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dc.contributor.advisorLord, Charles G.
dc.contributor.authorTen Eyck, Laura Leaen_US
dc.date.accessioned2014-07-22T18:46:50Z
dc.date.available2014-07-22T18:46:50Z
dc.date.created2006en_US
dc.date.issued2006en_US
dc.identifieretd-11132006-141900en_US
dc.identifiercat-001303775en_US
dc.identifier.urihttps://repository.tcu.edu/handle/116099117/3953
dc.description.abstractAlthough it is well established that exercise aids in the prevention of bone loss, heart disease, obesity, and type II diabetes, recent surveys suggest that only one quarter of Americans engage in regular physical activity. The present experiments examined one possible technique for increasing regular exercise, a technique derived from attitude representation theory (Lord & Lepper, 1999) and from McGuire and McGuire's (1991) theory of directed thinking. According to attitude representation theory, when people think about any attitude object, whether it is a social group or an activity such as exercise, they activate relevant exemplars, characteristics and actions. According to the theory of directed thinking, when people think about any event, including personally relevant events such as "me doing regular exercise" they activate pre-event actions and post-event consequences.^Pre-event actions involve actions an individual could take that would increase the probability that the event would occur.^ Several previous studies have shown that directing students to think about action strategies that would increase studying results in greater intentions to study. The present experiments (1 and 2) tested whether directing students to think about action strategies to exercise might increase intentions to exercise, and also increase actual exercise behavior and cardiovascular fitness. Although Experiment 1 found few effects of directed thinking, Experiment 2, which altered and improved the experimental procedures and dependent measures, found that directed thinking about self-generated action strategies can significantly increase cardiovascular fitness.^Experiment 3 suggested that action strategies might be equally effective for changing attitudes toward exercise regardless of whether the strategies are self-generated or other-generated, but reasons for exercising might be effective only when they are self-generated. The results of the three experiments are discussed in terms of theoretical perspectives on attitude processes.
dc.format.mediumFormat: Onlineen_US
dc.language.isoengen_US
dc.publisherFort Worth, Tex. : Texas Christian University,en_US
dc.relation.ispartofTexas Christian University dissertationen_US
dc.relation.ispartofUMI thesis.en_US
dc.relation.requiresMode of access: World Wide Web.en_US
dc.relation.requiresSystem requirements: Adobe Acrobat reader.en_US
dc.subject.lcshThought and thinking.en_US
dc.subject.lcshAttitude (Psychology)en_US
dc.subject.lcshExercise Physiological aspects.en_US
dc.subject.lcshCardiovascular fitness.en_US
dc.titleEffects of directed thinking on exercise and cardiovascular fitnessen_US
dc.typeTexten_US
etd.degree.departmentDepartment of Psychology
etd.degree.levelDoctoral
local.collegeCollege of Science and Engineering
local.departmentPsychology
local.academicunitDepartment of Psychology
dc.type.genreDissertation
local.subjectareaPsychology
etd.degree.nameDoctor of Philosophy
etd.degree.grantorTexas Christian University


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