Motivational Aspects of Exercise Adherence

The major purpose of this study was to determine if different goal orientations exist for individuals participating in an exercise program and to determine if these goal orientations could be used to differentiate between those who drop out and those who adhere to the exercise program. A secondary purpose was to determine the percent of variance in exercise behavior which could be accounted for by the goal orientation model. These results were compared with the ability of the psychobiological model to account for the variance in exercise behaviors. The two models were then compared to determine which one was the more accurate predictor of exercise behavior. Factor analysis procedures revealed findings which supported the general hypothesis that multiple goal orientations exist for exercise program participants. However, the specific subhypotheses were only partially supported. The hypothesized orientations identified as social approval and task mastery emerged but the ability orientation did not, instead an intrinsic orientation was identified. The results did not support the second major hypothesis that exercise adherers and drop outs had different goal orientations. Multivariate analyses revealed that there were no differences between adherers and drop outs on goal orientations. However, differences between exercise programs on the perceived opportunities to satisfy the different goal orientations explains why one orientation did not emerge as a discriminating variable. The results did not support the third major hypothesis that the goal orientation approach was a better predictor of exercise behavior than was the psychobiological model. Multiple regression analyses suggested that neither model was a significant predictor of attendance. When the exercise programs were entered into subsequent multiple regression analyses, for both the goal orientation model and the psychobiological model, the percent of variance accounted for in attendance was increased substantially.

Name thesis:degree_name

Ph.D.

Level thesis:degree_level

Dissertation

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Physical Education

Grantor

University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Year dc:date

2014

Author dc:creator

• Pemberton, Cynthia Lea

• Education, Physical

Identifier

(UMI)AAI8610968

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:www.ideals.illinois.edu:2142/71883