1. Personality and Exercise7

2. Research Objectives of the Study of Personality
Are certain personality attributes antecedents to physical activity/exercise participation?
Do certain personality attributes develop as a consequence of physical activity/exercise participation?

3. Personality Defined
Underlying, relatively stable, psychological structures and processes that organize human experience and shape a person’s actions and reactions to the environment.

4. Structure of Personality
Personality core
Typical responses to situations
Role-related behaviors
Role-related behaviors
Typical responses
Psychological core
Internal External
Dynamic Constant
Personality core: Developed from early environmental interactions includes one’s perception of the external world and self, basic attitudes, values, interests, and motives. It is reflective BUT LEAST AMENABLE TO CHANGE.
Typical responses to situations: Fairly predictable behaviors and reactions.
Role-related behaviors: Variable, daily behaviors influenced by the particular context: MOST EASILY CHANGED!

5. Approaches to the Study of Personality
Learning/situational approaches
Behavior best explained by individual’s reaction to the environment
Dispositional/trait theories
Personality is derived from stable, enduring attributes that lead to consistent responses over time/situations

6. Biological Theories of Personality

7. Biological Theories Ancient Greek theory of humors
Constitutional theory (Sheldon, 1942)
Individuals possess certain somatotypes (body types)
People

8. Trait Theories of Personality

9. Trait Theories
Thoughts, feelings, behavior, emanate from inside the person (not the situation)
Trait versus State
Three related theories:
Eysenck’s personality theory
Cattell’s personality theory
Five factor model
Trait is a predisposed disposition that seems to be stable across all situations where as state is transitory and fluxuates across sitations.

10. Dimensions of Eysenck’s Personality Theory
Extraversion-Introversion
Neuroticism-Stability
Psychoticism-Superego
Outgoing, sociable, optimistic, etc
Reserved, unsociable, quiet, etc
Tense, anxious, moody, etc
Calm, even-tempered, etc.
Impulsive, aggressive, hostile etc.
Empathetic, cooperative, altruistic
Driven by level of cortical arousal in cortex of brain
Driven by limbic system and autonomic nervous system
Driven by hormonal function
Reticular formation mediates cortical arousal
ANS drives fight or flight response
Increased androgen (testosterone) and relative absence of serotonin
Introverts—higher base level activation, avoid further stimulation, low pain tolerance
High N—more labile, longer-lasting ANS reactions
Lead to heightened aggressiveness, impersonal attitudes, and antisocial behavior
Extroverts—lower base level activation, seek further stimulation, high pain tolerance
High N—continues to process stressor even when it is no longer present
Very little attention in exercise domain; can be advantageous in certain sport situations
Few people possess the traits that reflect the far ends of the dimensions
Most people fall somewhere between the extremes

11. Eysenck’s Framework and Exercise
Extroversion:
Exercise  increased stimulation  exercise adoption/adherence
Higher pain tolerance
Preference for higher intensity activity
Report lower RPE
Overall, greater likelihood of PA
Neuroticism
Exercise more stable, less neurotic personality

12. Eysenck’s Framework and Exercise
Research shows that personality can change as a result of regular physical activity:
1. exercise reduced the negative factors of neuroticism
2. and enhanced the positive factors (extroversion)

13. Cattell’s Personality Theory
Isolated 16 personality traits that he thought were the essence of personality
16 Personality Factor questionnaire (16PF)—used in sport personality and exercise studies

14. Cattell’s Personality Theory
= Extraversion-introversion;
= Emotionality (i.e., neuroticism)

15. Cattell’s Personality Theory and Exercise
Individuals who are highly fitness have lower anxiety and neuroticism; greater emotional stability, placidity, and relaxation
Individuals with lower levels of anxiety and neuroticism respond favorably to intense physical training

16. Cattell’s Personality Theory and Exercise
Higher fitness  lower emotionality
Exercise  reduced emotionality

17. The Five-Factor Model and Exercise Behavior

18. Other Personality Factors in Exercise Research
Sex-role orientation
Instrumental (M) & expressive (F) types
Exercise preferences
Type A behavior pattern
Anger, hostility, competitiveness, achievement striving, etc.

19. Type A and B Behavior Patterns and Exercise

20. Type A Behavior Pattern and Exercise
Exercise has been shown to be effective in reducing this behavior pattern as well as cardiovascular disease (but results of studies are not uniform)
Coronary-prone personality
Anger/hostility are important features for increased risk of cardiovascular disease

21. Hardiness
“Constellation of personality characteristics that function as a resistance resource in the encountering of stressful life events”-Kobass, et. al P. 169
Hardiness is linked to physical health (Kobass, 1979).
Higher tendency to engage in physical activity and exercise
Components are
Highly committed, dedicated, or involved person
Perceives like events as opportunities not hurdles
High sense of control over events
Characteristics:
Sense of control over events
Commitment, dedication, or involvement in everyday life
Tendency to perceive life events as opportunities

22. Practical Recommendations
Individuals who seem to be more emotional/neurotic might be encouraged to begin a regular exercise program
“Exercise dose” should be the same as is given to improve fitness and encourage weight loss
Exercise programs should include some type of aerobic activity:
These activities seem to influence personality factors

23. Personality Matching*
Individuals who do not exercise regularly are likely to experience additional challenges or obstacles when they engage in activities that require them to behave differently from their customary patterns.
Beginning exercisers have one fewer barrier to success if they choose sports and fitness programs that are highly similar to their personality profiles.
*Gavin, J. (2004) Pairing Personality With Activity. Physician & Sportsmedicine, (32), 12, 1-9.

24. Does Compatibility Breed adherence?
Greater hours of exercise participation
Higher degree of self-esteem & positive mood states
Greater exercise satisfaction

25. Seven dimensions pertinent to activity-based analyses.
Sociability
Spontaneity (degree of predictability)
Self-motivation
Aggressiveness
Competitiveness
Concentration (mental focus)
Risk taking

27. Does Lap Swimming Match your Personality?
Low in sociability
Low in spontaneity
Highly internal
Low to moderate forcefulness
Low in competitiveness
Low in focus
Low in risk taking

28. Professional Practice
Have the client choose an activity compare it to their perceived personality traits.
Helps clients become more aware of how personal preferences correspond to different activities.

31. Other Personality Factors & Adherence
Explanatory Style (Pessimistic vs. Optimistic)
Over-estimators
Sense of self
Malingering Athlete

32. Explanatory Style Pessimistic explanatory style Health effects
Personality caused:”It my own fault”
Stable over time: “I’m never going to play”
Global: “the rest of my life”
Health effects
Immune system function
Poorer health
Way an individual typically accounts for significant events in his or her life. Relative permanent way to explains things in a certain way—trait characteristic

33. Dispositional Optimism
Investigations are consistent
Cardiovascular and,
Immunological function is associated with optimism(Peterson et.al, 1991;Scheiver & Carver, 1987)
Optimism mitigates the stress-illness relationship
Link between optimism and recovery
General tendency for good rather than bad outcomes to occur.

34. Studies with Injured Athletes
Athletes who are high in neuroticism and possess pessimistic explanatory style display maladaptive behavior show longer rehab or incomplete recovery
Grove, Stewart & Gordon (1990) with athletes with ACL damage
Grove & Bahnsen (1997) with 72 injured athletes

35. Over-estimators
Athletes and heavy invested exercise clients in general perceive injury as more serious than it really is when compared to the AT or PTs perception (Crossman & Jamieson, 1985)
Over-estimators experience greater pain, more anger, withdrawal, and show slow recover.

36. Interventions One-to-one visit Ask the “why” statement….
Fear, sadness, embarrassment, guilt & anger, feelings of being over whelmed by the demands of rehab—signs of neuroticism
Ask the “why” statement….
Insight into athlete’s explanatory style
Pay attention to the athlete or client attributional comments…..Re-attributional training
Attributional comments like……I was lucky or they were lucky, or the rehab or exercise is too difficult or too easy rather than effort and ability

37. Interventions
Injured Pessimistic Athletes and exercisers usually feel helplessness and depressed.
These athlete or clinet fail to follow recommended recovery programs (especially when unsupervised).
They demonstrate a lack of persistence in the face of poor or slow progress in their recovery.
Health professionals should offer advise in:
how to cope,
prevent athletic or client isolation,
and provide emotional support.

38. Sense of Self
If someone has only one basis for a sense of self, if that sense of self is threatened (injury), so will the entire person……Erikson, 1968
If the athlete’s (clients) sense of self is threatened the athlete (client) will view the injury as severe loss which results in anxiety, depression, or hopelessness (Brewer, 1993).
Sense of self is similar to self-identity!

39. Self-Identity
Defined as all of the people, things, and experiences that provide validation and a sense of worth (Brewer, 1993).
Social relationships
Career
School,
Sport,
Exercise,
Cultural activities, and etc..

40. Athletic Identity
If self- identity is based on one large and important piece and that piece is removed, people are left with limited avenues for satisfaction, enjoyment, and validation…
Being an athlete or highly fit person could be a major piece.

41. Athletic or Exercise Identity
Athletes or exercisers who are seriously involved
Athletes or exercisers who over invest in sports or exercise involvement
When injured these athletes or exercisers:
Lose sense of self (e.g., “If I am not an athlete, then who am I?”)
Usually experience negative rehab, lack confidence in their abilities to recover, lack motivation, experience high anxiety, and focus on injury.

42. What can be done? Maintain the athlete’s or exercise identity by:
Keep them involved in some form of sport or exercise activity (cross training).
Maintain their fitness level by redirecting them to another physical area such as weight training, swimming, etc.
They need social validation by coaches and teammates if they are an athlete or other exercisers or exercise leader if they are a exerciser.

43. Malingerers
Athlete or client who lie about an injury to avoid practice or workout
Pathological avoidance behavior
Cling to their symptoms and disabilities
Mimic disorders
Show pain and suffering on a moment’s notice
Need for attention but has a great fear of getting caught

44. What is the cause?
Behavior has been learned, adopted as acceptable, rewarded and is done willfully or habitually (Ogilvie & Tutko, 1966).
History (e.g., being spoiled at an early age)
Learned at an early age that the parent or coach would always intervene or rescue them from trouble.
Modeling (I.e. parent, coach, another athlete)
Very fearful of being exposed and is always on guard
Clings to dishonesty at all cost.

45. Interventions
Give strictly defined boundaries of behavior and detail the consequences when stepping outside those boundaries.
Three strikes and your out!
Establish and record specific rehab goals.
Agree upon times for treatment
Agree on the length of the program
Agree on the athlete’s or client’s responsibility
Provide rewards early in rehab then once they comply vary the frequency of giving the reward.

46. Summary
Personality is a difficult field of study but certain personality styles are directly, positively correlated to exercise adherence and compliance to rehab, and speed of recovery from an injury.

47. Newsletter Assignment
Entitle the newsletter, “Myths and Facts about Exercise.”
The subtitle will reflect the topic: “The effect of exercise on one’s personality”
Develop a newsletter for each topic discussing the myths or facts about the affect of exercise and physical activity.
Personality
Self-concept & Self-esteem
Anxiety
Depression
Mood
Cognition
Each newsletter will inform, provide facts, and provide supportive evidence (at least 2 references). Reference need to be cited within (APA style) and at end of letter (full reference).
After each topic has been covered in class. The instructor will assign when the newsletter will be due.
Each newsletter is worth 10 points toward your assignment grade.
If you fail to submit a newsletter, you will lose all the assignment newsletter assignment points for a total of 60 points.