Ka. Martin et al., Inactivity may be hazardous to your image: The effects of exercise participation on impression formation, J SPORT EXE, 22(4), 2000, pp. 283-291
This study examined whether information about an individual's exercise habi
ts influences the impressions that others form of the individual. Using a 2
(target's gender) x 3 (target's exercise status) design, 627 men and women
participants read a description of a young man or woman who was described
as an exerciser, nonexerciser, or control. Participants then rated the targ
et on 12 personality and 8 appearance dimensions. Analyses revealed signifi
cant main effects for both independent variables (p < .05). Nonexercisers r
eceived lower ratings than the exercisers and/or controls did on virtually
all the dimensions (p < .05), and female targets were rated more favorably
than male targets were on several dimensions (p < .05). The interaction bet
ween a target's exercise status and gender was not significant. The results
suggest that for women, as well as men, there are self-presentational bene
fits associated with being an exerciser and self-presentational liabilities
for those who are nonexercisers.