Abstract
Gain-framed messages (Rothman & Salovey, 1997) emphasizing benefits of sport represent one possible means to get adults physically active (PA). This experiment investigated the effects of an online sport gain-framed message video and sport possible self protocol (e.g., Murru & Martin Ginis, 2010) on indices of sport intention and activity. 244 adults (M = 50.5 yrs, rge = 40-59) completed baseline/screening measures before randomized assignment (T1), an experimental/control intervention one week later (T2), and follow-up measures (T3) four weeks after T2. Participants watched either a video espousing common involvement opportunities in adult sport (experimental; Young & Medic, 2011) or completed a PA quiz (control), before completing a sport possible self protocol. Participants reported sport intention (T1, T2, T3), sport activity (T1 and T3 using moderate-strenuous items on GLTEQ; Godin & Shephard, 1985), requests for an adult sport newsletter (T2), and recent registration in a sport program (T3). Results showed that the experimental group requested more newsletters (p = .03) immediately after the intervention, and reported having registered for more sport programs (p = .03). ANCOVA results for GLTEQ scores failed to show a group by time interaction (p = .74). For intention, an interaction (p = .06) between group and time depended on whether participants were high/low on approach motivation (BAS Drive; Carver & White, 1994). Specifically, experimental conditions showed benefits from T1 to T2 for persons with low BAS Drive, whereas control conditions facilitated improved intentions from T1 to T2 for persons with high BAS Drive, ps ≤ .001.
