Chapter 3

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Discussion Questions

Activities

  1. Describe a behavior in your life (not related to physical activity) that you feel is a function of both social (learned) experiences and your psychological (cognitive) makeup.
  2. Relate a physical activity experience in your life that illustrates one of the theories presented in this chapter.
  3. Using the constructs contained in the theories presented in this chapter, construct your own theory or model of exercise psychology/behavior.
  4. Complete the sample barriers self-efficacy scale (Exhibit 3.6). Compare your results to those of your classmates and look for patterns in the responses. Are certain barriers more salient to your group than others?

Vocabulary

For each term below, first note how you would define the term.

Affective state - Temporary positive or negative feelings that influence and are influenced by exercise behavior.

Amotivation - The absence of motivation and/or lack of intention to engage in a behavior.

Attitude - An individual’s positive or negative evaluations of a something (e.g., physical activity).

Contextual motivation - A relatively stable pattern of motivation experienced in a particular context.

Coping efficacy - Self - efficacy for overcoming barriers or challenges to exercise.

Expectancy - value - A theory that motivation is predicated on an individual’s expected behavioral outcome and the value the individual places on the predicted outcome.

External regulation - The process of engaging in a behavior for the purpose of obtaining an external reward or avoiding an externally applied punishment.

Extrinsic motivation - Motivation that is induced by a force outside the individual.

Global motivation - The degree of motivation normally experienced by an individual across most behavioral domains.

Identified regulation - The process of engaging in behavior motivated by personal goals.

Imagery - Picturing an object or behavior in the mind; imagery uses some or all of the body’s senses (sight, sound, touch, taste, smell).

Integrated regulation - The process of engaging in a behavior in order to confirm one’s sense of self.

Intrinsic motivation - Motivation that emanates from within a person.

Introjected regulation - A self - imposed source of pressure to engage in a behavior.

Mastery - The process of accomplishing or completing a goal; the thorough learning and performance of a skill, technique, or behavior.

Model - A visual representation of a phenomenon or behavior.

Motivation - The degree of determination, drive, or desire with which an individual approaches or avoids a behavior.

Past performance accomplishments - The degree of success perceived by an individual who has previously engaged in activities similar to or the same as the current behavior.

Perceived behavioral control (PBC) - The degree of personal control an individual perceives he or she has over a behavior.

Physiological state - Temporary physical condition of the body (e.g., feelings of pain and fatigue or rapid heart rate).

Scheduling efficacy - Confidence in one’s abilities to schedule and manage exercise behavior.

Self - determination - Autonomous, self - dependent behavior.

Self - efficacy - The extent to which an individual believes she or he will be successful in performing a desired behavior, given the situation and the abilities that the individual possesses.

Situational motivation - Motivation experienced in a particular activity at a specific point in time.

Social cognitive approach - An approach based on the view that exercise behavior is influenced by both human cognition and external stimuli.

Social persuasion - Verbal and nonverbal tactics used by others in an attempt to increase a person’s self - efficacy.

Subjective norm - A construct reflecting behavior that an individual feels social pressure to perform.

Theory - An attempt to explain why a behavior or phenomenon occurs.

Vicarious experiences - The experience of a sensation, situation, or behavior via imagined participation in another individual’s encounter; a source of self - efficacy.