I'm an exerciser: Common conceptualisations of and variation in exercise identity meanings

Abstract

Identities are meanings associated with a role. Identity meanings encapsulate what it involves for an individual to hold an identity. These meanings provide a standard which individuals seek to realise in order to confirm the identity [Burke, P. J., & Stets, J. E. (2009). Identity theory. New York, NY: Oxford University Press]. Identity theorists posit that there are identity meanings that are common among individuals [McCall, G. J., & Simmons, J. L. (1978). Identities and interactions. New York, NY: Free Press]; yet they also recognise variability in these meanings [Stryker, S. (1980). Symbolic interactionism: A social structural version. Menlo Park, CA: Benjamin Cummings]. Only a few researchers have addressed the content of identity meanings and none that we are aware of have examined the idea of variability in these meanings. Through a qualitative investigation of exercise identity meanings, we explore both the meanings that people use to define themselves as exercisers (purpose 1) and the extent to which there is variability in exercise identity meanings (purpose 2). We conducted 17 semi-structured interviews with exercisers and analysed the interviews through thematic analysis. Themes of purposefulness, priority, and consistency of exercise as well as behavioural and non-behavioural characteristics of exercise emerged. Among interviewees, there was much commonality with regard to the categories that comprised identity meanings. Variability within these categories was evident. The present findings lead us to suggest that individuals employ common standards to define themselves as exercisers, yet also instil their personal definitions of what it means to be an exerciser. These findings have implications for conceptualisations of exercise identity meanings and may inform exercise identity research and interventions.