INFLUENCE OF IMPLIED AND EXPLICIT ATTITUDES ON SPONTANEOUS PHYSICAL ACTIVITY AND SEDENTARY BEHAVIOR ASSESSED BY ACCELEROMETRY
Reflective-impulsive model, physical activity, sedentary lifestyle, unconscious processes.
INTRODUCTION: Current evidence suggests that PA and SB can be influenced by reflexive and impulsive processes, therefore, understanding the psychological determinants that interfere in these health behaviors is crucial. OBJECTIVE: Based on the Reflective-Impulsive Model, the purpose of the study is to investigate the influence of implicit and explicit attitudes on spontaneous PA and SB measured by accelerometry. METHODS: Two hundred and fifty-five participants (63.5% adults; 36.5% elderly; 65.9% women; 67.7% physically inactive; 84%> 8 hours in SB; 45.78 ± 17.7 years; 27.48 ± 5.4 kg/m²) were included in this transversal study. The levels of PA and SB were measured by accelerometry. Explicit attitudes (perceived benefits and cons, social norm, social modeling, self-efficacy and intention - direction and intensity) were evaluated using a questionnaire. Implicit attitudes were measured using the Implicit Association Test - IAT. RESULTS: The implicit attitude was associated with MPA (β = 0.10), MVPA (β = 2.38) and LPA (β = -11.31), after controlling the explicit attitudes. Regarding explicit attitudes, the increase in self-efficacy has had a direct effect on MPA (β = 4.70) and MVPA (β = 4.07). The intensity intention has predicted the MPA (β = 0.10) and MVPA (β = 2.38). The lower perception of the social norm has had a direct effect on MPA (β = -0.18) and MVPA (β = -2.66). The lower perception of social modeling and perceived benefits was directly associated with the increase in SB (β = -0.22) and (β = -0.49), respectively. Additionally, there were interactions between implicit attitude and intention (intensity) with MPA (β = 4.62) and MVPA (β = 3.96) and interactions between implicit attitude and social norm about MVPA (β = 2.37). CONCLUSION: Impulsive and reflective processes can perform a direct role, but they can also have a pattern of interaction on PA behavior and reflexive processes can perform a direct role in predicting SB.