A1 Journal article (refereed)
Personality, motivational, and social cognition predictors of leisure-time physical activity (2022)

Kekäläinen, T., Tammelin, T. H., Hagger, M. S., Lintunen, T., Hyvärinen, M., Kujala, U. M., Laakkonen, E. K., & Kokko, K. (2022). Personality, motivational, and social cognition predictors of leisure-time physical activity. Psychology of Sport and Exercise, 60, Article 102135. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.psychsport.2022.102135

JYU authors or editors

Kekäläinen, Tiia
Hagger, Martin
Lintunen, Taru
Hyvärinen, Matti
Kujala, Urho
Laakkonen, Eija
Kokko, Katja

Publication details

All authors or editors: Kekäläinen, Tiia; Tammelin, Tuija H.; Hagger, Martin S.; Lintunen, Taru; Hyvärinen, Matti; Kujala, Urho M.; Laakkonen, Eija K.; Kokko, Katja

Journal or series: Psychology of Sport and Exercise

ISSN: 1469-0292

eISSN: 1878-5476

Publication year: 2022

Volume: 60

Article number: 102135

Publisher: Elsevier

Publication country: Netherlands

Publication language: English

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.psychsport.2022.102135

Publication open access: Openly available

Publication channel open access: Partially open access channel

Publication is parallel published (JYX): https://jyx.jyu.fi/handle/123456789/79606

Abstract

Objective
The purpose of the present study was to investigate associations between personality traits of extraversion and neuroticism, autonomous motivation, and the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB) constructs and leisure-time physical activity. The study examined whether autonomous motivation and the TPB constructs mediate the association between personality traits and physical activity, and whether personality traits moderate the relationship of autonomous motivation and the TPB constructs with physical activity.

Methods
Middle-aged women (N = 441) completed self-report measures of personality traits, autonomous motivation, attitudes, subjective norms, perceived behavioral control (PBC) and intention. Moderate-to-vigorous leisure-time physical activity (MVPA) was measured using accelerometers approximately seven weeks later. Participants’ past accelerometer-based MVPA was available from four years earlier.

Results
Only autonomous motivation and past MVPA directly predicted MVPA. Neuroticism and past MVPA were indirectly related with MVPA through autonomous motivation. No support for a moderator role of personality traits was found.

Conclusions
Current data suggest that autonomous motivation and past experience are prominent determinants of accelerometer-based leisure-time MVPA, but not beliefs and intentions.

Keywords: middle-aged persons; middle age; women; health behaviour; physical activity; exercise (people); motivation (mental objects); autonomy (cognition); personality traits; social cognition