Self-Schemata and Exercise

The present study examined whether exerciser schematics, nonexerciser schematics, and aschematics differed in their self-reported exercise behavior, as well as whether they differed in their thoughts and feelings about exercising. Analyses revealed that exerciser schematics exercised more frequently, did more activities for exercise, were more likely to have exercised the previous semester, were more interested in and committed to exercising in the future, had made more plans to help themselves to exercise regularly, and had a somewhat greater number of tricks or strategies for getting themselves to exercise on days when they did not feel like exercising. The significance of these findings is discussed in regard to the self-schemata and exercise behavior literatures and in regard to implications for interventions to promote exercise.