Construing action abstractly and perceiving consonance among goal pursuits: Implications for activity substitutability and the accessibility of activity-goal links

Findings from five experiments show that high-level action construals, due to either increase in temporal distance or to self-regulatory mindsets, facilitate consonance among subjective evaluations of separable goal pursuits. In Experiments 1 and 2, evaluations of progress toward separable goals were more strongly related among participants in abstract-mindset and future-focus conditions than in concrete-mindset and present-focus conditions. Results of Experiments 3 and 4 were consistent with the proposal that modulating the accessibility of relations between one’s goals and one’s broader aims is the mechanism by which level of action construal impacts perceived goal correspondence. Finally, results of Experiment 5 show that viewing an activity as linked to one’s goals increases the activity’s perceived substitutability. Implications for action representation and self-concept structure are discussed.     

Construing action abstractly and blurring social distinctions: implications for perceiving homogeneity among,but also empathizing with and helping,others

Most people's actions serve goals that, defined abstractly enough, are quite similar to one another. The authors thus proposed, and found, that construing action in abstract (vs. concrete) terms relates to perceiving greater similarity among persons both within and across different social groups (Studies 1-3). By fostering perspective taking, viewing action abstractly also related to empathizing with and expressing willingness to help nonstigmatized and stigmatized others (e.g., AIDS patients; Studies 3-5) and to donating money to help those in need (Study 6). These findings held when controlling for ideological, motivational, and broad personality variables. Abstract action construals, then, appear to blur social distinctions, fostering perspective taking and empathy on the one hand but also perceptions of group homogeneity on the other.     

Perceived autonomy support,behavioural regulations in physical education and physical activity intention

ObjectivesThe purpose of this study was to examine the relationships between students' perceived autonomy support, behavioural regulations and their intentions to be physically active outside of school.MethodParticipants were 701 secondary school students aged between 13 and 17 years from Singapore. Questionnaires were used to assess perceived autonomy support, behavioural regulation, and intentions to be physically active outside school.ResultsResults supported the hypothesised model in that perceived autonomy support fosters more self-determined forms of behavioural regulations in PE. These forms of behavioural regulations in turn, enhanced more autonomous forms of intentions. The results also yielded an interesting finding that amotivation positively predicted students' intention to be physically active outside school.ConclusionThe findings highlight the importance of perceived autonomy support in fostering more self-determined forms of behavioural regulations in PE and intention to be physically active outside school.     

Theory of Planned Behavior: Implications for an email-based physical activity intervention

ObjectivesA 3-week study was conducted to determine the effect of persuasive messages sent via email on psychological constructs associated with Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB) and exercise behavior in sedentary college students (N=170).MethodsParticipants (105 M; 65 F; 94% Caucasian; 20.2±.9 years) completed the Godin Leisure Time Exercise Questionnaire (GLTEQ) and self-report measures of the TPB. Participants received persuasive messages every other day for 2 weeks. One randomly assigned group received positively framed messages (PFM; n=57); the other received negatively framed messages (NFM, n=57); and the control group (CG; n=56) received none. Participants completed the GLTEQ and TPB questionnaires following the 2-week treatment phase and again 1 week later.ResultsANCOVA results revealed that PFM reported higher exercise behavior levels than both NFM and CG at follow-up (p<.05) and retention (p<.05). For exercise intention, PFM and NFM reported significantly higher levels than CG at follow-up (p<.05), while PFM reported higher levels than NFM and CG at retention (p<.05). Also, pairwise comparisons revealed higher intention levels for NFM compared to CG at retention (p<.05). PFM reported higher levels of affective attitude compared to CG at follow-up (p<.05) and retention (p<.05), while NFM reported higher levels than CG at follow-up (p<.05). For instrumental attitude, all three groups were statistically different (p<.05) at retention (PFM>NFM, NFM>CG, PFM>CG).ConclusionsOnly positively framed persuasive messages sent via email improved exercise behavior. Both types of messages affected attitude, and intention in sedentary young adults. This research provides useful information for creating interventions to enhance exercise adherence.     

Spontaneous and experimentally induced action planning and coping planning for physical activity: A meta-analysis

ObjectivesThe main objective of this review was to provide summary effects for spontaneous and experimentally induced action planning (AP) and coping planning (CP) for physical activity (PA). These summary effects were then used to test key theoretical postulates using meta-analytic path analysis, and examine possible boundary conditions via moderation analyses.DesignThis review employed a quantitative research synthesis design.MethodUsing the method of Lipsey and Wilson (2001), fixed- and random-effects meta-analysis was performed on over 150 effect sizes from 23 correlational and 21 experimental studies. The method of Viswesvaran and Ones (1995) was used to test two mediation models using the correlational meta-analytic data. Group comparisons and meta-regression were used to test moderation.ResultsAmong the correlational studies, findings indicated a medium-to-large summary effect of spontaneous AP (φ = .41) and CP (φ = .38) on PA. Among the experimental studies, results revealed a small-to-medium summary effect (φ = .24) when comparing all experimental conditions versus all controls and a medium-to-large summary effect (φ = .37) when comparing purely planning conditions versus neutral controls. Support was found for AP and CP as partial mediators in the relation between intention and PA. Numerous significant moderators emerged.ConclusionThis review offers the first meta-analytic estimates of both spontaneous and experimentally induced AP and CP for PA, while supporting the role of both spontaneous AP and CP as mediators in both a multiple and sequential mediation model. Relevant moderators will serve to inform future research in this area.     

Cross-cultural mind reading: Construing shelter for the outback

Just for living: Aboriginal perceptions of housing in northwest australia by Helen Ross Canberra: Aboriginal Studies Press, 1977     

Carry-over effect between diet and physical activity: the bottom-up and top-down hypotheses of hierarchical self-efficacy

Healthy diet and physical activity have consistently been found to be positively correlated; however, most health behavior theories are focused on regulation of changes in single, rather than multiple, behaviors. Thus, this study explored the mechanism of the carry-over effect between diet and physical activity by conducting a longitudinal study with 706 participants to test the bottom-up and top-down hypotheses of hierarchical self-efficacy (SE). At Time 1 (baseline) and Time 3 (4 weeks after baseline), dietary behavior, physical activity, and self-efficacies of these behaviors (at the contextual level) were measured, while at Time 2 (2 weeks after baseline), general SE (at the general level) was assessed. Mediation analysis and structural equation models supported both the bottom-up and top-down hypotheses for different levels of self-efficacies, suggesting that hierarchical SE is an important factor underlying the carry-over mechanism between diet and physical activity.     

Resources for health: a primary-care-based diet and physical activity intervention targeting urban Latinos with multiple chronic conditions.

OBJECTIVE: The Resources for Health trial evaluates a social-ecologically based lifestyle (physical activity and diet) intervention targeting low-income, largely Spanish-speaking patients with multiple chronic conditions. DESIGN: A randomized controlled trial was conducted with 200 patients recruited from an urban community health center and assigned to intervention and usual care conditions. Intervention involved 2 face-to-face, self-management support and community linkage sessions with a health educator, 3 follow-up phone calls, and 3 tailored newsletters. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Primary outcomes measured at 6-months were changes in dietary behavior and physical activity. Changes in multilevel support for healthy living were evaluated as a secondary outcome. RESULTS: After adjustment for age, sex, language, and number of chronic conditions, significant intervention effects were observed for dietary behavior and multilevel support for healthy lifestyles but not for physical activity. CONCLUSION: The Resources for Health intervention provides an effective and practical model for improving health behavior among low-income, Spanish-speaking patients with multiple chronic conditions.     

Attributions for physical activity in very old adults: predicting everyday physical activity and mortality risk

Objectives: Although physical activity is recognised as a health-promoting behaviour for older adults, notable barriers exist that may reduce physical activity in this age group. Limited research has explored causal beliefs (attributions) as a barrier to physical activity. Our study assessed associations between older adults’ attributions about physical activity and objective health outcomes. Methods: We examined the role of attributions as a predictor of everyday physical activity (EPA) and subsequent mortality risk over a 10-year period (2006–2016) in a sample of older adults (M_age?=?87, N?=?261). Results: OLS and Cox proportional hazard regression analyses revealed older adults who endorsed more internal and uncontrollable attributions for limited activity (physical incapacity) when feeling unwell had lower subsequent EPA (β?=??0.18), and higher 10-year mortality risk (HR?=?1.46). Other attributions with different dimensional properties (e.g. internal and controllable) were not associated with EPA or mortality. Discussion: Findings suggest that causal beliefs older adults have about their physical activity can influence their future behaviour and longevity. Psychological treatments designed to discourage maladaptive attributional thinking for older populations who face barriers to physical activity may be an important avenue for future research.     

Clustering of diet,physical activity and smoking and a general willingness to change

Addressing multiple health behaviours are important in preventing disease and mortality. The present study investigated the clustering of health behaviours, cognitive determinants and stages of change in 2827 adults for the lifestyle factors of physical activity, fruit, vegetable and fat consumption and smoking. The results showed that only 3% of the total population met recommended guidelines for all of the five behaviours. Behaviours were found to be weakly associated. Behaviour-specific cognitions and stages of change for the behaviours clustered more strongly, however. With respect to diet and physical activity, respondents in the preparation stage for one behaviour were likely also to be preparing to change another behaviour. Possible mechanisms for the apparent general willingness to change multiple behaviours are discussed, as well as potential implications for health promotion practice.     

Coach autonomy support predicts autonomous motivation and daily moderate-to-vigorous physical activity and sedentary time in youth sport participants

ObjectiveGuided by self-determination theory (Deci & Ryan, 1987), this study tested a trans-contextual model linking perceptions of the social environment created by the youth sport coach to levels of autonomous and controlled motivation, and objectively measured daily moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) and sedentary time (ST) in young football players.DesignThe study employed a cross-sectional design, assessing physical activity using accelerometers.Method105 male youth sport footballers (M age = 12.79 ± 1.85 years) wore a GT3X accelerometer for 7 days. Measures of height and weight were recorded. Participants completed a multi-section questionnaire assessing perceptions of autonomy support and controlling coaching behaviours, and motivation toward their participation in sport and physically active games.ResultsPath analysis supported a model in which players’ perceptions of coach-provided autonomy support positively predicted autonomous motivation for sport engagement. In turn, autonomous motivation was positively associated with MVPA, and negatively related to ST (min/day). Controlling coach behaviours were positively linked to controlled motivation. However, controlled motivation for sport and physically active games was unrelated to daily MVPA and ST. Perceptions of coach-provided autonomy support had a significant positive indirect effect on daily MVPA, and a significant negative indirect effect on daily ST.ConclusionsResults suggest that autonomy supportive coach behaviours are related to daily physical activity patterns in young male footballers. Theory-based interventions that aim to encourage autonomy supportive coaching, and subsequently foster autonomous reasons for sport engagement, may enhance the potential of youth sport for increasing daily MVPA and reducing ST among children and adolescents active in this setting     

The physical self-concept across childhood: Measurement development and meaning for physical activity

The physical self-concept is considered a significant predictor of physical activity and persistence in childhood and youth. Based on Shavelson, Stanton, and Hubner's (1976) hierarchical structure of self-concept, several approaches have been developed to measure physical self-perception. A multi-dimensional fitness-based approach by Marsh (1990) shows a valid method for measuring physical self-concept in all age groups from 8 years old to adulthood. Furthermore, following standard childhood fitness test dimensions, instruments have been developed for middle to late childhood (Dreiskämper, Tietjens, Honemann, Naul, & Freund, 2015a) and early childhood (Tietjens et al., 2018). However, based on Harter's (1980) approach of a more global and general skills-summarizing self-perception profile, other studies – preliminary coming from a motor development perspective – focused on measuring children's self-perception based on fundamental movement skills such as object control, locomotion, and stability. In this line, Estevan and Barnett (2018) proposed an adaption of Fox and Corbin's (1989) model. However, several research questions have remained unanswered because these different research directions have not been integrated yet: 1) How is the physical self-concept in childhood constructed, and how can it be measured? 2) How does the physical self-concept develop across childhood (and is this consistent with the assumptions about the self-concept as defined by Shavelson et al., 1976)? And 3) What is the role of physical self-concept in behavior (i.e., PA) and its antecedents in childhood (and how)? The purpose of this discussion paper is to address these three more or less open questions from a self-concept research perspective. To this end, the models of Shavelson et al. (1976) and Marsh (1990) will be drawn upon to integrate the recent research developments into a new classification of the physical self-concept and its development throughout childhood.     

Motivating exercise: The interactive effect of general action goals and past behavior on physical activity

Although exercise is recognized as a powerful tool to combat obesity, remarkably few US adults pursue adequate amounts of exercise, with one major impediment being a lack of motivation for active behaviors. Recent empirical work has demonstrated that behavior can be guided by goals to be generally active or inactive. In the present paper, an experiment is presented in which participants played or observed a video game, were primed with action or inaction goals, and practiced a stretching exercise for as long as desired. Exposure to environmental action cues led to increased time spent exercising. This effect was moderated by past behavior, such that individuals who had just engaged in an active task (played a videogame) were insensitive to attempts to motivate general action. This suggests that the effectiveness of attempts to motivate activity (??just do it??, ??be active??) hinges on the recent past-behavior of the targeted individuals. An implication of this work is that participation in certain leisure activities, such as playing videogames, may be causally related to a lack of motivation for exercise.     

Making plans for healthy diet: The role of motivation and action orientation

The main objective of the present study was to examine the role of motivation and action orientation in forming spontaneous (i.e., without specific instruction or manipulation) implementation intentions for a healthy diet goal. We hypothesized that (1) the adoption of a diet goal would be determined by (either intrinsic or extrinsic) motivation only whereas, (2) forming implementation intentions would be determined by intrinsic motivation and (either low or high) action orientation. These hypotheses were addressed in a sample of 142 normal weight subjects who were concerned about their dietary habits. Primary outcomes were goal intentions and implementation intentions. Our hypothesis regarding the prediction of goal intentions was confirmed whereas results relating to the prediction of implementation intentions demonstrated that intrinsic motivation and low (but not high) action orientation proved significant predictors of intentions to implement a healthy diet goal. These findings suggest that self‐regulatory skills as assessed by the concept of action orientation may relate to short‐term strategies of initiating behavior change only. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Using national survey data incorporating the theory of planned behavior: Implications for social marketing strategies in physical activity

Abstract

This paper illustratesthe potential use of the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB) as a guiding fiamework for the conduct of population based survey research to develop strategies to promote physical activity involvement in various market segments. The Campbell's Survey of Well-Being (1988), a nation-Wide representative study of the Canadian population incorporated a modified operationali- zation of the TPB Pertainingto intended involvement in regularphysical activity. The theory was found to be generally effitive in munting for intentions in the general population (Rz= .32)as well as in various age and gender subgroups. Whereas, neither the model's direct predictors of intentions (e.g., attitudes, sub jective normdsocial support, perceived behavioral control) nor the indirect predictors (e.g., the beliefs underlying these predictors) varied consistently across gender, a number of age-related differenceswere observed. These differencesare used to exemplify how population-based data utilizing the TPB can be utilized to develop promotional and programming implications for fostering greater physical activity involvement in various ag-ender market segments.     

Movement competence: Association with physical self-efficacy and physical activity

BackgroundThe purpose of this paper was to investigate whether physical self-efficacy mediates the relationship between movement competence (fundamental movement skills and perceived movement skill competence) and physical activity in children.MethodsA purposive sample of 860 children (47.7% female, 10.9 ± 1.16 years) were recruited and completed assessments for physical self-efficacy (Physical Activity Self-Efficacy Scale), fundamental movement skills (Test of Gross Motor Development-3), perceived movement skill competence (Pictorial Scale of Perceived Movement Skill Competence), and physical activity (PACE+). A bootstrap mediation analysis was employed using movement competence as the predictor variable and physical activity as the outcome variable, and physical self-efficacy as the potential mediator of the relationship.ResultsThe results from a bootstrap mediation analysis yielded a statistically significant mediation effect for physical self-efficacy, with the entire model explaining approximately 10.3% of the variance of physical activity. The indirect effect of perceived movement skill competence through physical self-efficacy was significantly larger than the indirect effect of fundamental movement skills through physical self-efficacy. Neither sex nor age acted as a covariate.ConclusionMovement competence (fundamental movement skills and perceived movement skill competence) acts as a source of information for children's physical self-efficacy, moreover physical self-efficacy mediates the movement competence – PA relationship. Findings highlight the need for interventions to target and improve movement competence as a whole for children.     

Sources of autonomy support,subjective vitality and physical activity behaviour associated with participation in a lunchtime walking intervention for physically inactive adults

ObjectivesBased on Basic Needs Theory (BNT: Deci & Ryan, 1985), this study examined longitudinal relationships between autonomy support from two sources, psychological need satisfaction, subjective vitality and self-reported physical activity during a walking intervention for physically inactive adults. We proposed that autonomy support provided via a walk leader and the overall programme would independently predict change in subjective vitality and physical activity from baseline to week 16 (post-intervention) and at four month follow-up. Further, we proposed that direct relationships among sources of autonomy support and outcomes would be mediated by autonomy, relatedness, and competence need satisfaction.DesignA longitudinal examination.MethodsParticipants (N = 69; n = 63 females, n = 6 males) from a 16-week walking programme completed a multi-section questionnaire measuring the aforementioned variables at three time points, including a four month post-intervention follow-up.ResultsBoth hypotheses were partly supported. Autonomy support from the walk leader positively predicted changes in subjective vitality from baseline to week 16 and in physical activity from baseline to follow-up. Autonomy support from the programme positively predicted changes in subjective vitality from baseline to week 16. Finally, autonomy gained from the walk leader mediated the relationship between autonomy support and subjective vitality, and between perceived autonomy support and physical activity.ConclusionsFindings indicate that autonomy support from both a walk leader and wider programme can predict psychological need satisfaction, subjective vitality and physical activity. Clinicians and researchers implementing future walking interventions may increase physical activity and subjective vitality by facilitating psychological need satisfaction through autonomy support from both sources.