Using memories to motivate future behaviour: An experimental exercise intervention

Abstract

This study tested a novel memory-based experimental intervention to increase exercise activity. Undergraduate students completed a two-part online survey ostensibly regarding college activity choices. At Time 1, they completed questionnaires that included assessments of exercise-related attitudes, motivation and self-reported behaviours. Next, they described a memory of a positive or negative experience that would increase their motivation to exercise; students in a control condition did not receive a memory prompt. Finally, they rated their intentions to exercise in the future. Eight days following Time 1, students received a Time 2 survey that included an assessment of their self-reported exercise during the prior week. Students in the positive memory condition reported higher levels of subsequent exercise than those in the control condition; students in the negative memory condition reported intermediate levels of exercise. Activating a positive motivational memory had a significant effect on students' self-reported exercise activity even after controlling for prior attitudes, motivation and exercise activity.

Keywords:

• Autobiographical memory
• Memory functions
• Motivation
• Exercise
• Health

Notes

¹ Prior to conducting the current study, a similar study was completed at UNH using the same basic research design and outcome measures. Effects of the memory manipulation on exercise intentions and behaviours were not statistically significant. The validity of the earlier study was compromised because a violent weather event disrupted normal university activities, including closing of the university, during the time period in which exercise behaviours were being assessed. In addition, the original memory prompts did not specifically target past events that were motivational in nature, and inspection of memory narratives suggested that a substantial proportion of the reported events focused on positive or negative activities that were not likely to serve a motivational function. The new study included an explicit request for positive or negative memories that were likely to motivate participants to exercise. Detailed results of the preliminary study are available on request.

² Exploratory analyses of Time 2 affective attitudes, instrumental attitudes and autonomous exercise motivation also failed to identify significant differences between the memory and control groups.

³ Although the ANCOVA assumption of homogeneity of regression was violated for the analysis of Time 2 intentions, the violation was modest: Correlations between Time 1 LTEQ scores and Time 2 exercise intentions are positive and significant in all three memory conditions, but the correlation is somewhat smaller for the positive group (r(62) = .31, p = .014) than for the negative (r(55) = .56, p < .001) and control (r(63) = .68, p < .001) groups.