Inactivity may be hazardous to your image: The effects of exercise participation on impression formation

Citation
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
Citations number
16
Categorie Soggetti
Psycology
Journal title
JOURNAL OF SPORT & EXERCISE PSYCHOLOGY
ISSN journal
08952779 → ACNP
Volume
22
Issue
4
Year of publication
2000
Pages
283 - 291
Database
ISI
SICI code
0895-2779(200012)22:4<283:IMBHTY>2.0.ZU;2-H
Abstract
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.