L15 - Intro to Exercise Motivation

• Why is Psychology Important?

  • Being physically active is associated w/ many physical & mental health benefits 
  • Researchers/practitioners know
  • The public know - 91% of NZer’s agree that being active is important for physical health; 88% for mental & emotional well-being 
  • BUT…
  • Only 47% of NZers aren’t sufficiently active for health 
  • With 50% drop out within 6 months 
  • Either the public are not convinced it’s important enough, or behaviour change is more complicated…
  • Psychology explains WHY & HOW
• Why is Psychology Important?

  • Public know is important
  • BUT…
  • Only 47% of NZers aren’t sufficiently active for health 
  • Try look for ways to get people active 
  • Is a key public health issue
  • With 50% drop out within 6 months 
  • Want adherence (maintenance)
  • How do we keep people active?
  • Either the public are not convinced it’s important enough, or behaviour change is more complicated…
  • Public do know 
  • Behaviour change is complex
  • Habitual PA
• PA Promotion 

  • It’s time to Push Play, Again! Video 
  • What are the key messages?
  • Active children will maintain those habits throughout life 
  • PA education, providing physical literacy 
  • Being active for your children 
  • Children influence on adult behaviour - encouraging them, is a good way to motivate older individuals 
  • Do you think it will increase people’s physical activity?
  • Don’t know from this campaign 
  • Previous one was moderately successful
• PS Promotion - Sport NZ Ad

  • Whānau & social approach 
  • Positively framed (ie not emphasising poor health)
  • Not a fear based approach
  • Appeals to emotion 
  • Connection to family members 
  • Rather than giving facts (that people already know)
  • Not bombarding people w/ facts (ie informational approach)
  • Like any marketing strategy, it will work for some, but not for all 
  • Needs to be targeted for populations & to individuals
  • Target? Parents 
  • Psychology can help us create resources to get people more active
• Green Prescription

  • Provides loads of information 
  • Taking info approach & not offering anything else may not be enough on its own 
  • What is good - is that it gives alternative exercises/PA (more inclusive)
  • One of the biggest barriers is time 
  • Connect to whānau help PA problem (be w/ kids + get PA)

  
• Social-Ecological Framework 

  • Psychology is important since ultimately, it's the individual’s decision to be active 
  • At centre is individual (psychology)
  • BUT decisions aren’t made in a vacuum 
  • Nor are they automatically influenced by external factors 
  • But may come into play or influence PA

  
• Social-Ecological Framework 

  • Psychology is important since ultimately, it's the individual’s decision to be active
  • BUT decisions aren’t made in a vacuum 
  • From external sources 
  • Social (support ot pressure, whānau)
  • How influence you to be PA
  • Physical Environments (built)
  • What’s around you & how influence 
  • Policy (on outside)
  • Government, local council, an organisation 
  • eg cycle lanes, active transports policies
  • Nor are they automatically influenced by external factors 
  • But may come into play or influence PA

  
• Example of Policy & Built Environment:

  • Cycle lanes example of policy level + overlap with physical environment
  • Green spaces
  • Nursh theory: health through self, do things in the environment to push people to be PA. eg sign on elevator if take stairs you'll add 2 mins to your life 
  • Walking piano on stairs - gravitate people towards taking the stair

  
• The picture of an inactive person 

  • Characteristics associated w/ being inactive 
  • Female 
  • Lower educational level 
  • Over 75 years old 
  • In poor health 
  • No physical activity in childhood 
  • Doesn’t live close to exercise facilities 
  • Long work hours 
  • Lack of social support 
  • High stress job
  • Lower SES 
  • Just bc/ physically active doesn’t mean have all characteristics; & if have all characteristics doesn’t mean aren’t physically active 
  • Identifies who we need to target for exercise interventions
• Motives & Barriers 

  • Motives 
  • Body attractiveness
  • Lower BP
  • Enjoyment 
  • For kids 
  • Be able to play for families & to be there for them in older age 
  • To be role models for kids growing up 
  • Want children to live an active life 
  • Health reasons (or doctor said to)
  • mortality/death 
  • Being active to avoid risk 
  • Can influence type of motivation 
  • Can have internal & external motives; eg autonomous (internalised motivation)
• Motives & Barriers 

  • Barriers 
  • Lack of motivation 
  • Lack of time 
  • What people find important (prioritise time)
  • Not knowing what to do 
  • So many different options to being PA 
  • Can be overwhelming for some 
  • What's good & what's bad information?
  • Supporting people of different activities & how they’re important 
  • Socially 
  • Lack of money (costs)
  • For shoes, petrol, fees 
  • Seen as luxury from some, but its not - or shouldn’t be at least 
• Motives & Barriers

  • Early research gave us the picture of an active/inactive person, but doesn’t explain why they are/aren’t active 
  • These help explain why 
  • These guide interventions & practice 
  • Psych theory → knowledge to guide research interventions & practice
• Research 

  • Showed similar barriers to PA & motivation 
  • Have enough research, is about action - need action

  
• Understanding behaviour change 

  • Situation 1: You work in a gym & meet w/ Jenny who is thinking about joining up to become more active
  • WHY chosen to meet w/ you? Motivations?
  • Chosen her self to be PA; but what are her motives (internal or external)
  • There on her own accord? Has her own motives in mind? Will influence how approach
  • Has already researched PA options & took action 
  • Has gone from intention to behaviour 
  • Gap bw/ intention & actually doing it, need to bridge that gap
  • Proactive? 
  • WHAT she is thinking & feeling about PA before meeting you?
  • How do these factors influences

  
• Understanding behaviour change 

  • Situation 2: Work in Green Prescription & meet w/ John who referred by this GP to get active 
  • WHY has John chosen to meet w/ you? Motivations
  • Feels like he needs to (want him to want to)
  • Being told to think about PA; been framed as health issue/illness - is external 
  • What are his motives? Externalised
  • Not yet taken action 
  • Don’t know if he has intention to be active yet 
  • Reluctant? When other people tell us to do things, esp when haven’t thought about it ourselves 
  • WHAT he is thinking & feeling about PA before they meet with you?