Framing exercise : the impacts on self-efficacy, other-efficacy, and anticipated affect

Abstract

Physical inactivity is a national issue with over 75% of Americans being insufficiently active (Leavitt, 2008). To promote exercise, different framing techniques have been utilized (Chen, 2012), with some evidence indicating that framing activities for enjoyment rather than work results in more positive outcomes (e.g., Laran [and] Janiszewski, 2011). Additionally, self-efficacy, other-efficacy, and affective responses have been shown to be connected to exercise behavior and to one another (e.g., Joseph et al., 2014). The purpose of this study was to examine how an online fitness instructor with a fun versus a work focus framed message would impact self-efficacy, other-efficacy, and anticipated affect among college-aged females. Data was collected via an online survey. Participants (n = 77) completed a demographic section and then watched two workout videos, one fun- and one work-framed, and completed self-efficacy, other-efficacy, and anticipated affect measures after each video. A series of 2 (work, fun framing) x 3 (physical activity level) ANOVAs indicated that there was a strong effect for physical activity level on self-efficacy, indicating that self-efficacy was significantly higher for those who participated in higher levels of physical activity, regardless of framing. There was also a strong effect for fatigue such that those who participated in higher levels of activity reported anticipating less fatigue, regardless of framing. Finally, there was a moderate effect for framing on tranquility that indicated that participants anticipated higher tranquility when exposed to a fun-framed workout video, regardless of physical activity level. The results from this study can be used to tailor instructional techniques in instructor-based fitness depending on the activity level of the clients and in physical activity promotion to target psychological barriers to exercise for an inactive population.