Psychological correlates
Psychological correlates of physical activity have been studied quite extensively and form the basis for much of this section of the book. There are two main types of studies: those using descriptive approaches whereby psychological variables are assessed alongside physi-cal activity (Chapter 2), and those that use a theoretical model (Chapters 3–6). The latter enable us to build knowledge and understanding of how and why people might be motivated or not (‘amotivated’) to adopt and/or maintain a physically active lifestyle. Descriptive stud-ies can be helpful in developing more explanatory research designs.
The development of exercise psychology as a thriving research field has led to the prolif-eration of theories borrowed from other areas of psychology. In particular, theories tested in social and health psychology have been utilised. To help make sense of the different approaches, it is useful to view theories as falling into five categories (see Figure P2.2). There are theories focused on