Analysis of the affect measurement conundrum in exercise psychology: I. Fundamental issues

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Abstract

Background and purpose: The measurement of affect in the context of exercise is a controversial issue. The purpose of this paper is to provide a critical review of the relevant literature and to outline a conceptual framework that will serve as the basis for subsequent analysis.

Methods: Four issues are discussed: (a) the distinctions between emotions, moods, and affect; (b) the strengths and weaknesses of categorical and dimensional models for conceptualizing affective phenomena; (c) the notion of ‘exercise-specific’ affect; and (d) whether measurement should be based on a deductive or an inductive approach.

Results and conclusions: Arguments are presented in favor of (a) targeting basic affect as the appropriate object of assessment at the present stage of knowledge development; (b) adopting dimensional models because of their broad and balanced scope; (c) critically reconsidering the notion of ‘exercise-specific’ affect; and (d) using deductive methods for measuring affect.

Section snippets

An evolving crisis?

Even a cursory glance at the contemporary research literature on the effects of exercise on affect reveals that the measurement of affect is a highly controversial issue. During the last decade, at least five new self-report measures of affect have been developed in the domain of exercise psychology, each proposing a different structural model of affect (Gauvin & Rejeski, 1993, Hardy & Rejeski, 1989, Lox, Jackson, Tuholski, Wasley, & Treasure, 2000, McAuley & Courneya, 1994, Rejeski, Reboussin,

A short retrospective

As a first step, we provide an historical overview. This should help underscore the fact that the theoretical groundwork with regard to the measurement of affect in the context of exercise has been deficient. Three periods, distinct in terms of their prevailing trends but temporally overlapping, are identified: (a) the descriptive era, (b) the era of frustration, and (c) the era of exercise-specificity.

Three decades later and still at the crossroads: time to find a map?

Arguably, in the study of affective responses to exercise, the natural progression from deciding which variables should be assessed to selecting or devising appropriate measures for assessing them has been violated. In the following sections, we pose and attempt to answer four crucial questions regarding the measurement of affect. The arguments we present will be used to guide the remainder of our analysis in this and the subsequent papers in the present series. First, we will attempt to

Objectives of the present project

As we noted from the beginning, the knowledge development process depends directly upon the measurement technology used and, consequently, problems associated with measurement warrant close scrutiny and rapid resolution. Some researchers might interpret the recent development of multiple measures of affect and the flurry of psychometric investigations in the area of exercise psychology as a sign of progress. In the present series of papers, we attempt a critical dissection of this trend,

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  • Cited by (0)

    This is the first part of a 4-part series (see Editorial) on the measurement of affect in exercise psychology.

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