THE CAUSAL RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN PHYSICAL ABILITY, SELF-PERCEPTION OF PHYSICAL ABILITY AND ATTITUDE/ATTRACTION TOWARD PHYSICAL ACTIVITY

The purpose of this investigation was primarily to examine the causal relationship between self-perception of physical ability and attitude/attraction toward physical activity. This relationship was investigated in conjunction with additional variables such as physical ability and sex. This study was also designed to test a part of Sonstroem's physical activity model which, in part, hypothesized that self-perception of physical ability was causally related to attitude/attraction toward physical activity.;The female subjects in the high perception treatment condition exhibited less positive global attitudes toward physical ability (physical fitness) than in the low perception treatment condition. Male subjects showed no differences.;In the balancing/coordination condition, the subjects in high or low perception treatments were not different in their attitude toward physical activities specifically related to balancing/coordination ability. There were no main effects of physical ability (balancing/coordination) or sex, or any interaction effects. Contrary to the results of the physical fitness condition, the subjects in the high self-perception treatment group demonstrated a more positive global attitude toward physical activity for both sexes than the subjects in the low self-perception treatment group.;It was concluded that a person's perception of physical ability could be manipulated experimentally. The self-perception of physical fitness causally affected the global attitude/attraction toward physical activity in an inverse direction among females. A change in self-perception of balancing/coordination ability, on the other hand, caused a positive change in global attitude toward physical activity.;The dependent variables for this study were attitude/attraction toward physical activities specifically related to physical fitness, attitude/attraction toward physical activities related to balancing/coordination ability, and global attitude toward physical activity. The independent variables were self-perception of physical ability, physical ability (physical fitness or balancing/coordination) and sex. The self-perception of physical ability was manipulated in a laboratory by providing the subjects with false information about physical ability (high or low ability).;It was also concluded that Sonstroem's physical activity model could be improved by adding specificity of physical ability and activity to the model.