TY - JOUR
T1 - First impressions count
T2 - Perceptions of surface-level and deep-level similarity within postnatal exercise classes and implications for program adherence
AU - Beauchamp, Mark
AU - Dunlop, William L.
AU - Downey, Samantha M.
AU - Estabrooks, Paul A.
PY - 2012/1
Y1 - 2012/1
N2 - The purpose of this study was to examine the extent to which perceptions of surface-level (i.e. age, ethnicity, physical condition) and deep-level (i.e. attitudes, beliefs, values) similarity, as assessed shortly after group formation, predict participants' subsequent attendance behaviors within postnatal physical activity classes. Women (N = 136) enrolled in 21 postnatal exercise classes participated in this prospective observational study. Perceptions of surface-level similarity, in particular with regard to other group members' ages, predicted women's subsequent adherence to their respective exercise classes. The results of this study suggest that perceptual similarity may have noteworthy implications for mothers' involvement within postnatal physical activity classes.
AB - The purpose of this study was to examine the extent to which perceptions of surface-level (i.e. age, ethnicity, physical condition) and deep-level (i.e. attitudes, beliefs, values) similarity, as assessed shortly after group formation, predict participants' subsequent attendance behaviors within postnatal physical activity classes. Women (N = 136) enrolled in 21 postnatal exercise classes participated in this prospective observational study. Perceptions of surface-level similarity, in particular with regard to other group members' ages, predicted women's subsequent adherence to their respective exercise classes. The results of this study suggest that perceptual similarity may have noteworthy implications for mothers' involvement within postnatal physical activity classes.
KW - Groups
KW - Perceptual similarity
KW - Physical activity
KW - Postnatal
KW - Self-categorization theory
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=84856855296&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=84856855296&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1177/1359105311408156
DO - 10.1177/1359105311408156
M3 - Article
C2 - 21646291
AN - SCOPUS:84856855296
SN - 1359-1053
VL - 17
SP - 68
EP - 76
JO - Journal of Health Psychology
JF - Journal of Health Psychology
IS - 1
ER -