The Impact of Positive and Negative Fitness Exemplars on Motivation

Abstract

In 3 studies, we examined whether exposure to exemplars of either excellent or poor physical fitness would influence participants' motivation to improve their eating and exercise habits. In Study 1, we exposed participants to positive and negative physical fitness exemplars and then assessed their eating and exercise behavioral intentions. In Study 2, participants indicated the degree to which they would be motivated by exemplars highlighting either (a) positive or negative physical fitness levels or (b) the body shape consequences of excellent or poor fitness levels. In Study 3, we assessed the effect of positive and negative fitness exemplars when body shape consequences were salient. Across studies, participants were motivated by positive physical fitness exemplars regardless of whether body shape outcomes were highlighted. In contrast, participants were motivated by negative physical fitness exemplars only when undesirable body shape consequences were salient.