Enhancing motivation to exercise for obese participants in exergames : testing partner characteristics as a moderator of the Kohler effect

ABSTRACTENHANCING MOTIVATION TO EXERCISE FOR OBESE PARTICIPANTS IN EXERGAMES: TESTING PARTNER CHARACTERISTICS AS A MODERATOR OF THE KÖHLER EFFECTByJoelle A Beckles This thesis examined the effects of playing an exergame that involved abdominal strength exercises (with a virtually-presented partner) on exercise motivational effort. Specifically, this research explored whether exercise duration could be increased using the Köhler motivation gain principles (based on the group dynamics principles of upward social comparison and indispensability) with a lighter versus same weight virtually-presented partner in an obese community sample (BMI > 30). Participants were community adults (N = 35; Mage = 46; SD = 17.34 years) who completed the first block of three isometric abdominal exercises alone. After resting, participants completed the second block either alone (Control), with a lighter weight, or with a same weight partner. Partners were actually confederates recorded earlier and presented virtually as live, from another lab. Exercise persistence, self-efficacy beliefs, enjoyment, and perceived exertion were recorded. Results showed that mean persistence was greater for participants in the lighter weight condition (24.45 sec) than for those in the control condition (-9.92 sec), but not for participants in the similar weight condition (15.64 sec). There were no differences across conditions in self-efficacy, enjoyment, or perceived exertion.