A longitudinal diary study of the effects of causality orientations on exercise-related affect

Abstract

According to self-determination theory, a tendency to view causes of a behavior as autonomous, controlled, or impersonal can influence motivation, self-regulation, and experience. We propose that causality orientations for exercise may shape self-determined regulations for exercise by leading to more positive exercise-related affect, leading to greater internalization of exercise behavior and more self-determined regulations to exercise (e.g., regulation on the basis of inherent interest and personally-held values).

Methods: Participants (N = 104) kept an online diary for four weeks documenting exercise behavior and affect experienced during exercise. Exercise causality orientations were measured at baseline and exercise regulations were measured at follow-up. Analyses were performed using multilevel modeling and path analysis.

Results: Exercise-related affect was more positive for those with higher levels of the autonomy orientation and lower levels of the impersonal orientation. Exercise-related affect partially mediated the relationship between autonomy and impersonal orientations and self-determined regulations for exercise.

Conclusions: Affective responses to self-selected exercise were more positive for those who tend to perceive exercise opportunities as more autonomous, which in turn led to more self-determined regulations.

Keywords: Affective response; Intrinsic motivation; Physical activity; Self-determination theory.

FIGURE 1

Path analysis testing direct and indirect effects of causality orientations on self-determined motivation. Note: Standardized path coefficients are shown. Non-significant paths and covariances are shown as dashed lines. *p<.05; **p<.01; ***p<.001.