Abstract
Although outcome expectancies are regarded as key determinants of health behavior change, studies on the role of their degree of fulfillment in long-term activity changes are lacking. This study investigated the impact of (un-)fulfilled outcome expectancies (OE) on (un-)successful attempts to increase physical activity, assuming that disengagement is the logical consequence of perceived futility. Participants (n = 138) of a longitudinal cohort study with three measurement waves were assigned to eight different groups according to a staging algorithm of their self-reported, 1-year-long physical activity behavior track. Stages were validated by objective changes in objective fitness, e.g., Physical Working Capacity (PWC). Social cognitive variables, self-efficacy, proximal and distal OE, and fulfillment of OE, were assessed via self-report. Discriminant analyses revealed that OE fulfillment was the predominant predictor for differentiating between successful and unsuccessful behavior change. Amongst OE, proximal OE concerning emotional rewards, in conjunction with action self-efficacy, further improved discriminatory power. OE adjustment warranting hedonic rewards appears to be a crucial mechanism as it facilitates long-term changes through interventions aimed at increasing physical activity rates. Theoretical models might benefit by including the concept of fulfilled expectations acting in terms of feedback loops between volitional and motivational processes.
Highlights
Outcome expectancies (OE) attribute value to human action: Without expectations of resultant benefit, the likelihood of health behavior decreases
Staging Algorithm for Classifying Participants By combining the answers to the two Wave 2 questions asking after participants’ physical activity level, all participants that reported attempts to become more physically active were assigned to one of four basic characteristic activity trajectory groups: persistent actors, insistent actors, progressive intenders, and permanent intenders. These four groups could be further differentiated according to their Wave 3 statement as either successful, having increased their activity level, or unsuccessful. This staging according to participants’ reported trajectories of adoption and maintenance of physical activity resulted in eight distinct groups (Table 1)
The present study focused on positive OE because spontaneous elicitation of OE resulted in more positive OE (Rhodes and Conner, 2010), and recent studies indicated that positive OE might be more important to fostering health behavior change (Aaltonen et al, 2012; Basen-Engquist et al, 2013)
Summary
Outcome expectancies (OE) attribute value to human action: Without expectations of resultant benefit, the likelihood of health behavior decreases. Fulfilled Emotional Outcome Expectancies change models as, for example, perceived benefit in the Health Belief Model (Stretcher et al, 1997), behavioral beliefs in the Theory of Planned Behavior (Ajzen, 1991, 1998), or, OE in the Health Action Process Approach (Schwarzer, 1992, 2008a). These refer to expected consequences of courses of action that differ in the degree of desire and probability (Heckhausen, 1977; Bandura, 2001). These expectations result from a contemplation process with a thorough balancing of pros and cons of anticipated behavioral outcomes. OE-values refer to positive psychological effects (e.g., fun, relaxation, companionship), body image (e.g., appearance, self-image, confidence), or health benefits (Steinhardt and Dishman, 1989; Schwarzer, 2008a)
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