Chapter 5 Group & Social Influences on Exercise
Social Influence Real or imagined pressure to change one s behavior, attitudes, or beliefs Can come from doctors, fitness leaders, family members, and so on An understanding of this pressure may lead to the development of interventions that use social influence to increase physical activity participation
Size of Social Network Measured by the number of groups or individuals an exerciser can turn to for support Does not take into account quality or type of support provided
Social Support Most important type of social influence in exercise and physical activity settings The perceived comfort, caring, assistance, and information that a person receives from others Two approaches: Measure size of one s social network Measure amount and type of support that an exerciser receives
Types of Support Instrumental support Practical, tangible assistance Emotional support Encouragement, praise, empathy, concern Informational support Directions, suggestions, advice, feedback
More Types of Support Companionship support Friends, family members, exercise groups Validation Comparison with others to gauge progress
Your Viewpoint What type of support do you find most helpful when you exercise? Least helpful?
Does social support change my attitude about physical activity? Carron et al, meta analysis summarized this research to find: social support from the family (es =.59) and important others (es =.63) have a positive effect effect on one s attitude about physical activity.
Does social support improve one s self efficacy for PA? One s level of Social support was not related to: barrier efficacy, that is, the belief you can overcome the barrier to exercise in males and female exercisers 45 years to 64 years of age.
What affect does social support have on adherence to PA? Carron et al., meta analysis that examined this relations found: Social support has a positive effect on adherence. One can conclude that social support is important.
What affect does social support have on maintaining PA program? Carron meta analysis examining this relationship found: Social Support from family was very important.
Research on Relationships Between Social Support and Physical Activity Number of social contacts: People who have more available support sources reported greater levels of physical exertion. Amount and type of social support: The most effective type of support depends on the exerciser s needs at a given time. Exercisers may need emotional support more than they need instrumental support.
Individual and Group Influence on Exercise Family (spouse, children, parents) Important others (physician, friends, coworkers) Fitness professionals and instructors Other exercise participants
Influence of Family Parental Support Social support from parents and family has been identified as one of the most important determinants of participation in physical activity. Parents provide many different types of social support: Instrumental: provide transportation, pay fees Emotional: provide encouragement Informational: teach a new activity Companionship: play with their children
Parental Models & Exercise Children that come from parent who exercise usually exercise. Early modeling is important to exercise compliance. As early as pre school. Day care providers have a great effect on the child PA level. An active day care provider is a good sign!
Influence of Family Spousal or Partner Support Individuals have better attendance and fewer drop out rates when exercising with a spouse Emotional support Companionship support Spouses/partners provide much needed support to mothers with young children, because mothers may have difficulty finding time to exercise Instrumental support
Downside to Family Support Behavioral reactance: When family members pressure a loved one to exercise, that person may respond in the opposite manner and actually exercise less. Social control Overprotectiveness Parental pressure
Influence of Physician Many people look to health professionals for advice on how to become physically active Physicians who exercise regularly are important role models Not all physicians prescribe exercise: Don t perceive exercise as an immediate treatment Don t feel qualified to perform exercise counseling
Dogs as Social Influence People who own dogs are more likely to meet recommended physical activity levels than those who do not. Many dog owners report feeling guilty if they do not walk their dogs guilt avoidance becomes a powerful incentive. Dogs provide companionship support.
Influence of Exercise Class Leader Single most important determinant of an exerciser s continued participation in an exercise program Exercise leaders provide many different types of social support: Informational: show what exercises to do Emotional: provide encouragement/praise Instrumental: organize fitness classes Companionship: distract from feelings of pain, fatigue, boredom
Leadership Styles of Exercise Class Leaders Socially supportive: Encouragement Verbal reinforcement Praise Showing interest in participants Engaging in casual conversation before/after class Bland: Verbal criticism of exercisers who made mistakes No encouragement or praise No interaction before/after class
Effects of Socially Supportive Leadership Style Greater exercise self efficacy More energy and enthusiasm Less post exercise fatigue Less concern about embarrassing oneself and trying new things More enjoyment Stronger intentions to join another class in future
The Exercise Leader as Role Model Emphasize importance of getting adequate rest between workouts and taking time to fully recuperate when sick or injured Emphasize fitness and fun during exercise Encourage participants to set realistic fitness and weight loss goals Give praise and advice about future goals
Group Exercise
Influence of Exercise Group Can promote or undermine exercise related thoughts, feelings, and behaviors Three aspects of the exercise group affect exercise: Group cohesion Group size Group composition
Group Cohesion A cohesive exercise group is one in which group members are drawn to a common goal and are integrated around the pursuit of that goal and satisfying social interactions and communication More cohesive exercise groups foster greater exercise adherence Team building results in improved adherence and fewer dropouts
Conceptual Model of Group Cohesion
How to Increase Feelings of Group Cohesion Develop feelings of distinctiveness among members Assign group roles and/or positions Establish group norms Provide opportunities to make sacrifices for group Provide opportunities for interaction
How Does Group Cohesion Foster Adherence? Cohesive groups may foster more positive attitudes toward class attendance. People may feel more positively about exercising in cohesive groups because these groups provide greater social support and interaction. More cohesive groups may generate greater self efficacy in group members than less cohesive groups.
Group Cohesion Research with women participating in exercise classes that they perceived as being task attractive had a high rate of absenteeism. Answer is: False Attraction to the task accounted for the greatest difference between those who attended and did not attend (Spink & Carron, 1992)
Group Cohesion Having a exercise group that is not cohesive has little effect on older adults adherence to exercise? Answer: False. High cohesive exercise groups is positively associated with older adults exercise levels and key to programming exercise for the older adult.
Group Size As number of people increases, perceptions of group cohesiveness decrease because of the following: Crowding Fewer interactions Less enjoyment
Group Size The higher the cohesiveness of the exercise class, the higher the perceived effects of exercising (e.g. getting a better workout) are in the class members? Answer: True
Your Viewpoint As the group exercise class size increase, what happens to the exercise classes view of the leader?
Group Size As class size increased perceived leadership qualities by the participant of the exercise leader increases? True & FAlse Answer: False Group s perceptions of the instructor can be affected by group size
Your Viewpoint How many members in an exercise class produces the greatest adherence, and retention?
Class Size & Retention A. Large classes (150 to 200 participants) B. Medium classes (50 to 80 participants) C. Small classes (20 to 30 participants) Answer is: A & C There is curvilinear relationship between class size and retention, adherence, and perceived workout satisfaction.
Your Viewpoint What affect does class size have on the client s workout satisfaction?
Group Size As group size increases, client s satisfaction of having a good workout session increases.
Group Composition Mixed gender makeup May cause discomfort May cause feelings of being an oddity Similarity of members Affects comfort level and motivation Group enthusiasm Results in greater enjoyment and future intentions to join an exercise group May increase feelings of self consciousness and worries about embarrassment and social evaluation
Group Composition Obese people like to exercise in classes with other obese people? Answer: True (Bain, Wilson, & Chaikind, 1983)
Group Composition First time exercisers that receive encouragement and attention from other group members elicit feelings of self confidence and low anxiety in classes? Answer is: False Martins & Fox (2001) found that first time exercisers need to master exercise skills not attention from others which produces high anxiety.