The Relationship Between Enjoyment and Affective Responses to Exercise

Exercise-related affective changes are well documented across a variety of settings and populations. In addition to the stimulus properties of exercise itself, social environmental factors are thought to influence affective responses. One factor that may be associated with psychological responses to exercise is enjoyment. Individuals who enjoy exercise may exhibit more positive affective responses compared to those who enjoy exercise less. The purpose of this study was to examine whether exercise enjoyment was related to affective changes associated with an acute bout of exercise in a naturalistic setting. Study 1 used a categorical approach to assess affect and sampled college-aged female group fitness participants. Study 2 was based on a dimensional affect conceptualization and sampled corporate fitness participants. Across both studies, results revealed a significant decrease in negative affect and increase in positive affect following exercise. Enjoyment was positively related to increases in positive affect but unrelated to changes in negative affect.

[1]  R. Cox,et al.  Effects of Acute 60 and 80% VO2max Bouts of Aerobic Exercise on State Anxiety of Women of Different Age Groups across Time , 2004, Research quarterly for exercise and sport.

[2]  Steven J. Petruzzello,et al.  Walking in (Affective) Circles: Can Short Walks Enhance Affect? , 2000, Journal of Behavioral Medicine.

[3]  T. Ryska.  Enjoyment of Evaluative Physical Activity among Young Participants: The Role of Self-Handicapping and Intrinsic Motivation , 2003 .

[4]  Kathleen A Martin Ginis,et al.  To see or not to see: effects of exercising in mirrored environments on sedentary women's feeling states and self-efficacy. , 2003, Health psychology : official journal of the Division of Health Psychology, American Psychological Association.

[5]  H. Hausenblas,et al.  State Anxiety Responses to Acute Exercise in Women with High Social Physique Anxiety , 2003 .

[6]  J. Bartholomew,et al.  Affective Responses to an Aerobic Dance Class: The Impact of Perceived Performance , 2002, Research quarterly for exercise and sport.

[7]  Influence of Quiet Rest and Acute Aerobic Exercise Performed in a Naturalistic Environment on Selected Psychological Responses , 2001 .

[8]  J. Coast,et al.  Exercise duration and mood state: how much is enough to feel better? , 2001, Health psychology : official journal of the Division of Health Psychology, American Psychological Association.

[9]  Jennifer L. Etnier,et al.  The Effects of Exercise on Mood in Older Adults: A Meta-Analytic Review , 2000 .

[10]  Robert W. Motl,et al.  The role of enjoyment in the exercise-mood relationship , 2000 .

[11]  L. Gauvin,et al.  Effects of Leadership Style and Group Dynamics on Enjoyment of Physical Activity , 2000, American journal of health promotion : AJHP.

[12]  Robert W. Motl,et al.  Exercise and mood: A selective review and synthesis of research employing the profile of mood states , 2000 .

[13]  Thomas L. Schwenk,et al.  Physical Activity and Mental Health , 2000, Sports medicine.

[14]  D. Watson,et al.  On the Dimensional and Hierarchical Structure of Affect , 1999 .

[15]  E. Heath.  Borg's Perceived Exertion and Pain Scales , 1998 .

[16]  G. Borg.  Borg's Perceived Exertion and Pain Scales , 1998 .

[17]  Joan L. Duda,et al.  Advances in sport and exercise psychology measurement , 1998 .

[18]  M. Newton,et al.  Effect of exercise intensity on mood in step aerobics. , 1997, The Journal of sports medicine and physical fitness.

[19]  W. Jack Rejeski,et al.  Psychological Benefits of Physical Activity Are Influenced by the Social Environment , 1997 .

[20]  E. McAuley,et al.  Acute Exercise and Anxiety Reduction: Does the Environment Matter? , 1996 .

[21]  J. Kimiecik,et al.  What Is Enjoyment? A Conceptual/Definitional Analysis With Implications for Sport and Exercise Psychology , 1996 .

[22]  J. Norris,et al.  A naturalistic study of the impact of acute physical activity on feeling states and affect in women. , 1996, Health psychology : official journal of the Division of Health Psychology, American Psychological Association.

[23]  Bonnie G. Berger,et al.  Psychological benefits of an active lifestyle: what we know and what we need to know. , 1996 .

[24]  Marcel Bouffard,et al.  Measuring Enjoyment in Youth Sport Settings: A Confirmatory Factor Analysis of the Physical Activity Enjoyment Scale , 1995 .

[25]  P. Thompson,et al.  ACSM's Guidelines for Exercise Testing and Prescription , 1995 .

[26]  E. Acevedo,et al.  Perceived exertion and affect at varying intensities of running. , 1994, Research quarterly for exercise and sport.

[27]  R. Thayer,et al.  Self-regulation of mood: strategies for changing a bad mood, raising energy, and reducing tension. , 1994, Journal of personality and social psychology.

[28]  C. Bouchard,et al.  Physical Activity, Fitness, and Health: International Proceedings and Consensus Statement , 1994 .

[29]  W. Rejeski.  Dose–response issues from a psychosocial perspective. , 1994 .

[30]  W. Jack Rejeski,et al.  The Exercise-Induced Feeling Inventory: Development and Initial Validation , 1993 .

[31]  L. Wankel,et al.  The importance of enjoyment to adherence and psychological benefits from physical activity. , 1993 .

[32]  B E Ainsworth,et al.  A simultaneous evaluation of 10 commonly used physical activity questionnaires. , 1993, Medicine and science in sports and exercise.

[33]  Jacob Cohen,et al.  A power primer. , 1992, Psychological bulletin.

[34]  G. Roberts,et al.  Motivation in sport and exercise. , 1992 .

[35]  Deborah Kendzierski,et al.  Physical Activity Enjoyment Scale: Two Validation Studies , 1991 .

[36]  Steven J. Petruzzello,et al.  A Meta-Analysis on the Anxiety-Reducing Effects of Acute and Chronic Exercise , 1991, Sports medicine.

[37]  C. Hardy,et al.  Not What, but How One Feels: The Measurement of Affect during Exercise , 1989 .

[38]  T. M. Wood,et al.  Measurement Concepts in Physical Education and Exercise Science , 1989 .

[39]  D. Watson.  Intraindividual and interindividual analyses of positive and negative affect: their relation to health complaints, perceived stress, and daily activities. , 1988, Journal of personality and social psychology.

[40]  R. Thayer.  Activation-Deactivation Adjective Check List: Current Overview and Structural Analysis , 1986 .

[41]  C. Mackay,et al.  The measurement of self-reported stress and arousal. , 1985, British journal of psychology.

[42]  R. Shephard,et al.  A simple method to assess exercise behavior in the community. , 1969, Canadian journal of applied sport sciences. Journal canadien des sciences appliquees au sport.

[43]  G. Burrows,et al.  Measurement of stress and arousal: validation of the stress/arousal adjective checklist. , 1983, British journal of psychology.

[44]  T. Cox,et al.  An inventory for the measurement of self-reported stress and arousal. , 1978, The British journal of social and clinical psychology.

[45]  M. Lorr,et al.  Manual for the Profile of Mood States , 1971 .