Affect and Subsequent Physical Activity: An Ambulatory Assessment Study Examining the Affect-Activity Association in a Real-Life Context

Abstract

Traditionally, cognitive, motivational, and volitional determinants have been used to explain and predict health behaviors such as physical activity. Recently, the role of affect in influencing and regulating health behaviors received more attention. Affects as internal cues may automatically activate unconscious processes of behavior regulation. The aim of our study was to examine the association between affect and physical activity in daily life. In addition, we studied the influence of the habit of being physically active on this relationship. An ambulatory assessment study in 89 persons (33.7% male, 25 to 65 years, M = 45.2, SD = 8.1) was conducted. Affect was assessed in the afternoon on 5 weekdays using smartphones. Physical activity was measured continuously objectively using accelerometers and subjectively using smartphones in the evening. Habit strength was assessed at the beginning of the diary period. The outcomes were objectively and subjectively measured moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) performed after work. Multilevel regression models were used to analyze the association between affect and after work MVPA. In addition, the cross-level interaction of habit strength and affect on after work MVPA was tested. Positive affect was positively related to objectively measured and self-reported after work MVPA: the greater the positive affect the more time persons subsequently spent on MVPA. An inverse relationship was found for negative affect: the greater the negative affect the less time persons spent on MVPA. The cross-level interaction effect was significant only for objectively measured MVPA. A strong habit seems to strengthen both the positive influence of positive affect and the negative influence of negative affect. The results of this study confirm previous results and indicate that affect plays an important role for the regulation of physical activity behavior in daily life. The results for positive affect were consistent. However, in contrast to previous reports of no or an inverse association, negative affect decreased subsequent MVPA. These inconsistencies may be—in part—explained by the different measurements of affect in our and other studies. Therefore, further research is warranted to gain more insight into the association between affect and physical activity.

Examining acute bi-directional relationships between affect, physical feeling states, and physical activity in free-living situations using electronic ecological momentary assessment

“…Recently, the role of affective and physical feeling states in influencing free-living physical activity has received increasing attention (Liao et al, 2015). A study in working adults found that greater positive affective states predicted more time spent in subsequent MVPA, while greater negative affective states predicted less time spent in subsequent MVPA (Niermann et al, 2016). Another study among college students revealed that increased positive affect and feeling energized were associated with a decrease in physical activity levels over the following 45 minutes (Kanning & Schoebi, 2016).…”

Trait self‐control and beliefs about the utility of emotions for initiatory and inhibitory self‐control

“…As discussed earlier, we define self-control not only as the ability to inhibit attractive but undesired behaviors (e.g., unhealthy snacking), but also as the ability to initiate unattractive but desired behaviors (e.g., exercising). While positive emotions have been shown to benefit both initiatory and inhibitory self-control behaviors (Garg et al, 2007;Niermann et al, 2016), we are not aware of any research examining whether the effects of emotions on self-control are moderated by the type of self-control required. However, evidence suggests that inhibitory and initiatory self-control are related but yet distinct constructs (r = .68; de Ridder et al, 2011), which predict different outcomes .…”

“…For example, Vinci et al (2017) found in an ecological momentary assessment study that smokers who experienced high levels of positive emotions were less likely to lapse, and Niermann, Herrmann, von Haaren, van Kann, and Woll (2016) found in an ambulatory assessment study that people who experienced high levels of positive emotions after work spent more time exercising that day, whereas the reverse was true for negative emotions. For example, Vinci et al (2017) found in an ecological momentary assessment study that smokers who experienced high levels of positive emotions were less likely to lapse, and Niermann, Herrmann, von Haaren, van Kann, and Woll (2016) found in an ambulatory assessment study that people who experienced high levels of positive emotions after work spent more time exercising that day, whereas the reverse was true for negative emotions.…”

“…Studies which have measured, rather than manipulated, emotions have come to similar conclusions. For example, Vinci et al (2017) found in an ecological momentary assessment study that smokers who experienced high levels of positive emotions were less likely to lapse, and Niermann, Herrmann, von Haaren, van Kann, and Woll (2016) found in an ambulatory assessment study that people who experienced high levels of positive emotions after work spent more time exercising that day, whereas the reverse was true for negative emotions. Experience sampling data have also shown that people higher in trait self-control experience high levels of positive emotions and low levels of negative emotions in their daily lives (Hofmann, Luhmann, Fisher, Vohs, & Baumeister, 2014), providing evidence for a cross-sectional link between self-control success and positive emotions.…”

dynr.mi: An R Program for Multiple Imputation in Dynamic Modeling

“…However, other studies [21] also reported the opposite patterns. In terms of directionality of the effect, [22] and [23] showed that feeling more positive predicted more subsequent physical activity.…”