Allen CL, Montes E, Hoang T, Romo T, Peña J, Navarro J. Can Stereotype Threat and Lift Visual Messages Affect Subsequent Physical Activity? Evidence from a Controlled Experiment Using Accelerometers.
HEALTH COMMUNICATION 2023:1-12. [PMID:
37941378 DOI:
10.1080/10410236.2023.2277573]
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Abstract
This study investigated how visual messages conveying stereotype threat or lift influenced physical activity performance. Participants (N = 380) were exposed to a stereotype threat, lift, or control condition image and then engaged in a running task. Accelerometers recorded forward-backward movement, upward-downward movement, and sideways balance. Stereotype threat exposure increased state anxiety relative to the control condition. In addition, forward-backward movement was linked to state anxiety and participants' sex. Moreover, women exposed to stereotype threat who experienced increased state anxiety showed reduced forward-backward movement. Men exposed to stereotype lift displayed higher forward-backward movement. Additionally, stereotype threat visual message exposure increased sideways balance activity for women but not for men. Upward-downward movement was unaffected by stereotype threat or lift. We discuss theoretical and practical implications of how exposure to visual stereotypes can influence physical activity performance.
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