Importance of Type of Attitude to the Study of Exercise-Behavior

Publisher Website
Google Scholar
Abstract
The association between intentions to exercise, reported exercise-behavior and two measures of attitudes toward exercise were compared in a sample of 90 subjects, stratified by age (45–54, 55–64, and 65–74 yr.) and sex. The first type of attitude (Aact) corresponds to Fishbein and Ajzen theory of reasoned action, being defined in terms of action, target, context and time elements. The second type, Kenyon's inventory, is more general and evaluates attitudes toward an object or target (ATPA) without reference to the action, context or time dimensions. The correlation of Aact with intentions to exercise and behavior was stronger than for all correlations of ATPA sub-domains with intentions to exercise and immediate past exercise-behavior. The results support the importance of adopting an appropriate theory of attitude to study exercise-behavior.