MIRROR, MIRROR ON THE WALL ... EXERCISE ENVIRONMENT INFLUENCES ON SELF-EFFICACY

The purpose of the present study was to examine whether exercise envir onments of differing evaluative potential influence exercise self-effi cacy and the degree to which physiological, social, and cognitive vari ables contribute to the variation in that efficacy. We manipulated the exercise environment by having participants exercise under three cond itions: (a) a standard laboratory condition, (b) in the same laborator y but in front of a full-length mirror, and (c) in an exercise locatio n of the participant's choice. A significant interaction effect of sex and condition on exercise self-efficacy was found. Simple effects ana lyses indicated that women's efficacy expectations relative to exercis e significantly declined in the mirror condition compared to the men. Hierarchical multiple regression analysis indicated that exercise hist ory, gender, aerobic power, social physique anxiety, and physical self -efficacy significantly predicted exercise self-efficacy in the mirror condition but not the laboratory or natural conditions. These finding s are discussed from a self-presentation and self-awareness perspectiv e and the effects of evaluative exercise environments on self-efficacy .