Lecture 21- Exercise Psychology

Question 1

What percentage of NZ is getting enough exercise?

Answer 1

Just over half

Question 2

What is the distribution like for physical activity level in nz?

Answer 2

Bimodal distribution: Either people are really into it or they are not

Question 3

When is participation in exercise the highest according to NZ data? Does gender have an effect?

Answer 3

• Highest as child and then declines throughout teen years and into adulthood
• Gender wise males are slightly higher in teens 12-14 years but not significant difference elsewhere

Question 4

How did ethnicity and deprivation level effect exercise levels?

Answer 4

• Asian children slightly less like to participate than other children
• European ethnicity is by the far most active
• For children deprivation didn’t have much of an effect on exercise levels (school is an equalizer), although did have an effect on the variety of sport
• For adults deprivation had a huge negative impact

Question 5

What cycle exists between mental health and exercise?

Answer 5

• There is a bidirectional relationship
• Physical inactivity has negative impact on mental health and decrease in mental health has negative impact on level of exercise you can do

-Other variables involved in both: mental health issues more likely to have other physical conditions that prevent exercise

Question 6

How does Morgan et al. propose we treat mental health?

Answer 6

Suggest 30 mins of moderate activity 3 times a week. Consistent with American health guidelines. Synthesized the evidence and then made guidelines that practitioners could follow: evidence- based policy .

Question 7

What is behavoursim?

Answer 7

• The idea that behaviour change involves a stimulus, learning, response and consequences.
• It’s these consequences (punishment/ reward) in the environment that then shape future learning
• Think classical or operant conditioning

Question 8

How is the behaviorism model of exercise good and bad?

Answer 8

• Explains why if you don’t like something it is hard to do i.e. if I don’t find exercise rewarding the motivation for me to exercise is going to be low because I’m not receiving that positive reinforcement
• However, the theory does ignore other factors like socioeconomic status and ability which influence whether someone can exercise or not
• Under this theory we would also need a constant reward for exercise which is not feasible and doesn’t happen

Question 9

What is self- determination theory? Is it a good predictor for exercising?

Answer 9

-Motivation exists as a scale with two extremes:

Intrinsic= actually gain enjoyment from exercise

Integrated regulation= you don’t always find exercise fun but you do it because it’s part of your self identity (i.e. “I’m a runner”)

Identified regulation= you identify valuable reasons for exercise

Introjected regulation= view behaviour in terms of reward and punishment. You don’t find it fun but you have internalized external nagging/ feel guilty if you don’t

External regulation= Run to please a partner, do something outside of yourself

Amotivation= No motivation, you don’t see the point of running

Type of motivation is a predictor of exercise. Those who have intrinsic motivation= engage in more activity (Intrinsic, integrated regulation and identified regulation are the top) . People with external/ amotivation= less likely to exercise

Question 10

What are the three factors that factor into behavioral intention in the theory of planned behaviour? Which of these two are the stronger predictors?

Answer 10

Attitudes
Subjective norms
Perceived behavioral control

Attitudes (account for 35%) and perceived behavioral control

Question 11

Draw the web for the theory of planned behaviour…

Answer 11

Answer on slides

Question 12

What is a major limitation of the theory of planned behaviour?

Answer 12

Time is not a factor: i.e. it doesn’t acknowledge that attitudes and behaviours can change (this is kind of the whole role of sport + exercise psychologists, to bring about this change)

Question 13

What is the stages of behavioral change model?

Answer 13

Refer to table on slide

Question 14

What is the recommendation for exercise according to the stages of behavioral change?

Answer 14

20 mins a day, 3 days a week minimum

Question 15

What are the good things about the stages of change model of behavioral change?

Answer 15

• Acknowledges and normalizes that people can’t just go from doing nothing and flip a switch to become super active: they go through stages and gradually progress
• Flexible according to the person can move up and down the stages as required e.g. get an injury
• Good for exercise psychologists to use as a frame work cause they are often very sporty themselves and find it hard to relate to their clients

Question 16

If we were to use one model to understand behavioral change in sport’s psychology which would you use? Do we have to?

Answer 16

Stages of behavioral change, no can use multiple models

Question 17

How much physical activity should an adult do?

Answer 17

Depends on what guidelines you follow

Question 18

Outline some of the different approaches taken by sports and exercise psychologists…. (required reading question)?

Answer 18

There are, of course, many different approaches taken by applied practitioners. Some do see their principal role as promoting enhanced athletic performance via the application of psychological techniques, an approach often referred to as psychological skills training or simply as mental training. Other practitioners tend to emphasize the psychological well - being of sport participants and the avoidance of harm brought about by involvement in sport. Some, depending on their training in psychology, are oriented toward the prevention or treatment of pathogenic behaviors, such as disordered eating or compulsive exercising. Alternatively, practitioners may take a holistic approach toward their clients, implementing interventions to promote happiness, quality of life, and enhanced self - esteem, in the knowledge that such personal development may also provide benefits to athletic performance.

Question 19

What are the two routes to becoming a applied sport psychologist? What are the challenges that arise from accreditation/ training?

Answer 19

There are two routes to becoming an applied sport psychologist. The fi rst is to complete a degree program in psychology, followed by specialist postgraduate training in sport psychology that includes experience of working with clients under supervision. The second is to complete a degree program in sport sciences or a closely allied subject that includes some sport psychology, followed by postgraduate training in psychology, again including experience of working with clients under supervision.

Challenges= in high socioeconomic countries the word psychologist is protected by law, you need to have done one of the above pathways to qualify for the title and see cilents. In the developing world on the other hand anyone can say they are a sport’s psychologist and this doesn’t do much for quality control + the protection of clients.

Question 20

After the effect of exercise on depression what are the next top effects?

Answer 20

Followed by cohnesion on performance, goal setting on performance and imagery on performance

Question 21

From the required reading what are some topics in sport/ exercise psychology that don’t show much of an effect size?

Answer 21

anxiety on performance (negative), exercise on body image, exercise on cognitive function and self-confidence on performance