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Objectives: This mixed-methods study examined the relationship between pet ownership status and social connectedness, physical activity engagement, and the quality of life of older adults living in retirement villages., Methods: A survey was distributed to older adults (N = 58) living in retirement villages in South Australia. Those who expressed interest (N = 16) took part in an additional diary study, whereby they reported their social and physical activities over the course of a week., Results: Physical activity, social connectedness, and quality of life did not differ significantly based on pet ownership status. Social connectedness was positively related to the quality of life regardless of pet ownership status. Many pet owners described how their pets were integral to their lives., Discussion: The notion of pet presence offers a promising pathway for future research. The strategies and policies that support pet ownership in retired villages require further investigation.

Objective: Two studies were conducted to examine the relationship between past physical activity, concurrent self-regulatory efficacy (CSRE), and current physical activity during the transition to university. Participants: Study 1 included 110 first-year undergraduate students recruited during October/November of 2012. Study 2 involved 86 first-year undergraduate students recruited during October/November of 2013. Methods: Surveys were completed online, concurrently (Study 1) and prospectively (Study 2). Results: CSRE was found to positively predict current physical activity participation in both studies. However, the relation of CSRE to physical activity was attenuated when past behavior was taken into account. Conclusions: Physical activity is one goal that university students pursue concurrently with other goals. Not only is current planned activity related to one's past participation in physical activity, it is also related to self-regulatory beliefs about managing that activity in the new context of university life.

The present qualitative study investigated the benefits of having formal and informal athlete leaders on sport teams. The participants (N = 104) included athletes from three interactive team sports (i. e., basketball, hockey, volleyball). Using open-ended questionnaires, participants were asked to indicate what constitutes an ideal number of formal and informal athlete leaders on a team, and based on this ideal, the benefits of athlete leaders. The athletes indicated that leadership should be widespread among teammates, such that 85% of a team's roster should be comprised of athlete leaders. In particular, 19% of a roster should be occupied by formal athlete leaders, while the remaining 66% by athletes occupying an informal leadership role within the team. Further, the results found that having athlete leaders on a team influenced a variety of group dynamic constructs, including team member attributes (e.g., increased resources), team structure (e.g., enhanced role clarity), cohesion, team processes (e.g., better communication), individual outcomes (e.g., more satisfied), team outcomes (e.g., performance is enhanced), and leadership behaviors (e.g., both transactional and transformational behaviors exhibited). The results are discussed in terms of how athlete leaders impact the team environment., Leadership is viewed as an important component for team success (Weinberg & McDermott, 2002). Effective leadership can propel groups in new directions and promote change towards achieving its objective (Bennis [...]

Promoting athlete wellbeing has become a priority in elite sport, and the COVID-19 pandemic has accentuated the need for a comprehensive understanding of risk and protective factors. Existing sport research has not yet considered whether specific cognitive factors such as dispositional mindfulness and executive function may protect athletes against psychological distress. In a sample of high-performance Australian football athletes (n = 27), we administered measures of dispositional mindfulness (MAAS), executive function (AOSPAN; eStroop), and psychological distress (APSQ) at pre-season, coinciding with the initial (2020) COVID-19-related sport shutdown in Australia. Measures of executive function and psychological distress were re-administered at the end of the COVID-19 affected competitive season in 2020. Athletes reported significantly elevated psychological distress relative to previous estimates of distress among high-performance athletes established in prior studies. Executive functions, including working memory and inhibitory control were not significantly associated with psychological distress or dispositional mindfulness at either timepoint. However, baseline mindfulness was associated with reduced distress at both pre-season (r = −0.48, p =.03) and end of season (r = −0.56, p =.004), suggesting that dispositional mindfulness may have afforded protective buffering against symptoms of distress. Correlation data alone does not establish a directional connection from mindfulness to reduced distress, and future research is required to elucidate this association and/or establish the mechanism/s by which dispositional mindfulness may protect against psychological distress in this population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The primary purpose of this research was to examine the influence of different normative (descriptive, injunctive) messages on individual self-reported effort in sport. Adult recreational volleyball athletes (n = 58) reported their self-perceived effort, were randomly assigned through their team designation to one of three conditions (descriptive norm, injunctive norm, control) and then received multiple e-mail messages specific to their condition motivating them to work hard. Participants reported their self-perceived effort a second time after receipt of these messages. The results from a one-way ANCOVA, controlling for initial perceived effort, revealed that those in the normative conditions reported greater perceived effort than those in the control condition. Preliminary evidence is provided suggesting that individual self-reported effort may be significantly impacted by the perception of what others are doing and what others approve of within that environment (i.e., normative information). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between perceived social norms emanating from two different channels (i.e. coaches and peers) and individual self-reported effort in youth athletes. Female youth athletes (N = 145, Mage = 13.9 years) attending a five-day summer volleyball sport camp self-reported their perceptions of their coach's approval of effort during the camp (coach subjective norm), how many of their peers exerted effort during the camp (peer descriptive norm), and their own effort during the camp. Results from a regression analysis indicated that perceived social norms associated with both channels were positively associated with self-reported effort, accounting for 13% of the variance. These results suggest that both coach and peer normative information may be important external sources of motivation associated with individual effort in youth sport. This highlights the possible importance of including normative information from either source, and suggests that both coaches and peers may be important channels of normative influence. If replicated, the current findings have implications for understanding the social influences associated with athlete effort in youth athletes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Issue Addressed: Public service announcements (PSA) targeting physical activity are not always effective at enacting behaviour change. One factor that may impact message effectiveness is whether the message matches its intent (ie, what norm is being portrayed and received). The current study explored the effects of two PSAs on parents' perceptions of outdoor play.Methods: Parents (N = 333) completed a pre/postexperimental online survey to examine the acute impact of a PSA on their perception of how often children play outdoors (ie, descriptive norms). Participants provided their descriptive norm perceptions and then were randomised to view one of two PSAs: (a) the Mr. Lonely PSA, which portrayed outdoor activity as not normative, and (b) a control message, which portrayed outdoor activity as the norm (VERB PSA). After viewing their PSA, descriptive norm perceptions were reported again.Results: A two-way mixed ANOVA indicated that participants who viewed the Mr. Lonely PSA (where outdoor play was not normative) perceived that children and youth played outdoors less frequently immediately after watching the PSA compared to before viewing it (P < 0.05). No significant change occurred in the control condition.Conclusions: PSAs can alter individuals' perceptions of whether they perceive outdoor play as normative among children and youth. SO WHAT?: As individuals align their behaviour with what is typical, PSA developers should be wary of what message is being conveyed. In terms of activity, portraying that outdoor play is not normative may not have the intended outcome. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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This experimental study examined the interaction between messages conveying different levels of descriptive norms and positive outcome expectations on university students’ engagement in moderate and vigorous physical activity over an exam period. Using a pre–post design, university students entering a final examination period (N = 74) were randomly assigned to one of four message conditions, receiving a message motivating them to exercise over the exam period. Messages included both a descriptive norm (how many others reported being active during a previous exam period; high vs. low) and a positive outcome expectation (those who exercise during exams report better grades; high vs. low). The results from an analysis of covariance (ANCOVA), controlling for baseline levels of daily physical activity, revealed a significant interaction. Post hoc analyses indicated that when the descriptive norm was high, those who received a high positive outcome expectation reported being more active during the exam period compared to those receiving the low positive outcome expectation. Results provide preliminary support for the idea that activity during an exam period can be positively influenced if individuals are presented with normative messages that (a) many others are being active during the exams and (b) many of those being active also are benefiting academically. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]