Abstract
The formative years at university are a crucial period for developing lasting physical activity (PA) behaviours. A campus recreational facility (CRF) offers an environment for students to engage in PA practices which can be divided into separate zones based on the exercises performed (ex. free weights & cardio machines). The purpose of this study was to explore differences in the strength and direction of the relationship between personal and environmental factors with one’s use of a CRF and the seven zones within it. University students (499 women; 149 men) responded to an online survey including demographics, self-efficacy (Wilson et al., 2020), social physique anxiety (Motl & Conroy, 2001), perceptions of body composition (Ralph-Nearman et al., 2018; 2020), and perceptions of environmental factors. Eight path analyses were run with use of the CRF and the seven zones assigned as the eight dependent variables (one DV/analysis), and personal and environmental factors serving as the independent variables. An individuals’ task self-efficacy was the strongest factor (β = .16 - .43; p < .05) related to use within each corresponding zone. Several factors (i.e., minimum 7/DV) significantly predicted use of the CRF and each of the seven zones. Notably, the presence of others of a different gender lifting heavy were negatively associated, while those of the same gender lifting heavy were positively associated, to using multiple weight-lifting zones. Our findings suggest that personal factors such as task self-efficacy as well as environmental perceptions may influence decision making, with variability existing across different CRF zones.
