, in: Frontiers in Public Health, Vol. 10, 994612. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpubh.2022.994612
Chen, Sitong, Jiani Ma, Jintao Hong, Cheng Chen, Yanxiang Yang, Zhen Yang, Peixuan Zheng, and Yiling Tang (2022): A Public Health Milestone: China Publishes new Physical Activity and Sedentary Behaviour Guidelines, in: Journal of Activity, Sedentary and Sleep Behaviors 1, 9. https://doi.org/10.1186/s44167-022-00009-x
Yang, Yanxiang and Joerg Koenigstorfer (2021): Determinants of Fitness App Usage and Moderating Impacts of Education-, Motivation-, and Gamification-related App Features on Physical Activity Intentions: A Cross-Sectional Survey, in: Journal of Medical Internet Research, Vol. 23, No. 7, e26063. https://doi.org/10.2196/26063
Yang, Yanxiang and Joerg Koenigstorfer (2020): Determinants of Physical Activity Maintenance during the Covid-19 Pandemic: A Focus on Fitness Apps, in: Translational Behavioral Medicine, 10(4), 835-842. https://doi.org/10.1093/tbm/ibaa086
Publications in conference proceedings
Yang, Yanxiang and Joerg Koenigstorfer (2023): Physical Activity Intentions depending on Individual Ranks in Smartphone App Leaderboards, in: Proceedings of the 31st European Sport Management Conference, Belfast 2023.
Yang, Yanxiang, Terri Byers, and Joerg Koenigstorfer (2022): Determinants of the Performance of Not-for-profit Sport Clubs: A Machine Learning Approach, in: Proceedings of the 30th European Sport Management Conference, Innsbruck, Austria.
Yang, Yanxiang and Joerg Koenigstorfer (2022): Accuracy of a Prediction Model of Transfer Fees for European Soccer Players Traded during the COVID-19 Pandemic, in: Proceedings of the North American Society for Sport Management Conference, Atlanta 2022.
Yang, Yanxiang and Joerg Koenigstorfer (2021): Determinants of Transfer Fees in Professional European Soccer, in: Proceedings of the 29th European Sport Management Virtual Conference.
Yang, Yanxiang and Joerg Koenigstorfer (2021): Effects of Gamified Smartphone Apps on Physical Activity: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis, in: Proceedings of the Nudges in Health Care Symposium (UPenn), May 2021.
Yang, Yanxiang and Joerg Koenigstorfer (2020): Pathways of How Fitness Apss Increase Physical Activity, in: Proceedings of the 28th European Sport Management Virtual Conference.