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Objectives: To investigate the effects of exercise advertising on self-efficacy and decisional balance for changing exercise behavior. Methods: One hundred seventy-four university students (females = 108; males = 66) watched a video that contained health, appearance, or control advertising and completed stage of change, exercise self-efficacy, and decisional balance questionnaires. Results: There was a significant condition by gender interaction indicating that men in the appearance condition had lower self-efficacy than did females. Health promotion advertising did not have any effect. Conclusions: This study provides evidence that the message in appearance-based advertising that men should be muscular may be detrimental.

Examines the trainability of anticipation in intermediate tennis players. In particular, examines whether video presentations could improve on-court tennis-serve returns. Participants (N=6) were asked to predict the type, depth, and width of the serve. Results suggest that anticipation ability and performance did improve as a result of the intervention. (Author/MKA)

The purpose of this study was to gain insight into the experiences of the New Zealand Women Rugby Team, the "Black Ferns ". Data were collected via semi-structured interviews on 23 Black Ferns, which was then analyzed with the assistance of Hyper Research, a qualitative data analysis package. The authors discuss the motivations of the women to start playing rugby, as well as those factors that facilitated their continued involvement in the sport. In addition, the players 'perceptions of participating in a strongly male dominated sport were identified. The Black Ferns started playing rugby for two main reasons: the physical nature of the sport, and because their friends played The participants also offered two main reasons for continuing to play: enjoyment, and the challenge. The players expressed divided opinions about competing in what has traditionally been a predominantly male sport. The implications of these findings are important for administrators and those wishing to promote women's rugby., Rugby is New Zealand's national game, but has until recently been male dominated. It was not until 1980 that the first women's provincial game was played in New Zealand (Chester, [...]

Presents a study which evaluated the association between feedback from the coach, ability of athletes, and the perception of competence and satisfaction of female adolescent athletes. Details on the competence motivation theory; What influences motivation and self-perception; Method used for the study; Results of the study.

There has been concern expressed that participation in sport may encourage the onset of disordered eating which, in turn, may lead to a clinical eating disorder. This study examined social [...]

The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between scores on the attentional subscales of Nideffer's Test of Attentional and Interpersonal Style (TAIS) and playing standard, age, and position played within the sport of rugby. 144 male volunteer rugby players from the Vancouver Island Rugby Union were tested. The sample included 72 above average rugby players and 72 of average playing standard who were further classified by age: 24 under 19 yr. (U.19), 24 under 23 yr. (U.23), and 24 senior. Four specific positional groups were identified within the sample: Tight Five (n = 56), Backrow (n = 24), Halfbacks (n = 20), and Outside Backs (n = 44). A series of two-way multivariate analyses of variance gave no significant differences between the two different playing standards except for age. The senior group differed from both the U.19 and U.23 groups on narrowing. In addition, significant differences were also observed between the Halfbacks and the remaining positional groups (Tight Five, Backrow, and Threequarters) on two of the six measures, they demonstrated greater broad-external focus and less internal overload. It was concluded that the Halfbacks, who are the decision makers within the team, reflected most closely Nideffer's concept of an effective attentional style and the attentional subscales did discriminate minimally between rugby players of different ages and playing position.

Objectives: To investigate the effects of exercise advertising on self-efficacy and decisional balance for changing exercise behavior. Methods: One hundred Seventy-four university students (females = 108; males = 66) watched a video that contained health, appearance, or control advertising and completed stage of change, exercise self-efficacy, and decisional balance questionnaires. Results: There was a significant condition by gender interaction indicating that men in the appearance condition had lower self-efficacy than did females. Health promotion advertising did not have any effect. Conclusions: This study provides evidence that the message in appearance-based advertising that men should be muscular may be detrimental. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The public sector uses health as the primary motivator in physical activity campaigns whereas the private sector often uses appearance as a motivator, but whether these motivators can be successful in changing physical activity behavior remains to be determined. The purpose of this research was to test the effects of televised health promotion and appearance-based exercise advertising on exercise attitudes, social physique anxiety, and self-presentation, Participants completed pretest questionnaires one week prior to viewing a video that contained health or appearance exercise advertising. They then completed posttest questionnaires. Results showed mat health-based advertising had significant positive effects on social physique anxiety and self-presentation for exercisers in the health condition, while appearance-based advertising had negative effects on no exercisers' attitudes towards exercise. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Presents a study which used intermediate tennis players to examine trainability of anticipation. Examination of whether on-court tennis serve returns could be improved by video presentations; Information on the training phase; Details on the participants in the study; Method used to conduct study; Results of the study.

The purpose of the study was to assess the effects of a mental training program on state anxiety, respiration rate and performance of novice scuba divers. Forty-four participants enrolled in novice open water diving courses served as participants. An intervention group (n = 15), in addition to scuba training, received an audiotaped mental training program designed to reduce anxiety and improve diving performance. A placebo-control group (n = 15) followed the same procedures except that their audiotape contained general information about scuba diving. A control group (n = 14) received only scuba training. The intervention group reported lower pre-dive scores for cognitive anxiety, higher pre-dive scores for self-confidence, performed better on bail-out and mask removal tasks, and showed lower respiration rate than either control group. Respiration rate and somatic anxiety scores significantly predicted bail-out performance. Respiration rate also predicted mask removal performance. These results suggest that novice divers may benefit from mental training as part of their pre-dive instruction. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]