INTRODUCTION TO CORRELATES OF PHYSICAL ACTIVITY

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• Chapter 2
• INTRODUCTION TO CORRELATES OF PHYSICAL ACTIVITY
• THINGS THAT MIGHT BE RELATED TO BEING ACTIVE

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Chapter 2 AIMS

• to define motivation and its subcomponents
• to put psychological constructs into the wider
  context of different types of correlates of
  physical activity
• To understand descriptive approaches to
  motivation, including participation motives and
  reasons for ceasing participation, and barriers
  to physical activity
• to describe and comment on early approaches to
  the study of exercise and physical activity
  correlates.

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What is motivation?

• Direction (choice)
• Persistence
• Continuing motivation
• Intensity

Maehr Braskamp (1986)
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Descriptive approaches to the study of physical
activity motivation

• Motives for participation
• Barriers to participation

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Percentage reporting selected motivating factors
for participation from the EU
Note Data show average of 15 countries
(including the UK), and the UK separately (Zunft
et al., 1999).
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Motives for childrens physical activity

• Children aged 5-11 years are often physically
  active and are enthusiastic about activity
• They are motivated by enjoyment and social
  elements of participation
• For those aged 11-15 years, enjoyment is
  important
• This is enhanced when an element of choice is
  evident.
• Motives for weight control start to emerge in
  girls at this age.

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Barriers assessment in National Fitness Survey
for England (1992)

• Barrier
• PHYSICAL
• EMOTIONAL
• MOTIVATIONAL
• TIME
• AVAILABILITY

• Example
• Im too old
• Im not the sporty type
• I havent got the energy
• I havent got the time
• I cant afford it

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English men and women reporting selected physical
activity barriers
Data from Allied Dunbar National Fitness Survey,
1992
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Selected physical activity barriers for English
women Age differences
Data from Allied Dunbar National Fitness Survey,
1992
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Selected physical activity barriers for English
men Age differences
Data from Allied Dunbar National Fitness Survey,
1992
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Barriers Young people

• The decision to participate in PA is influenced
  by
• perceptions of competence
• by external constraints, such as money and
  opposite sex friends
• degree of support from significant others
• past experiences, including school PE.

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Barriers Young people

• The decision to participate in PA is influenced
  by
• Negative memories of school PE include feelings
  of boredom and incompetence, lack of choice, and
  negative evaluation from peers.
• Feelings of embarrassment in sport settings.
  These may be due to perceived incompetence or
  concerns over self-presentation associated with
  their physique during puberty.

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Barriers Children

• Time has been reported as a barrier for 5-11 year
  olds
• This may reflect less discretionary time being
  allowed by parents
• Environmental barriers, such as road traffic and
  fear of safety may be inter-related with such
  barriers

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Barriers Adolescent girls

• Time barriers
• School work
• Perceived effort required to be active.

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Correlates of one sedentary behaviour in
children TV viewing

• positive associations with TV viewing
• non-white ethnicity
• body weight
• between-meal snacking
• parents TV viewing habits
• Weekend
• having a TV in the bedroom.

Gorely et al., 2004
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Correlates of one sedentary behaviour in
children TV viewing

• negative associations with TV viewing
• parental income and education
• number of parents in the house.

Gorely et al., 2004
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Chapter 2 Conclusions 1

• only a minority of people in industrialised
  countries are sufficiently physically active to
  have a beneficial effect on their health
• This necessitates a greater understanding of the
  determinants (correlates) of involvement in
  exercise and physical activity, including
  motivation
• motivation involves different behaviours,
  including choice, persistence, continuing
  motivation, and intensity
• For children and youth common motives are fun,
  skill development, affiliation, fitness, success
  and challenge
• For adults, motives change across stages of the
  lifecycle.
• Younger adults are motivated more by challenge,
  skill development and fitness
• Older adults are more interested in participation
  for reasons of health, relaxation and enjoyment.

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Chapter 2 Conclusions 2

• key barriers are lack of time and, for young
  people, issues of safety and feelings of
  incompetence.
• correlates of sedentary behaviour in the form of
  TV viewing can be identified, but they are
  largely non-modifiable. TV viewing may be better
  studied alongside other sedentary and active
  behaviours rather than in isolation