Danilo Garcia, Trevor Archer
Background: In the past 10 years, several studies using the affective profiles model (i.e., combinations of high/low positive/negative affect) show that individuals with high positive affect profiles (i.e., self-fulfilling and high affective) report greater propensity to exercise compared to individuals with low positive affect profiles (i.e., selfdestructive and low affective). Nevertheless, these studies have not used objective measures of exercise frequency. Objective: We investigated differences in exercise frequency six months back in time, motivation, basic psychological needs fulfillment, and if the effect of motivation and needs on training frequency was moderated by type of profile. Method: 143 individuals at a training facility in the South of Sweden responded to the Positive Affect Negative Affect Schedule, the Behavioral Regulation in Exercise Questionnaire 2, the Basic Psychological Needs in Exercise Scale, and provided their membership number for the electronic tracking of their training frequency. Results: Although there were no differences in exercise frequency, positive affect was negatively associated to external regulation and positively to autonomy, competence, and relatedness per se; both when negative affect was low or high. All other variables presented complex dynamic associations to affectivity. Training frequency was positively related to introjected regulation and competence among individuals with a self-destructive profile and negatively to relatedness among those with a high affective profile. Conclusion: Future studies are needed in order to investigate objective measures of exercise frequency in relation to affectivity profiling. Importantly, the model allows the comparison of people who differ in one affectivity dimensions while keeping the other constant.
