Exercise Psychology - Exam 1

What is exercise psychology?

• Convergence of exercise science and psychology

• application of psychological principles to the promotion and maintenance of exercise

Convergence of exercise science and psychology

• Psychology

  • The mental processes people experience and use in all aspects of their lives

• Exercise science/kinesiology

  • All aspects of sport, recreation, exercise/fitness, and rehabilitative behavior

Other related fields to exercise psychology

1) Rehabilitation psychology

2) health psychology

3) behavioral medicine

4) sport psychology

Why study exercise psychology?

• to understand the psychological antecedents of exercise behavior

• to understand the psychological consequences of exercise

Issues related to exercise behavior

• participation in regular physical activity is low

• adoption vs adherence

  • initial choice to start vs maintaining the behavior

  • sometimes behavior is not the only obstacle; getting dressed, don’t want hair to get wet, don’t want to sweat, etc.

• Noncompliant behavior

  • how to reduce negative psychological/ emotional states and promote positive ones

Benefits of Physical Activity (Know 3 for exam)

1) lowers morbidity and mortality rates

2) reduces risk of developing diabetes, hypertension, colon cancer, and heart disease

3) helps reduce blood pressure in those with hypertension

4) reduces feelings of depression, anxiety, and general negative mood

5) enhances general positive mood

6) improves body image, self-esteem, and self concept

7) helps control weight

8) enhances cognitive function

9) helps build and maintain healthy bones, muscles, and joints

10) enhances ability to perform activities of daily living (ADLs)

11) provides opportunities to develop social contacts, relationships, and support groups

Exercise best for depression vs anxiety

For depression:

• weight training

For anxiety:

• CV/aerobic training

Lifespan vs healthspan

Lifespan:

• how long you live

Healthspan:

• how long you live while being able to independently do ADLs

Beneftis of physical activity EXTRA FACTS

1) colon cancer is becoming more common; colonoscopy isn’t covered by insurance until 45 years old

2) weight reduction alone is enough to drop hypertension

Barriers to Physical Activity (Know ALL)

• convenience/availability

• environmental/ecological factors

• physical limitations

• lack of time

• boredom/lack of enjoyment

Emergence of Exercise Psychology

• more people working 40 hour jobs; less farming; less time for exercise; emergence of weight gain

• Industrial Revolution:

  • recognition of the value of fitness as people worked more

• 70s and 80s fitness craze:

  • aerobics weight training, jogging, health clubs, etc.

• Recent shift in perception:

  • individuals play an active role in their own health

  • people working fewer hours now = more time

SMART Goals

• specific

• meaningful

• action oriented

• realistic

• timely

To lose one pound every week → 500 calorie deficit a day. One pound = 3500 kcals

Things to note for case studies:

1) occupation

2) marital status/childcare

3) social aspects

4) exercise snacks

Epidemic of physical inactivity

• physical inactivity and poor diet

• diseases

  • CV disease, type 2 diabetes, and some cancers

• increased technology

Measurement of PA behavior

• subject/self-report

• objective/technological:

  • smart phone apps

  • heart rate monitor

  • pedometer

  • accelerometer

  • GPS units

Godin Leisure-time Exercise Questionnaire

During a typical 7-day period, how many times on average do you do the following kinds of exercise for more than 15 minutes during your free time?

1) strenuous exercise

2) moderate exercise

3) mild exercise

Do you engage in activities that make you sweat?

Studying Physical Activity Patterns:

Five Ws:

• who exercises?

• where, when, and why do they do so?

• what do they do?

Guidelines for PA

Train in the following areas:

• CV

• Resistance

• Flexibility

• Neuromotor

PA and Epidemiological Patterns

• men exercise more than women on average

• children who view TV/Videos more than 2 hours/day do not exercise as much as those who don’t

• As we get older = we exercise less

• Most popular form: walking

• more educated = exercise more later in life

Summary of Participation Patterns

}Amount of time engaged in PA declines with age.

}Men are more likely to engage in vigorous exercise, but women engage in as much, if not more, moderate activity.

}Low income groups and ethnic minorities tend to participate in less physical activity than the rest of the population.

}Education level is directly related to physical activity levels; the more education, the greater the physical activity.

Why does PA go down after high school?

• no requirement (like PE)

• more responsibilities (class, part-time jobs, kids)

Consequences of PA

• physically active people have lower overall all-cause mortality rates

• many conditions can be directly and positively impacted by adoption of a physically active lifestyle.

  • heart disease, heart attacks, diabetes, high blood pressure, obesity

Mortality vs Morbidity

Mortality = death

Morbidity = illness

Focus on Special Populations; How to Motivate

• far less active because of belief they cannot participate in exercise

• increased risk for health problems

How to motivate:

• visually; seeing it is possible

• group activities with others in the same boat

Longitudinal Studies

1) San Francisco Longshoremen

• high, medium, and low physical activity within the longshoremen occupation; less coronary events for the workers with high PA

2) Harvard University Alumni

• Studied Harvard graduates and their overall health and lifestyle factors

  • inverse relationship between PA and all-cause mortality

  • lowered risk of CV disease, diabetes, etc.

  • more vigorous the exercise, the more protective factor

3) Cooper Institute

• inverse relationship between PA and all-cause mortality

• biggest positive change is going from no PA to moderate PA.

Theories are essential because…

• allow us to better understand and predict PA

• give is a scientifically validated blueprint from which to formulate effective behavioral interventions

Behavioral Model of Exercise

Habitual exercise → relapse/no exercise → resumption of exercise

Motivation

• degree of determination, drive, or desire spend in approaching (or avoiding) a behavior

• direction and intensity of effort

• intrinsic (fun, sense of challenge, personal improvement, BETTER MYSELF) vs extrinsic (health, social recognition/praise, tangible reinforcers)

• extrinsic is short term; intrinsic can last a lifetime. Get patients to switch over to intrinsic

Expectancy-Value Approach

An individual must have a expected outcome (MOST IMPORTANT) of success and a high value of a behavior to achieve successful adoption of said behavior.

Self-Efficacy

• perceived capability; WHAT you THINK you can do

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy

• gold standard instead of pills

• example: breathing techniques and ocean sounds while meditating

• Antecedent + behavior = consequence

Albert Bandura

• came up with self-efficacy theory in 1977

SOURCES OF SELF-EFFICACY

1) Past performance accomplishments

2) Vicarious experiences - modeling, viewing the performance

3) Verbal persuasion - verbal and nonverbal tactics

4) Physiological (pain and fatigue) and affective states (positive and negative emotions that influence self-efficacy)

Self-Efficacy Theory

The four pillars → self-efficacy → behavior, cognitions, affect

Measuring Self-Efficacy

• Can be for strength of self-efficacy for different exercises

• or self-efficacy to overcome barriers

Applications of Self-Efficacy Theory

Interventions based on the theory:

}Past performance accomplishments intervention (mastery)

}Vicarious experience intervention (show a video)

}Social persuasion intervention

}Physiological and affective states intervention

Limitations of Self-Efficacy

}The theory best predicts only challenging or new behaviors.

}Its influence is reduced as exercise becomes habitual or well learned.

• not as good at predicting habits that were dropped or past behaviors

Perceived Behavioral Control

}Degree of personal control over one’s own behavior

}Account for many potential barriers to exercise

Application of TPB/PBC

}Promote a sense of personal control over one’s exercise behavior

}Help an individual overcome barriers

§Plan for bad-weather alternatives

§Set a regular time in one’s calendar—with displayed reminders)

Self-Determination Theory

  People seek challenges to satisfy three basic psychological needs:

1.Self-determination/ autonomy

2.Competence

3.Relatedness/social interactions

Self-Determination Theory and Motivation for Behavior

Social Ecological Model

• individual

• physical activity domains

  • transportation

  • occupation

  • household

• social/cultural environment

• built environment

  • parks

  • home design

  • equipment

  • community

• policy environment