Date of Award

8-2005

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Arts

Department

Psychology

First Advisor

Barbara K. Sholley

Abstract

A four-week cognitive intervention was created to increase the salience of intrinsic thoughts associated with exercise in moderately extrinsic exercisers. Participants were assigned to either an intervention or control condition. Those in the intervention condition were asked to respond to questions concerning the pleasure, enjoyment and/or satisfaction experienced during or after their exercise regimen each week. Results showed a marginally significant two-way interaction (p = .059) between the control and intervention condition over time. Those in the intervention condition showed a greater increase in intrinsic motivation than those in the control condition. These results. while only marginally significant, were in the hypothesized direction. Thus. the hypothesis that it may be possible to augment motivations to exercise through the use of cognitive techniques, by focusing on the inherent pleasure that can be derived from exercise, was partially supported. Study limitations and suggestions for future research are discussed.

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