Section 3: Behaviour Change.

Question 1

What two things influence someone’s behaviour?

Answer 1

1. environment.

2. genetics.

Question 2

What two factors are most easily modifiable when assisting behaviour change in physical inactivity?

Answer 2

1. How clients think and feel about physical activity.

2. How they are supported in changing their behavior to be more physically active.

Question 3

What are the most prominent theories/models used in the context of physical activity?

Answer 3

1. Social Cognitive Theory (SCT)
2. Self-Determination Theory (SDT)
3. Trans-Theoretical Model (TTM) and
4. Health Action Process Approach (HAPA).

Question 4

What is the cognitive-based approach?

Answer 4

Behaviours are controlled by rational cognitive activity

Question 5

What is the stage-based approach?

Answer 5

Individuals go through stages to adopt new behaviors

Question 6

What do the prominent theories and models used have in common?

(Social Cognitive Theory (SCT), Self-Determination Theory (SDT), Trans-Theoretical Model (TTM), Health Action Process Approach (HAPA)).

Answer 6

They generally reflect the same broad ideas;

1. Behaviour change is a process, not an event.
2. Effective change must come from within the individual.
3. Intervention strategies must be carefully tailored to each individual’s unique set of circumstances, and that planning is a critical factor in change management.

Question 7

What is the social cognitive theory?

Answer 7

SCT proposes that people learn through their experiences.

• It includes the notion of reciprocal determinism, which refers to the dynamic interaction between an individual (who has a particular set of learned experiences), their environment (social context), and their behavior (response to stimuli).
• At the core of Social Cognitive Theory (SCT) are four constructs that affect one’s behavior (Figure 3.1): self-efficacy, outcome expectations (i.e., one’s belief in the positive and negative consequences that will occur from engaging in the specific behavior), self-regulation (e.g., goal-setting, self-monitoring, and planning), and barrier and facilitators (e.g., social support).

Question 8

True or false? self-efficacy is one of the most powerful factors to consider when predicting behaviour.

Answer 8

True.

Question 9

What is self-efficacy?

Answer 9

Self-efficacy is defined as the belief in one’s ability to succeed in specific situations
- a concept embedded not only in SCT but also within the other three behavioural theories.

Question 10

In what contexts has good self-efficacy been effective?

Answer 10

1. weight loss.
2. exercise in cancer survivors.
3. exercise in adults with chronic disabilities.
4. exercise in adolescent girls.

Question 11

What does self-efficacy influence?

Answer 11

Self-efficacy has been shown to influence the goals people set, their ability to persist in the face of obstacles, and their capacity to cope with setbacks and stress. As such, self-efficacy directly influences behavioural engagement.

• a person’s choice of behavioural settings
• the amount of effort they will invest.
• how long they will persist in the face of obstacles.

Question 12

What does each component consist of in the social-cognitive theory? (ie; cognitive, behavioural, and environment).

Answer 12

Cognitive; knowledge, expectations, and attitudes.
Behavioural; skills, practice, and self-efficacy.
Environment; social norms, access in the community, and influence on others.

Question 13

What are the 4 sources of self-efficacy?

Answer 13

1. mastery experience.
2. vicarious experience.
3. social persuasion.
4. emotional state.

Question 14

What is mastery experience defined as?

Answer 14

Successful experiences boost self-efficacy, while failures erode it. This is the most robust source of self-efficacy.

Question 15

What is vicarious experience defined as?

Answer 15

Observing a peer succeed at a task can strengthen beliefs in one’s own abilities.

Question 16

What is social persuasion in self-efficacy?

Answer 16

Credible communication and feedback can guide someone through a task or motivate them to make their best effort.

Question 17

What is the emotional state of self-efficacy?

Answer 17

positive mood can boost one’s self-efficacy, while anxiety can undermine it. A certain level of emotional stimulation can create an energizing feeling that can contribute to strong performance. Reducing stress and lowering anxiety around specific tasks can also help.

Question 18

What is self-regulation?

Answer 18

Self-regulation involves the ability to monitor and control one’s thoughts, actions, and emotions (Vohs & Baumeister, 2011). It also consists of the avoidance of temptations that distract individuals from long-term goals, and persistence in the face of obstacles

Question 19

What are some examples of self-regulatory skills?

Answer 19

Self-Monitoring
“I use a log to keep track of my walking distances each week.”

Scheduling & Planning
“Cold temperatures on Tuesday will alter my regular running plans.”

Setting Goals
“This week, I’ll meet my trainer, and attend two classes.”
“This month, I’ll begin training for a 5K.”

Positive Self-Talk
“This is challenging, but I feel supported, and can reach this goal.”

Question 20

What is self-determination theory?

Answer 20

SDT focuses on the degree to which an individual’s behaviour is self-determined, and the processes through which an individual acquires the motivation to initiate new behaviours and maintain them over time. SDT assumes that individuals are inherently motivated to seek out new challenges and are eager to succeed. SDT also recognizes the importance of one’s social environment on behavioural engagement.

Question 21

What are the three basic needs of the self-determination theory?

Answer 21

1. Autonomy.
2. competence.
3. relatedness.

Question 22

What is autonomy?

Answer 22

• People need to feel they have control over their lives and over their own behaviour.
• be able to independently solve problems.

Question 23

What is competence?

Answer 23

• People need to develop mastery over tasks that are important to them.
• to master tasks.

Question 24

What is Relatedness?

Answer 24

• People need to have a sense of connection and belonging with others, each to their own degree.
• to interact socially.

Question 25

What results when all three basic needs of the SDT are met?

Answer 25

The three basic needs foster volition, motivation, and engagement in a person. these feeling further result in enhanced performance, persistence, and creativity.

Question 26

outline the spectrum of motivation levels;

Answer 26

1. Amotivation.
2. external regulation.
3. introjected regulation.
4. identified regulation.
5. integrated regulation
6. intrinsic motivation.

Question 27

What is Amotivation?

Answer 27

the individual has no intention or desire to engage in physical activity.

Question 28

What is external regulation?

Answer 28

the individual is motivated to engage in physical activity because of external forces such as pressure from others.

Question 29

What is introjected regulation?

Answer 29

individuals participate in physical activity without fully accepting it as their own (e.g., to prove they can).

Question 30

What is identified regulation?

Answer 30

the individual consciously values a goal as personally important and is therefore motivated to participate in physical activity because of the goal.

Question 31

What is integrated motivation?

Answer 31

the individual’s physical activity goals are fully assimilated with self, so they are included in self-evaluation and beliefs about personal needs. It is important to note that integrated regulation is very similar to fully self-determined or intrinsic motivation (in which one embraces physical activity for sheer enjoyment or interest), but the behaviour remains external to the self.

Question 32

What is intrinsic motivation?

Answer 32

the individual values and participates in physical activity for the sheer enjoyment of it.

Question 33

When applying the constructs of this theory, the qualified exercise professional will work to bolster a client’s autonomy, competence, and relatedness for regular physical activity by?

Answer 33

• Promoting the client’s sense of ownership and control over their physical activity
• Guiding the client through an active examination of their own reasons for becoming physically active
• Encouraging choice and self-initiation by providing a menu of options for physical activity
• Encouraging clients to find activities they enjoy the most and are more likely to integrate into their lives
• Helping the client to identify realistic goals and providing positive feedback as they achieve success
• By providing a welcoming environment, a sense of shared experience as the client moves forward or needs to regress in order to find success again.

Question 34

What is the trans-theoretical model based off?

Answer 34

That people change habitual behaviours slowly, passing through a series of specific stages, each characterized by a particular pattern of psychosocial and behavioural changes. Within TTM, individuals are classified by their readiness to change into one of five stages: pre-contemplation, contemplation, preparation, action, and maintenance.

Question 35

What is the health action planning approach?

Answer 35

HAPA provides a framework of motivational and volitional constructs that help explain and predict individual changes in health behaviours (Schwarzer et al., 2008), including improving physical activity levels (Biddle et al., 2009). HAPA suggests that the initiation, adoption and maintenance of health behaviours such as physical activity, is a structured process that includes:

1. a motivation phase (i.e., deliberation that leads to the formation of intention), and
2. a volition phase (i.e., during which intentions foster planning).

Question 36

What does the HAPA suggest?

Answer 36

that intention and volitional factors (e.g., action planning) are the most proximal predictors of change. In other words, good intentions are more likely to be translated into action when people plan when, where, and how to perform the desired behaviour.

Question 37

What is the difference between action and coping-planning?

Answer 37

Action planning is considered more important for the initiation of health behaviours, whereas coping planning is especially important for the maintenance of the behaviour over time

Question 38

The HAPA consists of pretenders, intenders, and actors. differentiate between them.

Answer 38

1. clients who are pre-intenders may benefit from an examination of their outcome expectancies. (task self, efficacy, outcome expectancy, and perceived risks).
2. clients who are intenders are not likely to require such a discussion as they have already decided to make a change and have moved into planning to translate their intentions into action. (action/ coping plans in place. manage self-efficacy and eliminate barriers).
3. clients who are already in the action phase may not require much more than the refinement of their action plans to achieve new goals, prevent relapses, and promote variety for sustained participation.

Question 39

What notion is each theory founded on?

Answer 39

that the individual is in control of their own behaviour and that behaviour change must come from within.