Abstract
The need to belong has been conceptualized as a fundamental human motivation, with the prospect of future acceptance acting as a salient driver of emotions, cognitions, and behaviors (Baumeister & Leary, 1995). The objective of the studies presented in this paper was to examine how the need to belong can be used to enhance exercise cognitions and behavior. Specifically, we tested the effects of framing exercise in terms of social skills on exercise cognitions and behavior among inactive participants’ who situationally or dispositionally felt a lack of social belonging. In Study 1, we examined the effects of a future acceptance manipulation and a social skills task framing intervention on self-regulatory efficacy and exercise intentions. In Study 2, we tested whether a social skills task framing intervention (compared to a health benefits condition) would elevate social cognitions and behavior among inactive lonely adults. Results revealed that among socially rejected participants in Study 1, framing exercise as indicative of social skills led to greater self-regulatory efficacy for exercise (but not exercise intentions) when compared to a condition where health benefits were made salient. In Study 2, participants in both conditions reported engaging in more exercise; however, those in the social skills condition also reported a significantly greater sense of belonging than those in the comparison health benefits condition. These findings provide an important basis for developing health-enhancing physical activity interventions and are particularly relevant for people at risk of social isolation or who are socially isolated and/or lonely.
