Affect and Exercise: Positive Affective Expectations Can Increase Post-Exercise Mood and Exercise Intentions

Abstract

Background: Prior research has found affect to predict exercise. Little research has examined the causal influence of exercise-related affect on exercise intentions. Purpose: The purpose of this study was to test whether expectations about post-exercise affect can be successfully manipulated to produce changes in post-exercise affect and exercise intentions. We also tested whether cognitively elaborating on the expectation would increase the duration of the expectation effect. Methods: Participants (59 men, 89 women) were exposed to an affective expectation manipulation as well as an elaboration manipulation and then completed 10 min of light-intensity exercise on a stationary bicycle in the laboratory. Participants also completed a 2-week follow-up. Results: Affective expectation participants displayed more positive post-exercise affect and exercise intentions than no-expectation participants (ps