"I'm inactive, but I'm still a good person": The effect of self-affirmation on responses to gain and loss framed physical activity messages

Abstract

Physical activity (PA) information may threaten self-integrity for inactive people because it calls into question their ability to control their health. When threatened, people's ability to process information may be compromised. Further, they may downplay threats to restore self-integrity. Self-affirmation (SA) is the process of affirming oneself on core values. Research shows that pairing SA with health information can improve responses to health messages. Few researchers have examined SA in a PA context, and none have examined SA and the nature of PA messages, nor implicit responses. This research examined whether SA influenced reactions to gain and loss framed PA messages among 155 (Mage = 22.51, SD = 7.23) inactive people. Participants were randomized to receive either a SA or control activity and to read a gain or loss framed PA message. They completed measures of attentional bias, psychological responding and, one week later, recalled PA. A MANCOVA showed that the gain-framed message was associated with attentional bias away from health threat words; the loss frame message was associated with attentional bias toward health threat words, F = 5.36, p = .02. There was no main SA effect nor interaction. Another MANCOVA showed that SA was associated with lower perceived threat F = 3.75, p = .050 and higher self-efficacy F = 4.28, p = .041. The loss-framed message was associated with greater perceived threat F = 7.92, p = .003. There was no interactive or main effect for follow-up PA. SA showed modest benefits independent of message frame.

Acknowledgments: Funding for this project received through an University of Manitoba Reseach Grant