Associations between Motivation, Attitudes, and Habit Strength in Physical Activity Behaviour

Habits are a process which generate automaticity of a behaviour, therefore, the development of physical activity habits are key for ensuring maintenance. The adoption of physical activity is reliant on deliberate processes such as motivation and attitudes, which are thought to play a key role in the strengthening of habits. The aim of the present study was to assess the psychological variables that are associated with physical activity habit formation. In a sample of 82 adults (Mean age = 32.7 ± 12.5 yr), participants were recruited through advertisements on the University of Leeds campus gym social media accounts (Facebook and Twitter). Participants completed an online survey assessing physical activity motivation, affective and instrumental attitudes, and habit strength. Results showed that habit strength was higher in more physically active participants compared to those less active. Intrinsic ( p =0.007), integrated ( p =0.001) and identified ( p =0.004) forms of motivation were associated with stronger habit strength suggesting that physical activity has an automatic component that is strengthened when behaviour is driven by autonomous motivation. Affective attitudes ( p = .001) were positively related to habit strength whereas instrumental attitudes ( p = .001) were negatively related. The findings highlight predictors such as motivation and attitude may aid the process of making physical activity automatic by driving repetition of the behaviour at a more autonomic level. Perhaps building upon a person’s affective associations (e.g enjoyment and pleasure) of physical activity may result in the strengthening of habits. Physical activity interventions might consider features of habit formation and the antecedents that contribute to the process. Suggestions for possible future directions adopting more methodologically rigorous designs are presented.