THE INFLUENCE OF OUTCOME EXPECTANCY AND SELF-EFFICACY ON THE BEHAVIORAL INTENTIONS OF NOVICE EXERCISERS

The present study was based upon self-efficacy (SE) theory (Bandura, 1 986). Its purpose was to examine whether incentives, defined as the pr oduct of outcome expectancy and outcome value, would help to predict t he behavioral intentions of novice exercisers when coupled with SE exp ectations for a specific form of exercise. Fifty-three volunteers who were novices at weight training for exercise, participated in a 2-day learn-to-weight-train clinic offered at a university. They completed p re- and postclinic measures of SE for weight training, expectancy-valu e ratings of outcomes primary and secondary to 1 month's weight-traini ng participation, and a strength-of-intention measure of multiple acti ons consequent to clinic participation. Results indicated that primary physical health outcomes expected of postclinic participation indepen dently predicted the variability in pre- and postclinic future intenti ons beyond the variance predicted by SE. Further, incentives and SE cl early discriminated between individuals extreme in the strength of the ir intentions at pre- and postclinic. Discussion concerns the inclusio n of measures of incentive in studies using self-efficacy theory in or der to examine individuals who begin exercise and then move through va rious decision stages about exercise adoption and maintenance. Rather than merely assuming the influence of incentives necessary and suffici ent to encourage a cognitive or behavioral impact of efficacy, argumen ts are made for actively examining incentive as manifested through out come expectations.