Motivational Correlates of Exercise Behavior Among College Students
Main Article Content
Abstract
The purpose of this research was to explore the relations between basic psychological needs satisfaction (autonomy, relatedness, perceived competence), intrinsic motivation, attraction toward exercise, and exercise behavior among college students. In this study, 128 participants (including 91 women and 36 men, mean age: 24 ± 7 years) responded to a questionnaire assessing basic psychological needs satisfaction (autonomy, competence, relatedness), intrinsic motivation, attraction (vs. antipathy) toward exercise, and exercise behavior. Frequency of aerobic exercise, frequency of resistance exercise, and total aerobic exercise behavior are positively associated with autonomy, competence, relatedness, intrinsic motivation, and attraction toward exercise. Three exploratory mediation analyses suggest that attraction (vs. antipathy) toward exercise mediates the relation between intrinsic motivation and exercise behavior. Taken together, these data support and extend previous research on the importance of motivationally relevant variables, including autonomy, competence, relatedness, intrinsic motivation, and affective exercise experiences.
Metrics
Article Details
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
Authors retain the copyright of their manuscripts, and all Open Access articles are distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC-BY 4.0), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided that the original work is properly cited.
References
Bennie, J. A., De Cocker, K., Teychenne, M. J., Brown, W. J., & Biddle, S. J. H. (2019). The
epidemiology of aerobic physical activity and muscle-strengthening activity guideline adherence among 383,928 U.S. adults. International Journal of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity, 16, 34. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12966-019-0797-2
Brand, R., & Ekkekakis, P. (2018) Affective–Reflective Theory of physical inactivity and
exercise. German Journal of Exercise and Sport Research, 48, 48–58. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12662-017-0477-9
Bugge, A., Möller, S., Westfall, D. R., Tarp, J., Gejl, A. K., Wedderkopp, N., & Hillman, C. H.
(2018). Associations between waist circumference, metabolic risk, and executive function in adolescents: A cross-sectional mediation analysis. PLoS ONE, 13(6), e1099281. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0199281
Callaghan, P., Khalil, E., Morres, I., & Carter, T. (2011). Pragmatic randomised controlled trial
of preferred intensity exercise in women living with depression. BMC Public Health, 11(1), 1-8. https://doi.org/10.1186/1471-2458-11-465
Chan, D. K., Lonsdale, C., Ho, P. Y., Yung, P. S., & Chan, K. M. (2009). Patient motivation and adherence to postsurgery rehabilitation exercise recommendations: The influence of physiotherapists’ autonomy-supportive behaviors. Archives of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, 90(12), 1977-1982. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.apmr.2009.05.024
Chen, B., Vansteenkiste, M., Beyers, W., Boone, L., Deci, E. L., Van der Kaap-Deeder, J., Duriez, B., Lens, W., Matos, L., Mouratidis, A., Ryan, R. M., Sheldon, K. M., Soenens, B., Van Petegem, S., & Verstuyf, J. (2015). Basic psychological need satisfaction, need frustration, and need strength across four cultures. Motivation and Emotion, 39, 216-236. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11031-014-9450-1
Chemolli, E., & Gagné, M. (2014). Evidence against the continuum structure underlying motivation measures derived from self-determination theory. Psychological Assessment, 26(2), 575–585. https://doi.org/10.1037/a0036212
Craig, C. L., Marshall, A. L., Sjöström, M, M., Bauman, A. E., Booth, M. L., Ainsworth, B. E., Pratt, M., Ekelund, U., Yngve, A., Sallis, J. F., & Oja, P. (2003). International physical activity questionnaire: 12-country reliability and validity: Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise, 35(8), 1381–1395. https://doi.org/10.1249/01.MSS.0000078924.61453.FB
Conroy, D. E., & Berry, T. R. (2017). Automatic affective evaluations of physical activity. Exercise and Sport Sciences Reviews, 45(4), 230–237. https://doi.org/10.1249/JES.0000000000000120
Diehl, K., Fuchs, A. K., Rathmann, K., & Hilger-Kolb, J. (2018). Students’ motivation for sport activity and participation in university sports: A mixed-methods study. BioMed Research International, 2018, 1–7. https://doi.org/10.1155/2018/9524861
Disabato, D. (2016, May 22). The double standard against cross-sectional mediation. David Disabato. http://www.daviddisabato.com/blog/2016/5/22/the-double-standard-against-cross-sectional-mediation
Dukes, D., Abrams, K., Adolphs, R., Ahmed, M. E., Beatty, A., Berridge, K. C., Broomhall, S., Brosch, T., Campos, J. J., Clay, Z., Clément, F., Cunningham, W. A., Damasio, A., Damasio, H., D'Arms, J., Davidson, J. W., de Gelder, B., Deonna, J., de Sousa, R., Ekman, P., … Sander, D. (2021). The rise of affectivism. Nature Human Behaviour, 5(7), 816–820. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41562-021-01130-8
Ekkekakis, P. (2017). People have feelings! Exercise psychology in a paradigmatic transition. Current Opinion in Psychology, 16, 84-88. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.copsyc.2017.03.018
Ekkekakis, P., & Zenko, Z. (2016). Escape from cognitivism: Exercise as hedonic experience. In M. Raab, P. Wylleman, R. Seiler, A.-M. Elbe, & A. Hatzigeorgiadis (Eds.), Sport and exercise psychology research: From theory to practice (pp. 389–414). Elsevier Academic Press. https://doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-12-803634-1.00018-2
Ekkekakis, P., Zenko, Z., & Vazou, S. (2021). Do you find exercise pleasant or unpleasant? The Affective Exercise Experiences (AFFEXX) questionnaire. Psychology of Sport and Exercise, 55, 101930. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.psychsport.2021.101930
Fairchild, A. J., & McDaniel, H. (2017). Best (but oft-forgotten) practices: Mediation analysis. The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 105(6), 1259-1271. https://doi.org/10.3945/ajcn.117.152546
Gallucci, M. (2020). jAMM: jamovi Advanced Mediation Models. [jamovi module]. Retrieved from https://jamovi-amm.github.io/.
Gao, Z., Podlog, L. W., & Harrison, L. (2012). College students’ goal orientations, situational motivation and effort/persistence in physical activity classes. Journal of Teaching in Physical Education, 31(3), 246–260. https://doi.org/10.1123/jtpe.31.3.246
Hagger, M. S., Hardcastle, S. J., Chater, A., Mallett, C., Pal, S., & Chatzisarantis, N. L. (2014). Autonomous and controlled motivational regulations for multiple health-related behaviors: between- and within-participants analyses. Health Psychology and Behavioral Medicine, 2(1), 565–601. https://doi.org/10.1080/21642850.2014.912945
Hayes, A. F., & Rockwood, N. J. (2020). Conditional process analysis: Concepts, computation, and advances in the modeling of the contingencies of mechanisms. American Behavioral Scientist, 64(1), 19-54. https://doi.org/10.1177/0002764219859633
Lakens, D. (2022). Sample size justification. Collabra: Psychology, 8(1), 33267. https://doi.org/10.1525/collabra.33267
Lavie, C. J., Ozemek, C., Carbone, S., Katzmarzyk, P. T., & Blair, S. N. (2019). Sedentary behavior, exercise, and cardiovascular health. Circulation Research, 124(5), 799–815. https://doi.org/10.1161/CIRCRESAHA.118.312669
Lauderdale, M. E., Yli-Piipari, S., Irwin, C. C., & Layne, T. E. (2015). Gender differences regarding motivation for physical activity among college students: A self-determination approach. The Physical Educator, 72, 153-172 https://doi.org/10.18666/TPE-2015-V72-I5-4682
Lee, I-M., Shiroma, E. J., Lobelo, F., Puska, P., Blair, S. N., & Katzmarzyk, P. T. (2012). Impact
of physical inactivity on the world’s non-communicable diseases. Lancet, 380(9838), 219-229.
Leyton-Román, M., Núñez, J. L., & Jiménez-Castuera, R. (2020). The importance of supporting student autonomy in physical education classes to improve intention to be physically active. Sustainability, 12(10), 1-14. https://doi.org/10.3390/su12104251
Maltagliati, S., Sarrazin, P., Fessler, L., Lebreton, M., & Cheval, B. (in press). Why people should run after positive affective experiences instead of health benefits? Journal of Sport and Health Science, S2095-2546(22)00105-3.
https://doi-org.falcon.lib.csub.edu/10.1016/j.jshs.2022.10.005
Markland, D., & Tobin, V. (2004). A modification to the behavioural regulation in exercise questionnaire to include an assessment of amotivation. Journal of Sport and Exercise Psychology, 26(2), 191–196. https://doi.org/10.1123/jsep.26.2.191
Meh, K., Jurak, G., Sorić, M., Rocha, P., & Sember, V. (2021). Validity and reliability of IPAQ-SF and GPAQ for assessing sedentary behaviour in adults in the European Union: A systematic review and meta-analysis. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 18(9), 1-17. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph18094602
Ntoumanis, N. (2005). A prospective study of participation in optional school physical education using a self-determination theory framework. Journal of Educational Psychology, 97(3), 444–453. https://doi.org/10.1037/0022-0663.97.3.444
Quested, E., Kritz, M., Hancox, J. E., Ntoumanis, N., & Thøgersen-Ntoumani, C. (2021). Promoting self-determined motivation for physical activity: From theory to intervention work. In Z. Zenko & L. Jones (Eds.), Essentials of exercise and sport psychology: An open access textbook (pp. 37-61). Society for Transparency, Openness, and Replication in Kinesiology. https://doi.org/10.51224/B1003
R Core Team (2021). R: A Language and environment for statistical computing. (Version 4.1) [Computer software]. Retrieved from https://cran.r-project.org. (R packages retrieved from MRAN snapshot 2022-01-01).
Rhodes, R. E., & Kates, A. (2015). Can the affective response to exercise predict future motives and physical activity behavior? A systematic review of published evidence. Annals of Behavioral Medicine, 49(5), 715–731. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12160-015-9704-5
Rosseel, Y. (2019). lavaan: An R Package for Structural Equation Modeling. Journal of Statistical Software, 48(2), 1-36. http://www.jstatsoft.org/v48/i02/
Ryan, R. M., & Deci, E. L. (2000). Self-Determination theory and the facilitation of intrinsic motivation, social development, and well-being. American Psychologist, 55(4), 68-78.
Ryan, R. M., & Deci, E. L. (2017). Self-determination theory: Basic psychological needs in motivation, development, and wellness. The Guilford Press.
Samendinger, S., & Hill, C. R. (2021). Exercise schema and motivational regulation of college students: A person-centered analysis. Psychology of Sport and Exercise, 54, 101921. https://doi-org.falcon.lib.csub.edu/10.1016/j.psychsport.2021.101921
Sebire, S. J., Standage, M., & Vansteenkiste, M. (2009). Examining intrinsic versus extrinsic exercise goals: cognitive, affective, and behavioral outcomes. Journal of Sport & Exercise Psychology, 31(2), 189–210. https://doi.org/10.1123/jsep.31.2.189
Soetaert, K. (2019). diagram: Functions for Visualising Simple Graphs (Networks), Plotting Flow Diagrams. [R package]. Retrieved from https://cran.r-project.org/package=diagram.
Sylvester, B. D., Standage, M., Ark, T. K., Sweet, S. N., Crocker, P. R. E., Zumbo, B. D., & Beauchamp, M. R. (2014a). Is variety a spice of (an active) life?: Perceived variety, exercise behavior, and the mediating role of autonomous motivation. Journal of Sport and Exercise Psychology, 36(5), 516–527. https://doi.org/10.1123/jsep.2014-0102
Sylvester, B. D., Standage, M., Dowd, A. J., Martin, L. J., Sweet, S. N., & Beauchamp, M. R. (2014b). Perceived variety, psychological needs satisfaction and exercise-related well-being. Psychology & Health, 29(9), 1044–1061. https://doi.org/10.1080/08870446.2014.907900
Teixeira, P. J., Carraça, E. V., Markland, D., Silva, M. N., & Ryan, R. M. (2012). Exercise, physical activity, and self-determination theory: A systematic review. International Journal of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity, 9(78), 1-30.
The jamovi project (2022). jamovi. (Version 2.3) [Computer Software]. Retrieved from https://www.jamovi.org.
Thoemmes, F. (2015). Reversing arrows in mediation models does not distinguish plausible models. Basic and Applied Social Psychology, 37, 226-234. http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/01973533.2015.1049351
Troiano, R. P., Berrigan, D., Dodd, K. W., Mâsse, L. C., Tilert, T., & McDowell, M. (2008). Physical activity in the United States measured by accelerometer. Medicine and science in sports and exercise, 40(1), 181–188. https://doi.org/10.1249/mss.0b013e31815a51b3
Vancini, R. L., Rayes, A. B. R., Lira, C. A. B. de, Sarro, K. J., & Andrade, M. S. (2017). Pilates and aerobic training improve levels of depression, anxiety and quality of life in overweight and obese individuals. Arquivos de Neuro-Psiquiatria, 75(12), 850–857. https://doi.org/10.1590/0004-282x20170149
Verloigne, M., Bourdauduij, I. D., Tanghe, A., D’Hondt, E., Theuwis, L., Vansteenkiste, M., & Deforche, B. (2011). Self-determined motivation towards physical activity in adolescents treated for obesity: An observational study. International Journal of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity, 8, 97. https://doi.org/10.1186/1479-5868-8-97
Vlachopoulos, S., P. & Neikou, E. (2006). A prospective study of the relationships of autonomy, competence, and relatedness with exercise attendance, adherence, and dropout. The Journal of Sports Medicine and Physical Fitness, 47(4). 475-482.
Vlachopoulos, S. P., Ntoumanis, N., & Smith, A. L. (2010). The basic psychological needs in exercise scale: Translation and evidence for cross‐cultural validity. International Journal of Sport and Exercise Psychology, 8(4), 394–412. https://doi.org/10.1080/1612197X.2010.9671960
Wallhead, T. L., Garn, A. C., & Vidoni, C. (2014). Effect of a sport education program on motivation for physical education and leisure-time physical activity. Research Quarterly for Exercise and Sport, 85(4), 478–487. https://doi.org/10.1080/02701367.2014.961051
Weman-Josefsson, K., Lindwall, M., & Ivarsson, A. (2015). Need satisfaction, motivational regulations and exercise: Moderation and mediation effects. International Journal of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity, 12(1), 67. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12966-015-0226-0
Wilson, P. M., & Rogers, W. M. (2004). The relationship between perceived autonomy support, exercise regulations and behavioral intentions in women. Psychology of Sport and Exercise, 5(3), 229-242. https://doi.org/10.1016/S1469-0292(03)00003-7
Wilson, P. M., Rogers, W. M., Fraser, S. N., & Murray, T. C. (2004). Relationships between exercise regulatiosn and motivational consequences in university students. Research Quarterly for Exercise and Sport, 75(1), 81-91. https://doi.org/10.1080/02701367.2004.10609136
Wilson, P. M., Sabiston, C. M., Mack, D. E., & Blanchard, C. M. (2012). On the nature and
function of scoring protocols used in exercise motivation research: An empirical study of the behavioral regulation in exercise questionnaire. Psychology of Sport and Exercise, 13, 614-622. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.psychsport.2012.03.009
Zenko, Z., Willis, E. A., & White, D. A. (2019). Proportion of adults meeting the 2018 Physical
Activity Guidelines for Americans according to accelerometers. Frontiers in Public Health, 7, 135. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpubh.2019.00135