Does exercise identity moderate affective and cognitive reactions to feedback on physical fitness?

Abstract

ObjectivesThe aim of this study was to examine the moderating role of exercise identity on the processing of feedback on self-relevant physical fitness. It was hypothesized that individuals with a strong exercise identity would react cognitively more positively to consistent feedback than to positive feedback (self-consistency principle), whereas individuals with a weak exercise identity were expected to react affectively more positively to positive feedback than to consistent feedback (self-enhancement principle). DesignCross-sectional. Method215 university students (64.2% male, Mage = 23.82 years, SD = 2.32) were given bogus feedback on their results on an alleged fitness test based on heart rate variability in a laboratory setting. Affective and cognitive reactions were assessed afterwards. Data were examined using moderated regression analyses. ResultsExercise identity did not moderate affective reaction. For cognitive reaction, an interaction contrary to expectations was found: Individuals with a very weak exercise identity reacted more positively to consistent feedback than to positive feedback. Further, individuals with a strong exercise identity reacted more negatively to negative feedback than to consistent feedback. ConclusionsThe hypotheses could not be confirmed. Cognitive reaction to negative feedback became more negative with a stronger exercise identity, whereas consistent feedback was received more positively as the strength of exercise identity increased. In future research focus should be on integrating the processing of negative feedback on a theoretical basis and should involve investigation into other relevant moderating variables.