agreement exists about their causes, consequences or solution (Morgan and Dishman,
2001). The main reason for this state of affairs is that historically, research on physical
activity has been descriptive in nature rather than theory-driven. As a consequence, it is
only recently that formal conceptual models of physical activity (e.g., see Spence and
Lee, 2003) have begun to replace intuitive models. Compounding this difficulty, critics
such as Solnit (2001) have even questioned the degree to which our modern
preoccupation with exercise makes sense from an evolutionary perspective (see her
quotation at the beginning of this chapter).
Against this background of controversy, the purpose of the present chapter is two-fold.
On the one hand, it will review psychological research findings on the benefits and
hazards of engaging in regular physical activity. On the other hand, it will summarise
some key discoveries and unresolved issues in the study of people’s exercise behaviour.
As we shall see, these two themes are linked by the paradox to which we referred earlier.
Specifically, although most people realise that physical activity is good for them, they
appear to be reluctant to engage in it habitually. Unfortunately, this problem has a long
history. Thus for every advocate of exercise, such as the eighteenth-century French
philosopher Jean-Jacques Rousseau (who celebrated the relationship between walking
and thinking) or the ninteenth-century psychologist William James (who cherished the
emotional effects of physical activity), there are mischievous sceptics like Henry Ford
and Al Pacino who extol the merits of indolence and a sedentary lifestyle. Although these
latter sentiments are usually intended to be humorous, they remind us that certain kinds
of exercise are potentially hazardous. For example, if people’s involvement in physical
activity becomes excessive, they may develop a maladaptive pattern of compulsive
behaviour known as “exercise dependence” (see later in the chapter). Indeed, given the
physical and psychological distress which this syndrome can cause the afflicted person, it
is important to learn about its aetiology and treatment. In summary, the main objective of
the present chapter is to investigate the “exercise” part of the discipline of sport and
exercise psychology. This task involves analysis of the benefits, costs and psychological
issues arising from people’s involvement in physical activity.
I shall proceed as follows. To begin with, I shall explain the nature and goals of the
discipline of exercise psychology. This section will include an analysis of the meaning of
key terms such as “exercise”, “physical activity” and “physical fitness”. Then, in the
second part of the chapter, I shall provide a summary and critical appraisal of research on
the main health benefits associated with regular physical activity. To balance this
discussion, two potential problems linked to habitual exercise (namely, “overtraining”
and “exercise dependence”) will also be examined. In the third section, I shall outline the
main theories and research findings on the issues of exercise initiation (the “take up”
problem) and exercise adherence (the “keeping it up” problem). This section will include
a brief analysis of why people drop out from physical activity programmes as well as
some practical advice on how to build up an effective habit of exercise. Finally, a number
of ideas for possible research projects in this field will be sketched.
Sport and exercise psychology: A critical introduction 214