Research on Mechanism of Exercise Persistence Based on Sport Commitment Theory

In order to explain the mechanism and cause of college students persisting in or quitting out exercise,a mechanism model of exercise persistence (MMEP) was constructed using the method of interview and interpretive structural modeling method (ISM) based on the sport commitment theory.A survey of 1179 college students was made to test the MMEP.The results showed that:1.Exercise commitment was a psychological construct that reflected the desire and resolve to persist in exercise.Exercise commitment was yielded by three psychological decision-making processes,which were motivation orienting,outcome evaluating and feasibility forecasting.2.Individual factors and environmental factors via these psychological decision-making processes influenced behaviors of exercise persistence.3.Among these determinants,personal investment,athletic competence,involvement opportunities,social supports,exercise facility and exercise atmosphere promoted exercise persistence,while social constraints,sport risk,regulations constraints and involvement alternatives put negative influences on exercise persistence.