@phdthesis{Pietrek2023,
  author    = {Pietrek, Anou F.},
  title     = {Basic psychological needs and depression in the context of health and exercise},
  school      = {Universit{\"a}t Potsdam},
  year      = {2023},
  abstract  = {Depressive Erkrankungen gehen mit verminderter Lebenszufriedenheit und reduzierter Arbeitsf{\"a}higkeit einher. Die Wartezeit f{\"u}r eine Psychotherapie betr{\"a}gt in Deutschland derzeit zwischen drei und sechs Monaten. Demnach besteht Bedarf an alternativen, gleichwertigen evidenzbasierten Behandlungsm{\"o}glichkeiten, die den Betroffenen niedrigschwellig zug{\"a}nglich gemacht werden. Eine Vielzahl an empirischen Studien belegt die Wirksamkeit von Sport bei leichten und mittelschweren Depressionen. Zur weiterf{\"u}hrenden Konzeption und Qualit{\"a}tssicherung von Sport als Behandlungsoption ist es notwendig die konkreten Wirkmechanismen zu verstehen. Neben physiologischen spielen auch psychologische Faktoren eine Rolle im Wirkungsgeschehen. Als Metatheorie menschlichen Erlebens und Verhaltens bietet die Selbstbestimmungstheorie (engl.: Self-Determination Theory; SDT) einen n{\"u}tzlichen Bezugsrahmen zum Verst{\"a}ndnis psychologischer Wirkmechanismen mit konkreten Ableitungen f{\"u}r die Behandlungspraktik. Die konzeptionelle Erweiterung der SDT um die Frustration psychologischer Grundbed{\"u}rfnisse erweist sich neben der Bed{\"u}rfnisbefriedigung zunehmend als hilfreich bei der Untersuchung von psychischen Erkrankungen. Der erste Teil dieser Dissertation besteht aus zwei Publikationen, die relevante Messinstrumente in dem genannten Kontext validieren. Der erste Fragebogen misst das Ausmaß an allgemein erlebter Befriedigung und Frustration der psychologischen Grundbed{\"u}rfnisse nach Autonomie, Kompetenz und sozialer Eingebundenheit. Der zweite Fragebogen erhebt die erlebte Bed{\"u}rfnisbefriedigung durch die anleitende Person (hier: Sporttherapeut*in). Der zweite Teil der Dissertation umfasst zwei Publikationen, welche die Befriedigung und Frustration der psychologischen Grundbed{\"u}rfnisse bei depressiven Symptomen untersuchen und einordnen. Es werden die Unterschiede im Ausmaß an Bed{\"u}rfnisbefriedigung und Bed{\"u}rfnisfrustration zwischen einer Stichprobe mit Depression mit einer Stichprobe ohne depressive Symptome untersucht. Der Zusammenhang zwischen Bed{\"u}rfnisfrustration und depressiven Symptomen wird im Kontext etablierter pathologischer Prozesse (Emotionsdysregulation, Rumination) eingeordnet. Die Hauptergebnisse dieser Arbeiten zeigen, dass die SDT durch die Erweiterung der Basic Psychological Needs Theory um die Dimension der Bed{\"u}rfnisfrustration ein nun breiteres Spektrum auf dem Gesundheit-Krankheit-Kontinuum abbildet. Dabei fokussiert die SDT auf die psychologische Wirkung von sozialen Umwelten. Neben der Nichterf{\"u}llung der psychologischen Grundbed{\"u}rfnisse ist es vor allem die Bed{\"u}rfnisfrustration, die einen allgemeinen Vulnerabilit{\"a}tsfaktor f{\"u}r das Vorkommen psychologischer Erkrankungen darstellt. Zudem weist die unausgewogene Befriedigung der psychologischen Grundbed{\"u}rfnisse m{\"o}glicherweise auf ein konflikthaftes Erleben zwischen den Bed{\"u}rfnissen hin. F{\"u}r die Behandlungspraktik abzuleiten ist, dass eine autonomieunterst{\"u}tzende Atmosph{\"a}re, die die ausgewogene Befriedigung aller drei Bed{\"u}rfnisse erm{\"o}glicht, zentral f{\"u}r den Behandlungserfolg ist.},
  language  = {en}
}
@phdthesis{Schinkoeth2020,
  author    = {Schink{\"o}th, Michaela},
  title     = {Automatic affective reactions to exercise-related stimuli},
  doi       = {10.25932/publishup-47111},
  url       = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:kobv:517-opus4-471115},
  school      = {Universit{\"a}t Potsdam},
  pages     = {II, 117},
  year      = {2020},
  abstract  = {Even though the majority of individuals know that exercising is healthy, a high percentage struggle to achieve the recommended amount of exercise. The (social-cognitive) theories that are commonly applied to explain exercise motivation refer to the assumption that people base their decisions mainly on rational reasoning. However, behavior is not only bound to reflection. In recent years, the role of automaticity and affect for exercise motivation has been increasingly discussed. In this dissertation, central assumptions of the affective-reflective theory of physical inactivity and exercise (ART; Brand \& Ekkekakis, 2018), an exercise-specific dual-process theory that emphasizes the role of a momentary automatic affective reaction for exercise-decisions, were examined. The central aim of this dissertation was to investigate exercisers and non-exercisers automatic affective reactions to exercise-related stimuli (i.e., type-1 process). In particular, the two components of the ART's type-1 process, that are, automatic associations with exercise and the automatic affective valuation to exercise, were under study. In the first publication (Schinkoeth \& Antoniewicz, 2017), research on automatic (evaluative) associations with exercise was summarized and evaluated in a systematic review. The results indicated that automatic associations with exercise appeared to be relevant predictors for exercise behavior and other exercise-related variables, providing evidence for a central assumption of the ART's type-1 process. Furthermore, indirect methods seem to be suitable to assess automatic associations. The aim of the second publication (Schinkoeth, Weymar, \& Brand, 2019) was to approach the somato-affective core of the automatic valuation of exercise using analysis of reactivity in vagal HRV while viewing exercise-related pictures. Results revealed that differences in exercise volume could be regressed on HRV reactivity. In light of the ART, these findings were interpreted as evidence of an inter-individual affective reaction elicited at the thought of exercise and triggered by exercise-stimuli. In the third publication (Schinkoeth \& Brand, 2019, subm.), it was sought to disentangle and relate to each other the ART's type-1 process components—automatic associations and the affective valuation of exercise. Automatic associations to exercise were assessed with a recoding-free variant of an implicit association test (IAT). Analysis of HRV reactivity was applied to approach a somatic component of the affective valuation, and facial reactions in a facial expression (FE) task served as indicators of the automatic affective reaction's valence. Exercise behavior was assessed via self-report. The measurement of the affective valuation's valence with the FE task did not work well in this study. HRV reactivity was predicted by the IAT score and did also statistically predict exercise behavior. These results thus confirm and expand upon the results of publication two and provide empirical evidence for the type-1 process, as defined in the ART. This dissertation advances the field of exercise psychology concerning the influence of automaticity and affect on exercise motivation. Moreover, both methodical implications and theoretical extensions for the ART can be derived from the results.},
  language  = {en}
}
@phdthesis{Antoniewicz2016,
  author    = {Antoniewicz, Franziska},
  title     = {Automatic evaluations of exercising},
  url       = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:kobv:517-opus4-92280},
  school      = {Universit{\"a}t Potsdam},
  year      = {2016},
  abstract  = {Changing the perspective sometimes offers completely new insights to an already well-known phenomenon. Exercising behavior, defined as planned, structured and repeated bodily movements with the intention to maintain or increase the physical fitness (Caspersen, Powell, \& Christenson, 1985), can be thought of as such a well-known phenomenon that has been in the scientific focus for many decades (Dishman \& O'Connor, 2005). Within these decades a perspective that assumes rational and controlled evaluations as the basis for decision making, was predominantly used to understand why some people engage in physical activity and others do not (Ekkekakis \& Zenko, 2015). Dual-process theories (Ekkekakis \& Zenko, 2015; Payne \& Gawronski, 2010) provide another perspective, that is not exclusively influenced by rational reasoning. These theories differentiate two different processes that guide behavior "depending on whether they operate automatically or in a controlled fashion" (Gawronski \& Creighton, 2012, p. 282). Following this line of thought, exercise behavior is not solely influenced by thoughtful deliberations (e.g. concluding that exercising is healthy) but also by spontaneous affective reactions (e.g. disliking being sweaty while exercising). The theoretical frameworks of dual-process models are not new in psychology (Chaiken \& Trope, 1999) and have already been used for the explanation of numerous behaviors (e.g. Hofmann, Friese, \& Wiers, 2008; Huijding, de Jong, Wiers, \& Verkooijen, 2005). However, they have only rarely been used for the explanation of exercise behavior (e.g. Bluemke, Brand, Schweizer, \& Kahlert, 2010; Conroy, Hyde, Doerksen, \& Ribeiro, 2010; Hyde, Doerksen, Ribeiro, \& Conroy, 2010). The assumption of two dissimilar behavior influencing processes, differs fundamentally from previous theories and thus from the research that has been conducted in the last decades in exercise psychology. Research mainly concentrated on predictors of the controlled processes and addressed the identified predictors in exercise interventions (Ekkekakis \& Zenko, 2015; Hagger, Chatzisarantis, \& Biddle, 2002). Predictors arising from the described automatic processes, for example automatic evaluations for exercising (AEE), have been neglected in exercise psychology for many years. Until now, only a few researchers investigated the influence of these AEE for exercising behavior (Bluemke et al., 2010; Brand \& Schweizer, 2015; Markland, Hall, Duncan, \& Simatovic, 2015). Marginally more researchers focused on the impact of AEE for physical activity behavior (Calitri, Lowe, Eves, \& Bennett, 2009; Conroy et al., 2010; Hyde et al., 2010; Hyde, Elavsky, Doerksen, \& Conroy, 2012). The extant studies mainly focused on the quality of AEE and the associated quantity of exercise (exercise much or little; Bluemke et al., 2010; Calitri et al., 2009; Conroy et al., 2010; Hyde et al., 2012). In sum, there is still a dramatic lack of empirical knowledge, when applying dual-process theories to exercising behavior, even though these theories have proven to be successful in explaining behavior in many other health-relevant domains like eating, drinking or smoking behavior (e.g. Hofmann et al., 2008). The main goal of the present dissertation was to collect empirical evidence for the influence of AEE on exercise behavior and to expand the so far exclusively correlational studies by experimentally controlled studies. By doing so, the ongoing debate on a paradigm shift from controlled and deliberative influences of exercise behavior towards approaches that consider automatic and affective influences (Ekkekakis \& Zenko, 2015) should be encouraged. All three conducted publications are embedded in dual-process theorizing (Gawronski \& Bodenhausen, 2006, 2014; Strack \& Deutsch, 2004). These theories offer a theoretical framework that could integrate the established controlled variables of exercise behavior explanation and additionally consider automatic factors for exercise behavior like AEE. Taken together, the empirical findings collected suggest that AEE play an important and diverse role for exercise behavior. They represent exercise setting preferences, are a cause for short-term exercise decisions and are decisive for long-term exercise adherence. Adding to the few already present studies in this field, the influence of (positive) AEE for exercise behavior was confirmed in all three presented publications. Even though the available set of studies needs to be extended in prospectively studies, first steps towards a more complete picture have been taken. Closing with the beginning of the synopsis: I think that time is right for a change of perspectives! This means a careful extension of the present theories with controlled evaluations explaining exercise behavior. Dual-process theories including controlled and automatic evaluations could provide such a basis for future research endeavors in exercise psychology.},
  language  = {en}
}