KIN 348 Exam 2

Structure of Personality

* Role Related Behavior How you act based on the perception of a social situation Most changeable aspect of personality: behavior changes as perception of the environment changes * Typical Responses How we usually respond to certain situations (e.g., introvert vs extrovert) Often good indicators of psychological core. * Psychological Core The most basic and deepest attitudes, values, interests, motives, and self-worth of a person—the "real" you These are constant and stable attributes of your personality

Research Findings Examining The Effects of Exercise on Self-Esteem/Self-Concept

1. Exercise generally exerts a positive influence on self-concept/self-esteem for all populations (older adults, children. etc.) 2. Greatest improvements are likely to occur in those populations that have the most to gain (those with low self-esteem)

Stress and Disease

70-80% of all disease and illness is stress-related Through increased production of cortisol... Stress can be related to the following: From the common cold to cancer (occuring at stressful, inopportune times) Weakens the body through various physiological systems Progresses the disease process (chronic stress)

Body Image Disturbance

A negative self-evaulation along any or all four of the body image dimensions Perceptions of one's body shape and size differ from one's actual shape and size

Mechanisms of Change

A. Mastery/Self-efficacy Mastery of skills = greater physical self-efficacy Enhances a sense of accomplishment which may be rewarding and in turn affect global self-esteem B. Increased body image/body esteem Body image Mental picture we form of our bodies "What I look like" Body esteem Emotional consequence of body image "How I feel about the way I look" One's perception of self Pleasing/satisfying or displeasing/dissatisfying C. Self-determination An individual's drive to autonomously and successfully perform important behaviors Vast potential to influence self-esteem It is thought that perceptions of self-control have long been postulated to be associated with positive self-perceptions, while perceived lack of control results in negative perceptions Increased self-determination Self-determination (Autonomy) Demonstrate competence (Mastery) Relatedness (social interactions) D. Changing self-schema Exerciser schematics Self-described exercisers Crucial to self-image Non-exerciser schematics Self-described non-exercisers A significant influence on self-image Aschematics Not important to self-image Self-described non-exercisers

Shavelson, Hubner, & Stanton Model

Academic self-concept Non-academic self-concept - Physical self-concept ---Similar to self-efficacy ---Evaluation of physical abilities/appearance influences physical self-concept which influences general self-concept ---Activities are weighted - Emotional self-concept - Social self-concept

Nature vs Nurture

Approaches to the Study of Personality * Learning/situational approaches Emphasis on environment (nurture) Environment is more important than traits Social learning theory (bobo the clown-kids show violent tendencies because they taught; sports like rugby and hockey parallel this) make inferences on personality based on environment * Dispositional/trait theories Emphasis on person (nature) Traits are more important than the environment Constitutional theory

Selya: General Adaptation Syndrome

Arousal and Alarm: fight or flight Resistance: body tries to adapt and recover Exhaustion: can no longer meets the demands of the stress (chronic stress)

Behavioral Measures

Assess frequency with which an individual engages in activities that might indicate body image disturbance Frequency with which one engages in - Avoidance behaviors - Lifestyle behaviors - Body checking behaviors Avoidance Behaviors - Actions performed to divert attention away from the body or to prevent other people from seeing one's body (e.g., wearing baggy clothes, shunning social events) Lifestyle Behaviors - Actions performed with the goal of altering the body to reflect body image concern (e.g., restrained eating, excessive exercise) Body Checking Behaviors - Actions performed to monitor or assess one's body shape or size (e.g., measuring body fat (pinching), diameter of wrist)

Cognitive Measures

Assess satisfaction with one's body shape - Rates one's level of satisfaction with items on a list - Choose images from a series of drawings, selecting those that represent one's current size and ideal size - Multidimensional Body-Self Relations Questionnaire (MBSRQ) is one of most widely used measures

Affective Measures

Assess worry, shame, anxiety, comfort, embarrassment, and pride in relation to the body

Personality Factors That Affect Exercise Behavior

Behavior Patterns Type A Behavior Patterns - Anger - Hostility - Competitiveness - Achievement striving Type B Behavior Patterns - Enjoys the present - Likes to Relax - Expresses affection - Good self-esteen - Not as competitive

Sources of Stress

Biological Substance abuse (alcohol + drugs), nutritional excess (caffeine, food, sugar) Psychological Perfectionistic, obsessive, compulsiveness, need for control Interpersonal Shyness, insecurity, loneliness Environmental Noise, Temperature

Body Image

Body Image Defined: How we see our own body, and how we think, feel, and act toward it Dimensions of Body Image 1. Perceptual - How we imagine ourselves to look 2. Cognitive - How we think about or evaluate our body in terms of its appearance and function - Including beliefs about attractiveness, strength, and fitness 3. Affective - Feelings (e.g., proud, disgusted) experienced in relation to our body's appearance/function 4. Behavioral - What we do to reflect our postive or negative thoughts/feelings

Factors in Body Image Formation & Disturbance

Body image - Interplay between our body reality and our body ideal Body reality - Actual physical characteristics (height, weight, body fat) Body ideal - How we think our body should look and function

Sex Differences in Body Image Dissatisfaction

Body image disturbance is almost as common among men as among women Women's body image is positively correlated to BMI Men's body image is curvilinear to BMI (men who have the smallest and biggest BMI are dissatisfied, u-shaped curve) V-Shape for men

Areas of Exercise-Stress Research

Cardiovascular Fitness Do individuals possessing greater levels of aerobic fitness have a reduced stress response to those who are less fit? It is uncertain if aerobic fitness provides stress-buffering effects HPA cortical response Aerobic fitness may influence sensitivity to stress by reducing cortisol response to psychosocial stress Immunity Does exercising increase the function of the immune system? Regular exercise training is related to increase immunological function Reactivity vs. recovery Evidence suggests that fitness and/or exercise training may provide a more rapid recovery from the stressor, once it is no longer present Physiological toughness model (Explains effect of exercise) Intermittent exposure to stressors can lead to physiological coping and emotional stability Regular experiences with stressors results in a variety of physiological changes

Hardiness - another behavior pattern with correlation to exercise

Dispositional resilience Sense of control over events View stressful events as a challenge Commitment, dedication, and involvement in everyday life Greater exercise involvement

Types of Stress

Distress: negative interpretation of an event to be threatening that promotes feelings of fear or anger Ex: exams, divorce, deadlines Eustress: good stress, any stress that motivates an individual towards an optimal level of performance or health Ex: marriage, graduation, promotion

4 Stages of Stress

Environmental Demand Physical or physiological (performing in front of a crowd, learning a new skill) Perception of Demand Perceive the demand as positive or negative; as a challenge or a threat Stress Response Actual physical and psychological response to the stimuli Behavioral Consequences Actual performance outcome, which influences future perceptions

Eysenck's Framework and Exercise

Extroversion - Exercise → increased stimulation → exercise adoption - higher pain tolerance - Preference for higher intensity activity - Report lower ratings of perceived exertion - Overall, greater likelihood of being physically active Neuroticism - Exercise → more stable, less neurotic personality

Where do Body Ideals Come From?

Factors in Body Image Formation & Disturbance - Media influences - Cultural influences - Activity participation - Changes in body reality

Cattell's Personality Theory and Exercise

Higher fitness → lower emotionality - Relationship with mental health (want to promote exercise with age) Exercise → reduced emotionality - Relationship is not certain, if individuals who exercise already have lower emotionality or if exercise caused lower reported emotionality.

Important Terms

Homeostasis: an organism's ability to stabilize its internal environment despite constant changes to the external environment Allostasis: achieving stability through change; reflects the balance of essential coping/adaptation systems. (the cost of homeostasis; stressors that fight against other stressors)

Stress

Imbalance between perceived demands and resources.

Physiological changes

Increased catecholamine capacity in the CNS Reduced resting catecholamine levels in the PNS Takes more catecholamines to initiate stress response Reduced HPA axis response (blunted cortisol)

Stressors

Internal: fear of public speaking, social stress, etc. External: physical threats, bears, etc.

Stress Response Biological Systems

Limbic System Major Structures: Amygdala + Hypothalamus Secretes Hormones: Cortisol + Corticosteroids Peripheral nervous system: somatic + autonomic somatic=voluntary autonomic=involuntary activity (organs, breathing, heart rate, digestion, etc.) ANS Parasympathetic Releases Ach Decreases metabolic activity Cells are allowed to regenerate "Rest and digest" Brings body back to homeostasis Sympathetic Releases catecholamines: Epi + NE Preps body for rapid physical change Increases HR, muscle blood flow, respiration Dilates pupils Decreases digestion Blood sent to vital parts of the body "Fight or flight"

Importance of Body Image

Psychological well-being Self-esteem - Correlated with body image Depression and anxiety Psychological disorders - Muscle dysmorphia Physical well-being - Health-promoting behaviors - Health-damaging behaviors ---Bulimia nervosa (purging) → know they shouldn't throw up but will still do it ---Anorexia nervosa (self-starvation) → doesn't know wha they are doing is wrong

Healthy Body Image

Reflected in positive self-evaluations along the four body image dimension Individuals have accurate perceptions about their body shape and size

Cross-Stressor Adaptation Hypothesis

Researchers believe that regular exercise might benefit from the stress response (reduces allostatic load) ; Animals that are fit are more stress resistant Cross-stressor adaptation hypothesis: States that a stress of sufficient intensity or duration will induce adaption of the stress response system We habituate to low level stress by using the stress of exercising

Self-concept

The way in which we see or define ourselves Self-concept = "Who I Am"

Eysenck's Framework

Theory is based primarily on physiology and genetics Three dimensions - Extraversion-Introversion - Neuroticism-Stability - Psychoticism-Superego Dimensions ranged between extremes Most people fall between the extremes, with few people possessing the traits that reflect the extremes

Trait Theories

Thoughts, feelings, and behavior emanate from inside the person

Interactionist Approach

Traits and Environment → personaility

Behavior Patterns and Exercise (again-all correlational data)

Type A - inc. risk of CVD - dec. adherence rates - inc. effort - inc. intensity - inc. physiological activation - dec. RPE inc. stress responses - inc. negative affective responses Type B - dec. risk of CVD - inc. adherence rates - dec. effort - dec. intensity - dec. physiological activation - inc. RPE - dec. stress responses - dec. negative effective responses

Personality Defined

Underlying, relatively stable, psychological structures and processes that organize human experience and shape a person's actions and reactions to the environment

Fight or Flight

Walter Cannon, 1914 4 stages: Stimuli is sensed Brain deciphers (threat v. non-threat) Body stays activated Body returns to homeostasis People respond differently to the same stressor

Constitutional Theory Sheldon, (1942)

ectomorphs=neurotic endomorph=jovial mesomorph=athlete

Self-esteem

evaluative/affective consequences of one's self-concept Self-esteem = "How I Feel about who I am" subjective > objective Importance of Self-Esteem: makes people happier + more likely to adhere

The Five-Factor Model and Exercise Behavior

this is correlational data; they found relationships between these personality types and exercise behavior, it is not a definitive answer, more of a guide. "ocean" mnemonic device people who exercises TEND to be more conscientiousness and extroversion, and low in neuroticism.