The Role of Body-Related Self-Conscious Emotions in Motivating Women’s Physical Activity

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to test a model where body-related self-conscious emotions of shame, guilt, and pride were associated with physical activity regulations and behavior. Adult women (N = 389; M age = 29.82, SD = 15.20 years) completed a questionnaire assessing body-related pride, shame, and guilt, motivational regulations, and leisure-time physical activity. The hypothesized measurement and structural models were deemed adequate, as was a revised model examining shame-free guilt and guilt-free shame. In the revised structural model, body-related pride was positively significantly related to identified and intrinsic regulations. Body-related shame-free guilt was significantly associated with external, introjected, and identified regulations. Body-related guilt-free shame was significantly positively related to external and introjected regulation, and negatively associated with intrinsic regulation. Identified and intrinsic regulations were significantly positively related to physical activity (R2 = .62). These findings highlight the importance of targeting and understanding the realm of body-related self-conscious emotions and the associated links to regulations and physical activity behavior.

Body-Related Self-Conscious Emotions Relate to Physical Activity Motivation and Behavior in Men

“…Recent investigations have extended this theory to the important health behavior of physical activity. Sabiston et al (2010) explored the relationship of body-related self-conscious emotions (shame, guilt, and authentic pride) with motivation regulations and behavior for physical activity in a large sample of adult females (18-68 years of age). The authors reported that body-related shame was positively related to maladaptive forms of motivation, negatively related to adaptive forms of motivation, and unrelated to physical activity behavior.…”

“…Specifically, this set of emotions serves to motivate people to behave in moral and socially responsible ways (Leith & Baumeister, 1998) as well as foster perseverance in task and achievement domains (Stipek, 1995). Shame, guilt, and pride are the primary emotions studied within the context of self-conscious emotions and body image theories (Fredrickson & Roberts, 1997;Tracy & Robins, 2004), and are likely to be associated with health relevant processes such as physical activity behavior (Castonguay, Gilchrist, Mack, & Sabiston, 2013;Sabiston et al, 2010).…”

“…In addition to extending self-objectification theory (Fredrickson & Roberts, 1997) to men and the relevant health behavior of physical activity, a limited set of researchers have applied the theoretical framework to the negative emotion of guilt (Burney & Irwin, 2000;Calogero & Pina, 2011;Sabiston et al, 2010). Given that guilt arises in response to a specific behavior, and not the person as a whole, as is the case for shame, guilt is typically less painful than shame and may motivate reparative action in attempt to fix the transgression (Conradt et al, 2007;Sabiston et al, 2010).…”

“…Body-related shame is an acutely painful emotion that individuals experience when they fail to meet internalized social standards in relation to the body with a focus on deeply rooted global causes of the self (e.g., "I am a fat person"; Sabiston et al, 2010;Tracy & Robins, 2004). Body-related guilt is elicited in response to a specific behavioral transgression and involves a sense of tension and regret over the failure (e.g., "I didn't exercise for three months and that's why I gained weight"; Tracy & Robins, 2004).…”

The role of emotions on consumers' satisfaction within the fitness context

“…Of the few studies focusing on the analysis emotions within the fitness context, Collishaw, Dyer and Boies (2008) examined the effects of instructors' facial expressions on consumers' satisfaction with the staff performance. Sabiston et al (2010) studied how emotions such as body-related pride, shame and guilt, as well as motivational regulations and leisure-time physical activity are linked with women participation in fitness activities. These studies were important for the continued understanding of the role of emotions during fitness activities.…”