Sport & Exercise Psychology- Lecture 14- Affect
Argument of how exercise makes people feel
After 50 years of research, there are two sides to the debate as to if exercise makes
individuals feel better. One side believes the feel-better effect is true, while the other
argues exercise should not be considered entirely pleasurable/enjoyable, there are
other factors that influence affective responses to physical activity.
Argument 1- exercise does make the individual feel better
Clinical psychology- research has demonstrated moderate-vigorous exercise ranging
from 5 to 30 mins is associated with improved psychological wellbeing & positive
affect.
Neuroscience- research shows acute exercise enhances affect, mood & emotional
states.
Exercise psychology- general consensus that exercise improves affect among
researchers.
New York Times- almost everyone agrees that exercise makes us happy and calm.
Argument 2- exercise doesn’t make the individual feel better
Researchers using qualitative studies have reported pain, fear & breathlessness limit
exercise capacity. Some researchers maintain that exercise is unlikely to be seen as
inherently pleasurable. This is also furthered in certain mass medias (TIME
magazine example- author writes ‘an abuse for which I pay as much as I do
groceries’).
The contrast between these views is striking & suggests exercise-affect relation is
unlikely to be as monolithic as saying ‘exercise makes people feel good’. With more
researchers accepting that this relation is more complex then originally thought,
more research is needed to understand the nature & behavioural implications of this
relation.
Methodological failures
Critical review of early research highlighted the following concerns:
Substantiating conclusions researchers believe are true.
Used samples of exercise-science students or young athletic adults, not
general public.
Selected inappropriate measures.
Timing of assessment points in experimental studies.
Assessing group change.
Failing to consider individual differences.
Argument of how exercise makes people feel
After 50 years of research, there are two sides to the debate as to if exercise makes
individuals feel better. One side believes the feel-better effect is true, while the other
argues exercise should not be considered entirely pleasurable/enjoyable, there are
other factors that influence affective responses to physical activity.
Argument 1- exercise does make the individual feel better
Clinical psychology- research has demonstrated moderate-vigorous exercise ranging
from 5 to 30 mins is associated with improved psychological wellbeing & positive
affect.
Neuroscience- research shows acute exercise enhances affect, mood & emotional
states.
Exercise psychology- general consensus that exercise improves affect among
researchers.
New York Times- almost everyone agrees that exercise makes us happy and calm.
Argument 2- exercise doesn’t make the individual feel better
Researchers using qualitative studies have reported pain, fear & breathlessness limit
exercise capacity. Some researchers maintain that exercise is unlikely to be seen as
inherently pleasurable. This is also furthered in certain mass medias (TIME
magazine example- author writes ‘an abuse for which I pay as much as I do
groceries’).
The contrast between these views is striking & suggests exercise-affect relation is
unlikely to be as monolithic as saying ‘exercise makes people feel good’. With more
researchers accepting that this relation is more complex then originally thought,
more research is needed to understand the nature & behavioural implications of this
relation.
Methodological failures
Critical review of early research highlighted the following concerns:
Substantiating conclusions researchers believe are true.
Used samples of exercise-science students or young athletic adults, not
general public.
Selected inappropriate measures.
Timing of assessment points in experimental studies.
Assessing group change.
Failing to consider individual differences.
