Moreover, there is at least one other characteristic of dual-process models that needs to be emphasized. According to a recent review, dual-process models are ‘the most recent and understudied framework for understanding physical activity’ ( Rhodes et al., 2019, p. Only recently, dual-process models that emphasize the role of automatic processes in addition to controlled cognitive processes (e.g., forming an intention from expectations about the future), have been applied to exercise psychology. Possible reasons for this gap are negative exercise-related automatic tendencies that are contrary to the intention ( Brand and Ekkekakis, 2021), such as negative automatic associations ( Schinkoeth and Antoniewicz, 2017), affective valuations ( Schinkoeth and Brand, 2020), habit or identity ( Rhodes, 2017, 2021). Intention as a primary antecedent of behavior is one of the cornerstones of the social-cognitive framework, yet empirical evidence reveals a consistent intention-behavior gap ( Rhodes and de Bruijn, 2013). This framework is based on the assumption that individuals form expectations (e.g., that exercise is important and doable) from which the intention to exercise culminates ( Rhodes et al., 2019). In the past 20 years, exercise psychology has been largely dominated by a focus on social-cognitive and humanistic/organismic frameworks that conceptualize behavior change as a mostly unidirectional process, such that a behavior is done based on mentally imagined goals (e.g., the idea of going for a run, which may have positive consequences or fit particularly well with our subjective values Rhodes et al., 2019 Ekkekakis and Brand, 2021). Understanding the psychological processes that guide the choice to be physically active is key to more effectively promoting regular exercise behavior. Promoting exercise is one of the most critical public health priorities, considering being insufficiently active increases the risk of death by 20–30% compared to being sufficiently active ( World Health Organization, 2020). New psychological theories of health behavior change should therefore better consider the role of potentially conflicting alternatives when it comes to initiating physical activity or exercise. Despite one’s best general intention to exercise more, the choice of a non-exercise alternative behavior may seem more appealing in-the-moment and eventually be chosen. However, participants were 1.30 times more likely to fixate on the chosen alternative first and more frequently, but this gaze behavior was not related to individuals’ automatic valuation, controlled evaluation, or weekly exercise volume.Ĭonclusion: The results suggest that situated processes arising from defined behavioral alternatives may be independent of individuals’ general preferences. Participants showed no bias in their initial gaze or number of fixations towards the exercise or the non-exercise alternative. Results: Choosing exercise was positively correlated with individuals’ automatic valuation ( r = 0.20, p = 0.05), controlled evaluation ( r = 0.58, p < 0.001), and their weekly exercise volume ( r = 0.43, p < 0.001). Mixed effects models with random effects for subjects and trials were used for data analysis.

After the task, self-reported feelings towards exercise (controlled evaluation) and usual weekly exercise volume were assessed. An exercise-specific affect misattribution procedure (AMP) was used to assess participants’ automatic valuation of exercise before the task. Participants’ gaze behavior (first gaze and fixations) was recorded using eye-tracking. Method: In a behavioral alternatives task 101 participants were asked whether they would rather choose an exercise option or a behavioral alternative in 25 trials. These were analyzed against the background of interindividual differences in individuals’ automatic valuation and controlled evaluation of exercise. The purpose of this study was to investigate processes that occur in-the-moment (i.e., situated processes) when individuals are faced with the choice between exercise and a behavioral alternative during a computerized task. Objective: Individuals’ decisions to engage in exercise are often the result of in-the-moment choices between exercise and a competing behavioral alternative. Sport and Exercise Psychology, University of Potsdam, Potsdam, Germany.Sinika Timme, Ralf Brand * and Michaela Raboldt

Michaela bates