Implicit theory about willpower and exercise

Abstract

Exercise has been found to be important to health (Galán, Meseguer, Herruzo, & Rodríguez-Artalejo, 2010; Piko & Keresztes, 2006; Tessier et al., 20). However, fatigue is one of the main reason undermining the quality of exercise performance (van, d. W., Prins, Vercoulen, van, d. M., & Bleijenberg, 2000; Vercoulen et al., 1997). On the other hand, recent studies about self control have reached their interest to exercise. It has been tested that the failure of self-control, also known as ego-depletion, would predict worse exercise performance (Dorris et al., 2012; MacMahon, Schücker, Hagemann, & Strauss, 2014). Nonetheless, latest studies of the implicit theory about willpower was found to be determinant on the ability of self-control, which suggested that people endorsing a non-limited resource theory are less likely suffer from ego-depletion and their abilities of self-control remain intact (Job, Dweck, & Walton, 2010). The present study aims at exploring the effect of implicit theory on exercise. A correlational design was employed. Participants (N = 123) filled in questionnaires which assess their belief in willpower, exercise frequency and intensity, and chronic fatigue. Two hypotheses were tested for this purpose. First, the correlation between implicit theory and fatigue was found to be significant. This implies the more belief in limited theory is correlated with a higher level of fatigue. Second, the moderation effect of implicit theory onto the relationship between fatigue and vigorous activity frequency was found to be significant. This implies a limited theorist would conduct vigorous activity less frequently under a high level of fatigue, but a non-limited theorist would conduct vigorous activity more frequently under a high level of fatigue. The results suggest that non-limited theorists possess two advantages of exercise. They experience lower level of fatigue and tend to exercise more even under a higher level of fatigue. These findings allow us to know more about implicit theory of willpower and how it is related to exercise.