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This study tested the self-determination theory in relation to exercise participation with the aim of identifying whether degree of autonomy mediates the relationship between personality traits and exercise participation. One hundred gym attendees completed a questionnaire assessing Big Five personality traits, Behavioural Regulation scales, and frequency of exercise participation. As predicted by Self-Determination Theory, more autonomous forms of exercise motivation were more strongly correlated with increased exercise participation while External behavioural regulation and Amotivation were negatively correlated with exercise participation. In addition, Extraversion, Conscientiousness and Agreeableness predicted exercise frequency, with further analysis indicating that the Extraversion and Conscientiousness effects were mediated by Intrinsic and External motivation. Agreeableness was not mediated however, and indicates that individuals who are more self-focused are likely to engage in a more frequent exercise regime. These results help to elucidate previous contradictory findings on the effects of personality on exercise participation by emphasising the interaction of individual personality with the intrinsic motivation of a specific activity. Programs encouraging increased exercise should focus on helping participants to find intrinsically enjoyable activities and stress the importance of a certain level of self-focus in committing to a more active lifestyle if they are to succeed.
Exercise can not only improve one's physiological development, but can also promote psychological well-being. Participation in exercise dramatically improved the well-being of people suffering from chronic health conditions (Graham, Kremer and Wheeler, 2008), while individual components of well-being, including fortitude, stress management and coping, have all been shown to significantly improve when associated with a regular exercise schedule (Edwards, 2006). In addition, regular exercisers perceive themselves as having more autonomy, personal growth, purpose in life, positive relations with others and conditioning than nonexercisers (Edwards, Ngcobo, Edwards and Palavar, 2005). Yet according to the National Health Service in the United Kingdom (2006) only 35% of men and 24% of women reported achieving the physical adult recommendations of 30 minutes of moderate intensity exercise at least 5 times a week in 2004. With the evidence indicating that the notion of 'healthy body, healthy mind' really can exist, Jones, Harris, Waller and Coggins (2005) note that encouraging exercise is an essential area of health promotion. Identifying the individual factors which encourage exercise participation and gaining a deeper understanding of the relationship...