Keeping the Goal in Sight: Testing the Influence of Narrowed Visual Attention on Physical Activity. (March 2020)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Balcetis, Emily; Riccio, Matthew T.; Duncan, Dustin T.; Cole, Shana
• Is Part Of: Personality & social psychology bulletin. Volume 46:Number 3(2020)
• Page Start: 485
• Page End: 496
• Publication Date: 2020-03
• Subjects: visual attention -- scope -- exercise -- goals -- self-regulation; Personality -- Periodicals; Social psychology -- Periodicals; 302
• DOI: 10.1177/0146167219861438
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0146-1672

Abstract

Rates of physical inactivity continue to rise in the United States. With this work, we tested the efficacy of a strategy affecting the scope of visual attention designed to promote walking as a form of exercise. Specifically, we examined the influence of narrowed attention on the frequency (Studies 1a, 1b, and 3) and efficiency (Studies 2 and 4) of physical activity in general (Studies 1 and 2) and within exercise bouts measured across multiple days (Studies 3 and 4). We provide convergent evidence by investigating both individual differences in (Studies 1 and 2) and experimentally manipulated patterns of visual attention orienting (Studies 3 and 4). We discuss implications of attentional strategies for self-regulation and fitness.