Individual differences influence exercise behavior: how personality, motivation, and behavioral regulation vary among exercise mode preferences

TLDR

Personality traits, motives, and behavior regulation are linked to physical activity engagement and may influence the type of activity chosen. The study examined individual differences among participants in various primary modes of physical activity to identify which differences predict exercise frequency. Participants completed an online survey measuring primary mode of activity, Big Five traits, exercise motivation, and behavioral regulation, grouping them into five activity modes. Motivation and regulation varied across activity modes, explaining 17.1 % of exercise behavior variance, while personality traits did not differ, indicating that motivational differences influence engagement.

Abstract

Personality traits, participatory motives, and behavior regulation have been linked to physical activity engagement. It is possible that these dimensions are associated with the type of physical activity one chooses to engage. Thus, the purpose of this study was to examine individual differences in those participating in various primary modes of physical activity (PMA) and determine which individual differences are predictive of exercise frequency.403 adults (36.3 ± 11.6 yrs, 35.5% male) completed an online survey. The survey included questions related to their PMA, items for the Big Five Inventory (BFI), Exercise Motivation Inventory (EMI-2), and the Behavioral Regulation in Exercise Questionnaire (BREQ-3). PMAs were divided into 5 main groups: CrossFit® Training (n = 89), Group Exercise (n = 59), Aerobic Training (n = 97), Resistance Training (n = 127), and Sport (n = 31).A multivariate ANOVA revealed significant differences in exercise motivation [ps ≤ .001, η2p = .05 - .22] and behavior regulation [ps ≤ .05, η2p = .03 - .06] between PMAs, but personality dimensions did not differ. A linear regression revealed that differences in motivation and regulation explained 17.1% (p = .001) variance in exercise behavior.These findings support the notion that individual differences exist between motivational dimensions and individuals' preference to engage in a particular physical activity mode. Further, these differences in motivation influence physical activity engagement (i.e., frequency).