First test of the theory of reasoned goal pursuit: predicting physical activity

Abstract

Objective: This study applied the theory of reasoned goal pursuit (TRGP) in predicting physical activity among Australian undergraduate students, providing the first empirical test of the model.Methods: The research comprised an elicitation study (N = 25; M Age= 25.76, SD Age= 11.33, 20 female, 5 male) to identify readily accessible procurement and approval goal beliefs and behavioural, normative, and control beliefs; and, a two-wave prospective online survey study (N = 109; M Age = 21.88, SD Age = 7.04, 63 female, 46 male) to test the tenets of the TRGP in relation to meeting World Health Organization physical activity guidelines during the COVID-19 pandemic among first year university students.Results: A linear PLS-SEM model displayed good fit-to-data, predicting 38%, 74%, and 48% of the variance in motivation, intention, and physical activity, respectively. The model supported the majority of hypothesised pattern of effects among theory constructs; in particular, the proposition that beliefs corresponding to procurement and approval goals would be more consequential to people’s motivation and, thus, their intentions and behaviour, than other behavioural and normative beliefs, respectively.Conclusions: Results lend support for the TRGP and sets the agenda for future research to systematically test the proposed direct, indirect, and moderation effects for different health behaviours, populations, and contexts. Supplemental data for this article is available online at https://doi.org/10.1080/08870446.2022.2026946.