The relationship between exercise schema and identity

This research examined the relationship between exercise-related schemas and identity and their unique contributions in predicting exercise-related cognitions and behaviour. Analyses were conducted on data from two studies that used the same measures of exercise schema and identity but differed on other measures; study 1 (time 1 N= 173; time 2 N= 110) included measures of strength of exercise intentions and strenuous, moderate, and mild exercise behaviour; study 2 (N= 289) included instrumental and affective exercise attitudes and a different measure of intentions. Exerciser schematics scored significantly higher on role identity than the unschematic groups. Nonexerciser schematics scored significantly lower than the other groups on role identity. Schema and role identity each accounted for unique variance in the prediction of strength of intentions, instrumental attitudes, and affective attitudes. Follow-up analyses showed that, where schematics were generally high in role identity, exercise beliefs, and intentions, unchematics showed a positive linear relationship between role identity and strength of intentions. Role identity was a strong predictor of affective attitudes for schematics. This research provides valuable findings regarding the theoretical distinction between schema and identity in the exercise domain and can help inform future research and interventions.