Self‐nudging toward physical activity: Scale development, validation, and workplace implications

Abstract This study uses nudging theory to develop and validate a measure for self‐nudging toward physical activity. The research unfolds in three phases: (a) initial item development through interviews and literature review, (b) psychometric testing with Japanese employees ( N = 1540), and (c) validity assessment in a longitudinal subsample ( N = 716). Factor analyses confirm a reliable one‐factor structure. The scale demonstrates content and predictive validity, showing positive relationships with physical activity, physical capacity (fitness and energy), well‐being (workability, work engagement, and job satisfaction), and job performance; and negative relationships with strain (psychological distress, exhaustion, and occupational depression). Structural equation analyses show that self‐nudging at Time 1 is positively related to well‐being and negatively related to strain at Time 2 (3 months later) through increased physical capacity, with effects remaining significant after controlling for baseline measures. The findings contribute to our understanding of the associations among self‐nudging, physical activity, and occupational well‐being. The results have implications for both theoretical advancement in nudging research and practical applications in workplace health promotion.