Changing exercise through targeting affective or cognitive attitudes

Abstract

Two studies investigated the impact of affective and cognitive messages compared to a no-message control on self-reported exercise. Students (Study 1, N = 383 and Study 2, N = 197) were randomly allocated to one of the three conditions (control - no message, affective message or cognitive message). Participants completed questionnaire measures tapping components of the theory of planned behaviour in relation to exercise and reported their level of exercise (3 weeks later). In Study 2, measures of need for affect (NFA) and need for cognition (NFC) were also completed. Results showed that affective messages consistently produced greater increases in self-reported level of exercise than the other conditions. In both studies, this effect was partly mediated by affective attitude change. Study 2 indicated these effects to be significantly stronger among those high in NFA or low in NFC. These findings indicate the value of affective messages that target affective attitudes in changing exercise behaviour.

The impact of changing attitudes, norms, and self-efficacy on health-related intentions and behavior: A meta-analysis.

“…The present findings are consistent with correlational evidence that attitudes, norms, and self-efficacy are reliable predictors of intentions and behavior (e.g., Conner & Sparks, 2005;McEachan et al, 2011). However, the findings obtained here also indicate that correlational tests generally overestimate the influence of these cognitions.…”

“…The Impact of Changing Attitudes, Norms, and Self-Efficacy on Health-Related Intentions and Behavior: A Meta-Analysis Meta-analyses of correlational studies indicate that beliefs concerning (a) the appeal and consequences of behavior (attitudes), (b) other people's approval and performance of the behavior (social norms), and (c) one's ability to execute the relevant responses (self-efficacy) are reliable predictors of health behaviors (e.g., Conner & Sparks, 2005;Godin & Kok, 1996;McEachan et al, 2011). However, evidence from correlational studies that a variable predicts behavior does not necessarily indicate that interventions that change the same variable will cause changes in behavior (Sheeran, Harris, & Epton, 2014).…”

Correlational study and randomised controlled trial for understanding and changing red meat consumption: The role of eating identities

“…Carfora, Caso, & Conner, 2016b;Conner et al, 2011;Morris et al, 2015); or emphasising health rather than wellbeing (e.g. Bertolotti et al, 2016).…”

Changing self-reported physical activity using different types of affectively and cognitively framed health messages, in a student population

“…Presenting affective information, compared with cognitive information, has been shown to be more effective at instigating change in some instances (Conner et al, 2011;Hsee & Rottenstreich, 2004;Sirreyeh et al, 2010). In addition affect has shown to be influential in several common health behaviours Psychology, Health & Medicine (Lawton et al, 2009).…”

“…Secondly, a measure of dispositional style may have identified potential moderation effects of such measures as need for affect. To investigate whether certain messages would have had a more profound effect on activity levels for individuals who had high or low dispositions for certain information (e.g., high versus low need for affect; see Conner et al, 2011). Thirdly, the present follow-up period was one week.…”