Physical Activity and the Self
EPHE 348
Structure of the Self
• Self is a complex multidimensional issue
• We are both descriptive and evaluative
The Self
• Self-esteem – evaluation of self in a
positive or negative frame
• Self-concept – descriptive attributes of the
self
Importance of the Self (Diener, 1984)
• Key indicator of emotional stability
• Closely allied to happiness
• Linked to independence, leadership,
success
• Beyond basic needs, the search for selfesteem is probably the most powerful of
human motivating forces (Fox, 2000)
Structure of the Self
• Top self-esteem
• Below – multiple facets of self
• All aspects of the self influence esteem
• Harter (1982)–
people need at least one
strong facet of the self for high self-esteem
(physical, cognitive, social, behavioral)
Self Esteem
Physical Self-Esteem
Sport Competence
Physical Strength
Physical Condition
Body Image
Soccer Competence
Upper Body Strength
Mile Run
Social Physique Anxiety
Scoring Ability
Arm Strength
Aerobic Capacity
Feeling of Fatness
Shooting Self-Efficacy
Forearm Curls
Efficacy for Pace
Total Weight
Figure 5.2
Physical Self
• Of key importance because it represents
our interface with the physical world
• Critical in self-rating because of
communication and sexuality
Measures
• General SE scales (e.g., Rosenberg)
• Specific Domain scales (e.g. Harter,
Marsh, Fox & Corbin)
– Physical Self Perception Profile
– Perceived Competence Scale
– Physical Self-Description Scale
• Highly specific measures (body type,
physical self-efficacy)
PA & Self-Esteem
• Over 100 studies and several reviews
• Research began in early 70s and
continues at about 1-2 RCTs per year
Fox, 2000
• Exercise can be used to increase physical
self-worth and related constructs (78% of
studies significant)
• Self-esteem changed in less than 50%
• Positive changes in all ages and by men &
women
• Effects are better for those low in SE
Spence et al. 2005
• 113 SE studies in meta-analysis
• Overall effect d = .23
• Program, SE level, age, sex, population,
health status, measures, type of control
group, exercise mode did not matter
• Difference from change in fitness
Research Focus
• Examined the effect of a multiple school-based physical
activity program on perceived competencies across five
measurement periods totaling 15 months
• Participants were 344 nine to eleven year-olds who
completed Harter’s perceived competence scale for
children.
• School-time physical activity was measured using
physical activity log-books. Schools interested in
participating were randomized to experimental and
control conditions (total = 10 schools)
Research Focus Cont..
• Repeated Measures Analyses of Variance suggested a
significant time x condition effect for school physical activity in
favor of the experimental condition (p < .05).
• A significant time effect was found for athletic competence,
social competence, academic competence, and general selfesteem. Specifically, perceived competencies decreased
across the 15 months of the trial.
• The condition x time interaction was not significant (p >
.05) for any of the competency outcomes. Results were
invariant of age, gender, race, and prior physical activity status.
Research Focus Cont…
• These data suggest that the program was
successful in increasing school-time physical
activity, but did not affect competencies.
• Indeed, participants became increasingly critical
of their perceived self as they approached early
adolescence.
•
Rhodes, R.E. & McKay, H.A. (2004). SELF-ESTEEM AND COMPETENCY
OUTCOMES AMONG 4TH TO 6TH GRADE STUDENTS ACROSS 15
MONTHS. Annals of Behavioral Medicine, 29, S067.
Research Focus (mazzoni et al. in press)
• Exploring the effect of a 12 week rock climbing
experience on children with special needs
• Participants randomized to condition or weight
list control
• Differences in climbing efficacy were significant
(across time and group) but not differences in
self-esteem and competencies
PA & Body Image
• A major issue in the SE / PA relationship
• Body image – the self-perceptions an
individual holds with respect to his or her
body and physical appearance
• Women have greater body dissatisfaction
than men and the rates for both genders
are continually increasing
PA & Body image
• In general, PA is associated with more
body satisfaction
• The % of dissatisfied is still staggeringly
high
– 2/3 of males
– 9/10 of females
PA & Self-Presentation Concerns
• Defn – attempts to present / omit certain aspects
of self
• Social physique anxiety – degree of body
presentation discomfort
• SPA – influences exercise motives, participation
• SPA – can be reduced by large groups of those
similar and increasing familiarity with PA
Research Focus
• The purpose of the study was to examine the effects of a
health-based versus appearance-based persuasive
message on exercise attitudes and intentions and to
determine if these effects were moderated by the
personality trait of self-monitoring
• 207 undergraduate students completed the selfmonitoring questionnaire and read either persuasive
messages of physical appearance advantages or health
benefits of exercise before completing measures of
exercise attitude and intention.
Research Focus
• The results of this 2(self-monitoring) X 2(message-type) MANOVA
on the dependent variables of attitude and intention was significant
(p<.05).
• Follow-up univariate F-tests revealed the attitude interaction as the
significant effect (p = <.05).
• Post-hoc analysis found low self-monitoring individuals responded
with significantly higher attitude scores from exposure to the healthbased message than the appearance-based message. As well, the
health-based message produced significantly higher attitude scores
among low self-monitors than high.
•
Rhodes, R.E. & Courneya, K.S. (2000). Effects of a health-based versus
appearance-based persuasive message on attitudes towards exercise:
Testing the moderating role of self-monitoring. Journal of Social Behavior
and Personality, 15, 321-330.
Research Focus
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6.4
6.2
-Appearance
Based
Message
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5.8
5.6
Health-Based
Message
5.4
5.2
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Low Self-Monitoring
High Self-Monitoring