Great Expectations: A Qualitative Analysis of the Factors That Influence Affective Forecasts for Exercise

Amanda J. Calder, Elaine A. Hargreaves and Ken Hodge
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Amanda J. Calder: National Institute for Health Innovation, University of Auckland, Auckland 1142, New Zealand
Elaine A. Hargreaves: School of Physical Education, Sport and Exercise Sciences, University of Otago, Otago 9016, New Zealand
Ken Hodge: School of Physical Education, Sport and Exercise Sciences, University of Otago, Otago 9016, New Zealand

IJERPH, 2020, vol. 17, issue 2, 1-13

Abstract: The extent to which people expect to feel pleasure during exercise is proposed to influence an individual’s decision to be active. In order to identify the factors that shape this affective forecast for exercise, this study explored what people think about when creating their affective forecast for exercise. Thirty-one inactive participants provided an affective forecast for a moderate intensity exercise session using the global affective forecast questionnaire. Immediately after, they were asked a series of questions to verbally explain what they were thinking about in order to generate their forecast. Thematic analysis identified four themes relating to the exercise intensity, the exercise outcomes, the exercise environment, and the enjoyment of exercise that influenced affective forecast creation. Exercise practitioners should design strategies to manipulate these factors, and structure exercise environments to support a positive affective forecast and better motivate exercise participation.

Keywords: motivation; cognitive appraisal; affective responses; physical activity; behavior change (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2020
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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