PSYCHOLOGICAL FACTORS, SOCIAL NETWORKS AND DEMOGRAPHIC INFLUENCES ON EXERCISE IDENTITY OF EXERCISE ENTHUSIASTS IN OSUN STATE, NIGERIA
Keywords:
Body image, Demographic Influence, Exercise, Exercise Enthusiasts, Exercise Identity, Physical Exercise, Physical Fitness, Psychological Factors, Self Efficacy, Social NetworkAbstract
The study investigated the forms and patterns of exercises preferred by exercise
enthusiasts in Osun State. It also determined the relationship between psychological
factors (self-efficacy, body image) and exercise identity of exercise enthusiasts in the
study area. In addition, the study assessed the relationship between social network (pear
influence, social status) and exercise identity of exercise enthusiasts in Osun State.The
study employed the cross – sectional research design. The population for the study
comprised all exercise enthusiasts in Osun State with a sample size of 300 exercise
enthusiasts. Multistage sampling procedure was adopted for the study. Two instruments
were used for this study, one adapted and the other self – developed. They are (i)
Exercise Self-efficacy Scale (ESES) by Thilo kroll, Mathew Kehn, Pei-Shu Ho and Suzane
Groah (2007) and (ii) a self-develop questionnaire titled Psycho Exercise Identity Scale
(PSEIS). The result showed that walking was the predominant form of exercise with 254
(84.7%) of the total responses while a significant portion 2.03 0.96 exercise regularly.
There was a significant relationship between the forms and patterns of exercise preferred
and exercise identity of exercise enthusiasts. Finally, the result showed that age (β=1.10,
p<0.05), gender (β=0.50, p<0.01), and religion (β=0.19, p<0.02) interacted
meaningfully with psycho-social factors to influence exercise identity. The study
concluded that psycho-social factors (self-efficacy and peer influence) and demographic
factors (age and gender) positively influenced exercise identity with self-efficacy having
the greatest influence on exercise enthusiasts in Osun State, Nigeria.
