scholarly journals Exercising With a Six Pack in Virtual Reality: Examining the Proteus Effect of Avatar Body Shape and Sex on Self-Efficacy for Core-Muscle Exercise, Self-Concept of Body Shape, and Actual Physical Activity

2021 ◽  
Vol 12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jih-Hsuan Tammy Lin ◽  
Dai-Yun Wu ◽  
Ji-Wei Yang

This study investigates the Proteus effect from the first-person perspective and during avatar embodiment in actual exercise. In addition to the immediate measurements of the Proteus effect, prolonged effects such as next-day perception and exercise-related outcomes are also explored. We theorized the Proteus effect as altered perceived self-concept and explored the association between virtual reality (VR) avatar manipulation and self-concept in the exercise context. While existing studies have mainly investigated the Proteus effect in a non-VR environment or after VR embodiment, we aim to contribute to the literature by addressing this concern to explore how the Proteus effect works in actual VR exercise. Through a 2 (avatar body shape: with a six pack vs. normal) × 2 (sex: male vs. female) between-subject experiment, the results partially support the Proteus effect. Regarding actual physical activity, embodying an avatar with a six pack during exercise creates fewer body movements. No significant effect was found for perceived exertion. We also explored the role of sex as a potential moderator in the association of the Proteus effect on exercise outcomes. The Proteus effect was supported by immediate and next-day self-efficacy for core-muscle exercise only among female participants. The between-subject design allowed us to probe how avatar manipulation of muscular body shape with a six pack as opposed to normal body shape influences participants’ self-concept and exercise outcomes, as limited VR studies have employed within-subject comparisons. This also contributes to the literature by providing an upward comparison (e.g., muscular with a six pack vs. normal) as opposed to the previous downward comparison regarding body fitness (e.g., normal vs. obese). The overall results supported the Proteus effect in the context of core-muscle exercise when comparing normal and ideal body shape avatars. However, the Proteus effect as an altered self-concept and its effects on self-efficacy for exercise were supported among females but not males. Whereas the female participants who embodied avatars with a six pack associated themselves more with the muscular concept than other people, the male participants who embodied avatars with a six pack perceived themselves as more normal than others. Theoretical and practical implications are discussed.

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Antonio Varela

Abstract Background Chronic pain in all its forms and the accompanying level of disability is a healthcare crisis that reaches epidemic proportions and is considered a world level crisis. Chronic non-specific low back pain contributes a significant proportion of chronic pain. Specific psychosocial factors and their influence on reported disability in a chronic non-specific low back pain (CNLBP) population was researched. Methods Psychosocial factors examined include fear, catastrophizing, depression, and pain self-efficacy. This cross-sectional correlational study examined the mediating role between pain self-efficacy and the specific psychosocial factors with reported disability. The study included 90 participants with CNLBP between 20 and 60 years of age. Participants completed the Fear Avoidance Belief Questionnaire, The Pain Catastrophizing Scale, The Patient Health Questionnaire-9, The Pain Self-Efficacy Questionnaire, and The Lumbar Oswestry Disability Index to measure fear of physical activity, pain catastrophizing, depression, pain self-efficacy, and reported disability, respectively. The study used multivariate regression and mediation analyses. Results The principal finding of the study was a strong inverse relationship between pain self-efficacy and reported disability. Further, pain self-efficacy was considered a statistic mediator for all psychosocial factors investigated within this data set. Pain self-efficacy was strongly considered to have a mediating role between reported fear of physical activity and disability, reported pain catastrophizing and disability, and reported depression and disability. Additionally, adjusting for age and reported pain levels proved to be statistically significant, and it did not alter the role of pain self-efficacy. Conclusion The results identified that pain self-efficacy had a mediating role in the relationship between the specific psychosocial factors of fear, catastrophizing, and depression and reported disability. Pain self-efficacy plays a more significant role in the relationships between specific psychosocial factors and reported disability with CNLBP than previously considered.


2016 ◽  
Vol 30 (1) ◽  
pp. 45-63 ◽  
Author(s):  
Katharina Kriegbaum ◽  
Birgit Spinath

This study examined the role of motivation as a mediator of the relationship between parents’ socio–economic status (SES) and children's standardized test achievement in math. We employed a one–year longitudinal approach using Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) 2003 and a follow–up exam in 2004. The sample consisted of N = 6020 German students (mean age 15.5 years, SD = .55) who continued school after Grade 9 (PISA 2003) and were in Grade 10 at the time of PISA 2004. Children completed measures related to their parents’ SES, math–specific self–concept, task–specific and global self–efficacy, and interest, intelligence and mathematical competence. We found a small to moderate correlation between parents’ SES and children's achievement. All motivational constructs partially mediated the relationship between father's SES as well as a family index for SES (economic, social, and cultural status) and children's mathematical competence, but only math–specific self–concept and self–efficacy were significant mediators for mother's SES. Even when simultaneously considering the mediating effect of children's intelligence and prior achievement, the mediation effects of motivation remained significant. These results are important for our understanding of educational equality. Copyright © 2016 European Association of Personality Psychology


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