Physical Activity: Theories and Influences

• Physical activity involves any bodily movement produced by skeletal muscles resulting in energy expenditure.
• Sedentary activity includes any waking behavior with an energy expenditure of ≤1.5 METs while sitting, reclining, or lying.
• A MET (Metabolic Equivalent of Task) of ≤1.5 while seated, lying, or reclining indicates sedentary activity.

Theory of Planned Behavior

• Intentions are the strongest predictor of physical activity.
• Intentions are influenced by attitudes, subjective norms, and perceived behavioral control.
• Attitudes relate to how favorable or unfavorable someone views physical activity.
• Subjective norms involve social pressures from important people regarding physical activity.
• Perceived behavioral control refers to how easy or difficult a person believes it is to be active.
• Interventions aim to change attitudes, social norms, and perceived behavioral control to strengthen intentions for being physically active.

Social Cognitive Theory

• Self-efficacy (confidence in one’s ability) is a key predictor of physical activity.
• Sources of Self-Efficacy include past performance accomplishments, social persuasion, vicarious experiences, and interpretation of physiological & affective states.
• Past performance accomplishments are previous successes in physical activities.
• Social persuasion involves encouragement from others.
• Vicarious experiences include watching others succeed in activity.
• Interpretation of physiological & affective states means understanding bodily responses like fatigue or enjoyment.

Self-Determination Theory

• Three basic psychological needs influence motivation: autonomy, competence, and relatedness.
• Autonomy is the feeling of being in control of one's actions.
• Competence is the feeling of being capable of performing physical activity.
• Relatedness means feeling connected to others while being active.
• Types of motivation include amotivation, controlled motivation, and self-determined motivation.
• Amotivation refers to having no motivation to be physically active.
• Controlled motivation means engaging in activity due to external pressures.
• Self-determined motivation means engaging in activity because of personal value or enjoyment.

Predicting Sedentary Behavior

• The Ecological Model explains four domains of sedentary behavior: domestic, occupation, transport, and leisure.
• The domestic domain includes time spent sitting at home.
• The occupation domain includes time spent sitting at work/school.
• The transport domain includes time spent sitting in cars, buses, etc.
• The leisure domain includes sitting while watching TV, using computers, or reading.

Correlates of Physical Activity and Sedentary Behavior

• Physical activity declines with age.
• Self-efficacy is a strong predictor of engagement in physical activity.
• Socioeconomic status affects access to physical activity opportunities.
• Peers can discourage PA through teasing or lack of support.
• Social relationships encourage PA through accountability and shared activity.
• Walkability and infrastructure impact activity levels.
• Weather can either encourage or limit outdoor activity.

Dual-Process Models of Behavior

• Human behavior is influenced by two systems: reflective and reflexive.
• The reflective system involves deliberate thought, conscious awareness, and planned decision-making.
• Social-cognitive theories fit within the reflective system, studying how individuals reflect on and plan physical activity behavior.
• The reflexive system operates automatically, often unconsciously, and influences behavior through habits, implicit attitudes, and automatic evaluations.

Application to Physical Activity and Sedentary Behavior

• Engaging in exercise often requires reflective processing, involving consciously setting goals and planning workouts.
• Reflexive processes influence PA behavior through positive past experiences or automatic habits, like always taking the stairs.
• Sedentary behavior is often guided by reflexive processes because it does not require deliberate planning.
• People may automatically default to sitting for long periods due to habits, environmental cues, or social norms.

Research Supporting Dual-Process Models

• Reflexive processes, such as implicit attitudes and habitual responses, contribute significantly to PA and SB.
• Studies show that automatic associations with PA (e.g., enjoyment, discomfort) impact activity choices.
• Approach-avoidance tendencies play a role, where individuals with negative past experiences tend to avoid PA.

Interventions Based on Dual-Process Models

• Computer-based conditioning tasks can alter automatic evaluations of exercise, potentially increasing PA engagement.
• Training interventions focused on modifying reflexive processes may be more effective in reducing sedentary behavior. They target ingrained habits rather than just encouraging conscious decisions.

Personality & Physical Activity

• The Five Factor Model (FFM) suggests that personality traits influence PA levels.
• The traits are: Extraversion, Neuroticism, Conscientiousness, Openness, and Agreeableness.
• Extraversion is linked to being more social, energetic, and active.
• Extraverts are social, energetic, active, and thrill-seeking.
• Introverts prefer solitude and have lower energy for social settings.
• Neuroticism is linked to inactivity.
• Neurotic individuals experience anxiety, stress, and emotional instability.
• Emotionally stable individuals have resilience, calmness, and better PA adherence.
• High conscientiousness correlates with regular PA.
• Conscientious individuals are organized, disciplined, and goal-oriented.
• Undirected individuals are less structured and spontaneous.
• Openness means individuals are inclined toward diverse PA experiences.
• Open-minded individuals are curious, creative, seeking new experiences.
• Closed-minded individuals prefer routine and resist new experiences.
• Agreeableness has less impact on PA behavior.
• Agreeable individuals are cooperative and empathetic, more likely to engage in group PA.
• Antagonistic individuals are competitive and less teamwork-oriented.

How These Traits Relate to PA Participation

• Extraverts are more likely to enjoy social and energetic physical activities.
• Neurotic individuals may avoid PA due to anxiety or stress.
• Conscientious individuals are more likely to adhere to a structured PA routine.
• Open individuals might be drawn to novel or outdoor activities.

Body Image & Physical Activity

• Body image constructs include perceptions of appearance and functionality.
• Positive body image often leads to motivation for physical activity.
• Negative body image can result in body dysmorphia, eating disorders, or exercise avoidance.

Positive & Negative Facets of Body Image

• Body image investment reflects how much one values their body’s appearance or function.
• Body image internalization is adopting societal beauty standards.
• Body image pathologies are disorders related to extreme body image concerns.

Body Image Disorders

• Body dysmorphia is an obsession with perceived flaws in appearance.
• Muscle dysmorphia is an obsession with muscle size and leanness.
• Bulimia features binge eating followed by purging.
• Anorexia features extreme food restriction.
• Binge eating is uncontrolled excessive eating.

How Body Image Develops

• Three primary social influences are parents, peers, and media.
• Parents influence body perception from childhood.
• Peers influence body image through comparison and social pressures.
• Media influences body image through unrealistic portrayals.

Mechanisms Linking PA and Body Image

• These include perceptions, efficacy, and motivation.
• Efficacy refers to confidence in achieving fitness goals.
• Motivation can be controlled (external) or autonomous (internal).

Individual Differences in Body Image

• Body image concerns change over time with age.
• Women may experience more pressure for thinness, men for muscularity.
• Cultural norms influence body ideals (race/ethnicity/culture).
• LGBTQ+ individuals may experience unique body image challenges.

Understand physical and sedentary activities defined by energy expenditure. Explore the Theory of Planned Behavior, where intentions are the strongest predictor. Also examine Social Cognitive Theory focusing on self-efficacy as a key factor.