Study of the relationships between physical activity levels, experienced bodily changes, age-stereotyped interpretations of changes, and motivation to exercise in older adults
Abstract
In this study, the relationships between physical activity levels, experienced
changes, interpretations of bodily states, and motivation towards physical
exercise were examined in a sample of older adults (n = 151). Males who
reported low levels of physical exercise, who experienced negative physical
changes, and who attributed the changes to aging reported lower levels of self-determined
motivation for physical exercise. However, there were no such
effects for females. Surprisingly, additional findings indicated possible benefits
of attributing negative physical changes to aging among more active individuals.
It was also found that participants with low levels of physical exercise, but high
levels of self-determined motivation, were more likely to intend to increase their
level of physical exercise in the future. The implications for promoting physical
exercise in older adults are discussed.
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- Retrospective theses [1604]