TY - JOUR A1 - Brand, Ralf A1 - Ekkekakis, Panteleimon T1 - Affective-Reflective Theory of physical inactivity and exercise T1 - Die Affective-Reflective Theory zur Erklärung von körperlicher Inaktivität und Sporttreiben BT - Foundations and preliminary evidence BT - Grundlagen und erste Studienergebnisse JF - German Journal of Exercise and Sport Research N2 - This article introduces a new theory, the Affective-Reflective Theory (ART) of physical inactivity and exercise. ART aims to explain and predict behavior in situations in which people either remain in a state of physical inactivity or initiate action (exercise). It is a dual-process model and assumes that exercise-related stimuli trigger automatic associations and a resulting automatic affective valuation of exercise (type-1 process). The automatic affective valuation forms the basis for the reflective evaluation (type-2 process), which can follow if self-control resources are available. The automatic affective valuation is connected with an action impulse, whereas the reflective evaluation can result in action plans. The two processes, in constant interaction, direct the individual towards or away from changing behavior. The ART of physical inactivity and exercise predicts that, when there is an affective-reflective discrepancy and self-control resources are low, behavior is more likely to be governed by the affective type-1 process. This introductory article explains the underlying concepts and main theoretical roots from which the ART of physical inactivity and exercise was developed (field theory, affective responses to exercise, automatic evaluation, evaluation-behavior link, dual-process theorizing). We also summarize the empirical tests that have been conducted to refine the theory in its present form. KW - Motivation KW - Implicit KW - Explicit KW - Dual system KW - Self-control KW - Motivation KW - Implizit KW - Explizit KW - Zwei-System-Theorien KW - Selbstkontrolle Y1 - 2017 U6 - https://doi.org/10.1007/s12662-017-0477-9 SN - 2509-3142 SN - 2509-3150 VL - 48 IS - 1 SP - 48 EP - 58 PB - Springer CY - New York ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Englert, Chris A1 - Wolff, Wanja T1 - Ego depletion and persistent performance in a cycling task JF - International journal of sport and exercise psychology N2 - We tested the assumption that persistent performance in an exhausting indoor cycling task would depend on momentarily available self-control strength (N = 20 active participants). In a within-subjects design (two points of measurement, exactly seven days apart), participants' self-control strength was experimentally manipulated (depletion: yes vs. no; order counterbalanced) via the Stroop test before the participants performed a cycling task. In line with our hypothesis, hierarchical linear modelling (HLM) revealed that participants consistently performed worse over a period of 18 minutes when they were ego depleted. In addition, HLM analysis revealed that depleted participants invested less effort in the cycling task, as indicated by their lower heart rate. This effect escalated over time, as indicated by a time x condition interaction. These results indicate that self-control strength is necessary to obtain an optimal level of performance in endurance tasks requiring high levels of persistence. Practical implications are discussed. KW - Cycling KW - Ego-depletion KW - Hierarchical linear modeling KW - Self-control KW - Self-regulation Y1 - 2015 U6 - https://doi.org/10.7352/IJSP2015.46.137 SN - 0047-0767 VL - 46 IS - 2 SP - 137 EP - 151 PB - Pozzi CY - Roma ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Wolff, Wanja A1 - Baumgarten, Franz A1 - Brand, Ralf T1 - Reduced self-control leads to disregard of an unfamiliar behavioral option - an experimental approach to the study of neuroenhancement JF - Substance abuse treatment, prevention, and policy N2 - Background: Neuroenhancement (NE), the use of psychoactive substances in order to enhance a healthy individual's cognitive functioning from a proficient to an even higher level, is prevalent in student populations. According to the strength model of self-control, people fail to self-regulate and fall back on their dominant behavioral response when finite self-control resources are depleted. An experiment was conducted to test the hypothesis that ego-depletion will prevent students who are unfamiliar with NE from trying it. Findings: 130 undergraduates, who denied having tried NE before (43% female, mean age = 22.76 +/- 4.15 years old), were randomly assigned to either an ego-depletion or a control condition. The dependent variable was taking an "energy-stick" (a legal nutritional supplement, containing low doses of caffeine, taurine and vitamin B), offered as a potential means of enhancing performance on the bogus concentration task that followed. Logistic regression analysis showed that ego-depleted participants were three times less likely to take the substance, OR = 0.37, p = .01. Conclusion: This experiment found that trying NE for the first time was more likely if an individual's cognitive capacities were not depleted. This means that mental exhaustion is not predictive for NE in students for whom NE is not the dominant response. Trying NE for the first time is therefore more likely to occur as a thoughtful attempt at self-regulation than as an automatic behavioral response in stressful situations. We therefore recommend targeting interventions at this inter-individual difference. Students without previous reinforcing NE experience should be provided with information about the possible negative health outcomes of NE. Reconfiguring structural aspects in the academic environment (e.g. lessening workloads) might help to deter current users. KW - Neuroenhancement KW - Self-control KW - Ego-depletion KW - Prevention Y1 - 2013 U6 - https://doi.org/10.1186/1747-597X-8-41 SN - 1747-597X VL - 8 IS - 23 PB - BioMed Central CY - London ER -