Chapter 18: Exercise and Psychological Well-Being

Question 1

What are the six dimensions of well-being?

Answer 1

Self-acceptance - positive views of oneself
Positive relation to others - trusting, caring, and empathetic relationships
Autonomy - self-determined with intrinsic motivation and self-referenced standards
Environmental mastery - effective mastery of the environment to fulfill personal values
Personal growth - sense of development and self-fulfillment over time
Purpose in life - directed toward purposeful goals for living

Question 2

What factors does exercise increase?

Answer 2

Academic performance
Assertiveness
Confidence
Emotional stability
Intellectual functioning
Internal locus of control
Memory
Perception
Positive body image
Self-control
Sexual satisfaction
Well-being
Work efficiency

Question 3

What factors does exercise decrease?

Answer 3

Absenteeism at work
Alcohol abuse
Anger
Anxiety
Confusion
Depression
Headaches
Hostility
Phobias
Psychotic behaviour
Tension
Type A behaviour
Work errors

Question 4

How does exercise reduce anxiety and depression?

Answer 4

Activities such as weight or strength training, yoga, and other non-aerobic exercises have produced positive effects on psychological well-being.
No cause and effect relationship has been established, but regular exercise is associated with reduction in anxiety and depression.

Question 5

What are the chronic effects of exercise?

Answer 5

Physical fitness is positively associated with mental health and well-being.
Exercise is associated with the reduction of stress emotions such as state anxiety.
Anxiety and depression are common symptoms of failure to cope with mental stress, and exercise has been associated with decreased level of mild to moderate depression and anxiety.
Long-term exercise is usually associated with reductions in traits such as neuroticism and anxiety.
Appropriate exercise results in reductions in various stress indicators such as neuromuscular tension, resting heart rate, and some stress hormones.
Current clinical opinion holds that exercise has beneficial emotional effects across all ages.

Question 6

Relationship between exercise and depression

Answer 6

Moderate relationship between exercise and depression (correlation).
Exercise is effective psychotherapy in reducing depression.
Positive effects are seen across age groups, health status, race, socioeconomic status, and genders.
Both aerobic and anaerobic exercise are associated with reductions in depression.

Question 7

Depressions relationship with physical activity involvement

Answer 7

Initial research has demonstrated that individuals with moderate or high levels of depressive symptoms were less physically active and were less likely in team sports compared to the low-depression group.
As age increased from 10-19 years old, depressive symptoms tended to increase and physical activity tended to decrease.
Implication: youngsters with depressive symptoms should be encouraged to participate in physical activity and sports, not only to reduce their depression, but also to gain the benefits of physical activity

Question 8

Mood

Answer 8

Host of transient, fluctuating affective states that can be positive or negative.
State of emotional or affective arousal of varying, impermanent duration.

Question 9

Exercise’s relationship with mood changes

Answer 9

Exercise is related to positive changes in mood state.
Exercise improves positive mood regardless of the number of negative and positive affective states in a given day.

Question 10

How can you enhance mood through exercise?

Answer 10

Use rhythmic abdominal breathing
Avoid interpersonal competition
Make it a closed predictable activity
Use rhythmic and repetitive exercise movements
Exercise 20-30 minutes in duration, moderate intensity, 2 or 3 times/week
Make it enjoyable

Question 11

How does exercise enhance psychological well-being?

Answer 11

Psychological explanations…
Increases in cerebral blood flow
Changes in brain neurotransmitters
Increases in maximum oxygen consumption and delivery of oxygen to cerebral tissue
Reductions in muscle tension
Structural changes in the brain
Increases in serum concentrations of endocannabinoid receptors
Enhanced feeling of control
Feeling of competency and self-efficacy
Positive social interactions
Improved self-concept and self-esteem
Opportunities for fun and enjoyment

Question 12

How exercise changes personality?

Answer 12

Aerobic fitness training increased scores on self-sufficiency and intelligence, and decreased scores on insecurity.

Question 13

How does exercise influences the development of the self?

Answer 13

Exercise is related to participants’ self-concept, self-esteem, and self-efficacy.
Regular exercise is related to increased self-esteem.
Esteem-enhancement effects of exercise are especially pronounced in people with low self-esteem.
Positive changes in self-concept and self-esteem were associated with participation in physical education and directed play.
Exercise programs designed to enhance self-esteem should emphasize experiences of success, feeling of increased physical competence, and attainment of goals.

Question 14

Hardiness

Answer 14

Personality disposition that involves a sense of personal control, commitment and purpose, and the flexibility to adapt to unexpected changes.
Difference with resilience is that resilience is something that can be developed and learned.

Question 15

What is the relationship between exercise and hardiness?

Answer 15

Exercise can help protect against stress-related illness, especially for hardy people.
A hard personality and exercise in combination are more effective in preserving health than either alone.

Question 16

How does exercise cause change in cognitive functioning?

Answer 16

Exercise programs conducted over long periods are associated with moderate gains in cognitive functioning.
Acute aerobic exercise increased executive cognitive functioning in planning and problem solving.
Aerobic physical activity has a positive effect on cognition and brain functions; executive central command is most affected by aerobic exercise.
Acute exercise increased cognitive functioning in the form of working memory only for people low in working memory.
Moderate to vigorous physical activity enhances executive functioning in children with ADHD.
Integrating physical activity into the classroom produced increased in children’s intrinsic motivation, perceived competence, and effort.

Question 17

What is the relationship between cardiovascular fitness and cognitive functioning in older adults?

Answer 17

Fitness training has beneficial effects on the cognitive functioning of older adults.
These effects were largest for those tasks involving executive control.
Fitness training combined with strength and flexibility programs have a greater positive effect on cognition than fitness training having only an aerobic component.
Effects appear to occur more in females than males.
Effects on cognition were largest when exercise training exceeded 30 minutes per session.
From a physiological perspective, cardiovascular exercise appears to protect the brain against the normal effects of aging and helps repair or restore the aged brain.
The relationship between exercise and cognitive functioning is larger for older adults than it is in the general population.

Question 18

Quality of life

Answer 18

Individual’s perception of their position in life in the context of the culture and value systems in which they live and in relation to their goals, expectations, standards, and concerns.
It is a person’s behavioural functioning ability (being able to do everyday stuff and living long enough to do it)

Question 19

What is the relationship between exercise and quality of life?

Answer 19

Physically active people report a better quality of life.
It has been found that a regular exercise program can enhance employees’ feelings of life satisfaction, job satisfaction, and self-worth.
In college students’ levels of physical activity were related to increased satisfaction with life, whereas increased sedentary behaviour was related to decreased satisfaction with life. College students should not only try to increase their physical activity, but also to decrease their sedentary behaviour.
Physically active (vs inactive) individuals tend to be in better health, report more stamina, have more positive attitudes toward work, and report a greater ability to cope with stress and tension.
Exercise produces small increases in total sleep time, although it has no effect on how long it takes to fall asleep.
Older adults who are physically active vs inactive report greater life satisfaction - attributable to less dependence on others - and better overall physical health.
Sociodemographic variables such as income, education, marital status, and age are not significantly related to perceptions of quality of life.
Exercise programs contribute to a person’s quality of life by influencing affect, perceived stress, physical health, and life satisfaction.

Question 20

What are psychological benefits of exercise?

Answer 20

Increased levels of self-esteem and self-concept
Increased feelings of enjoyment
Decreased feelings of physiological and psychological stress
Increased feelings of self-confidence
Elevated mood states
Decreased levels of anxiety and depression