Abstract
Previous studies have identified that a behavior can occur through the strongest predictor intention, but there is a gap between intention and behavior. Dopamine receptor D2 (DRD2) is known to account for a variance in sporting behaviors in human and animal subjects. However, the relationship between DRD2 and sport participation has been poorly studied, and the limited available reports are inconsistent. The present study was performed to examine the impact of DRD2 on sport participation among Korean university students based on the integrated behavioral model (IBM). Data were collected from enrolled university students in Seoul (N = 45). Participants answered survey questions first, and then they gave investigators their hair to provide DNA information (i.e., the A1 allele of DRD2). DRD2 had a significant effect on sport participation, but only in male students. Male students who carried the A1 allele of DRD2 significantly participated in 105.10 min more sporting activities than male students who did not. Moreover, the effect of intention on sport participation was significantly decreased when considering DRD2. Despite the small sample size, the results of this study could be a preliminary case for a larger study and indicate the direction of future research. Our results suggest that DRD2 may have played an important role as the “actual skill” shown in the IBM.
Highlights
The present study found out that the intention to participate in sport had a significant influence on sport participation in both genders, and Dopamine receptor D2 (DRD2) had a significant effect on sport participation in male students only
The results that intention had a significant influence on sport participation and the effect of intention on sport participation was significant even after controlling for DRD2 indicate that intention is still important for predicting sport participation in Korean college students, even though previous reports have pointed to the inconsistency between intention and behavior [30,37]
The present study showed that the effect of intention on sport participation was decreased when controlling for DRD2 in male participants, even though the effects of intention were significant regardless of the possession of the A1 allele of DRD2 in both genders
Summary
Even though regular physical activity can help prevent health threats among various age groups, physical inactivity among college students in different countries was high (41.4%), and epidemiological evidence has shown that the level of physical activity steeply declines during college years [3,4]. College students decide their behaviors themselves, and they own responsibility for those behaviors [5]. It is important for college students to participate in regular physical activity because the behaviors that start in collegiate periods are often kept for a long time as habits [6,7]
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