Health Behavior and Exercise Adherence

Behavioral compliance is a fundamental problem in exercise settings. Exercise psychology is concerned with psychosocial determinants of exercise behavior. First, theories and research related to the psychology of exercise are reviewed. Next, five major unanswered questions that revolve around the most commonly studied and least understood aspects of exercise behavior are explored. Specifically, antecedents, determinants, consequences, measurement, and interindividual differences related to exercise behavior are considered. The importance of effectively answering these questions is discussed considering that physical inactivity remains the greatest public health issue of the 21st century. Finally, from a scientist-practitioner standpoint, the potential of experimental methods, systematic reviews, case reports, expert opinions, and cohort studies for approaching the unknowns and advancing the field is evaluated.

The impact of sales controls on manufacturers’ agents’ tactical decisions: the importance of inter-organizational climate

Purpose Organizational climate is an essential dynamic to leverage in salesforce performance. This study aims to develop a model that explores the determinants of independent manufacturers’ representatives’ (i.e. IMRs’) intentions to comply with their principals’ requests for additional tasking. Using agency theory, the authors explore the application of behavior and outcome-based controls upon dyadic manufacturer-IMR relationships for these additional performance/task requests. Design/methodology/approach Data from over 1,000 US-based IMRs were used to test two constructs; inter-organizational climate and perceptions of mutual satisfaction within the agency-principal dyad. Compliance behaviors tested were IMRs’ intentions to engage in non-selling-related tasks and intentions to allocate additional selling time to principals’ products. The following four exogenous controls were tested: perceived goal congruence between IMRs and principals; IMRs’ perceptions of principals’ expertise; mutual communications between IMRs and principals in the supply chain dyad; resources and sales support programs provided by principals to IMRs; and IMRs’ perceptions of the adequacy and fairness of the principals’ compensation plans. Findings Two constructs – inter-organizational climate and perceptions of mutual satisfaction with the agency-principal dyad – mediated the effects of exogenous sales controls on two compliance behaviors. The model’s data were analyzed using Partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM). A marker variable was deployed to check for common method variance also supported using the Partial least squares (PLS) factor solution. Most variables demonstrated significant direct and mediated effects on each compliance behavior. Variables that emphasized behavioral-based controls dominated intentions for IMRs to engage in non-selling tasks. The principal commission structure, the only sales outcome-based control in the study, most influenced IMRs’ intentions to commit additional sales time to their principals’ products. Research limitations/implications This study only examined the intentions of IMRs to engage in additional selling activities and their intention to engage in non-selling tasks. Principals may desire longer-term commitments from IMRs. The model developed here can be modified to capture additional behavioral and attitudinal outcomes including, for example, the exit intentions of IMRs. Practical implications Principals are well-advised to foster a positive inter-organizational climate that fuels perceptions of mutually satisfying working relationships with their IMRs. These mutually satisfying working relationships can, by themselves, positively influence IMRs to acquiesce to reasonable requests made by principals. This advice appears to be particularly crucial when asking IMRs to engage in additional non-selling tasks. The total pattern of path estimates points to the conclusion that capable sales control plays an important role in fostering positive inter-organizational climates. The inter-organizational climate – mutual satisfaction link proved crucial as a mediator of the impact of sales controls on IMRs’ behavioral compliance intentions. Originality/value Knowing the impact of sales controls on IMR’s affords businesses the ability to use these controls for behavioral compliance intentions on non-selling tasks.

An Empirical Analysis of Demographic Characteristics, Acquired Knowledge, and Personal Beliefs as Indicators of Behavioral Compliance during the COVID-19 Pandemic: A National Cross-Sectional Study (Preprint)

BACKGROUND During the COVID-19 pandemic, it is of vital importance to identify factors that promote behavioral compliance of consumers to the recommendations of government agencies. OBJECTIVE This study analyzed demographic characteristics, acquired knowledge, and personal beliefs, in combination with anxiety and stress, as indicators of compliance in the general population to recommended behavioral changes during COVID-19. METHODS Data from a survey that was administered on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and WhatsApp was analyzed. Participation was voluntary and no compensation of any kind was provided. T tests and analysis of variance were used to compare average scores of the different demographic groups, with degrees of freedom adjusted if the equal variance assumption appeared to be violated. Logistic regression was used to determine the odds ratios for adoption of the various preventive behaviors. Data were analyzed using SPSS (version 27, IBM Corp). Structural equation modelling was performed using SmartPLS. The impact of personal characteristics – age, gender, education, race, and political affiliation, combined with acquired knowledge about COVID-19, personal beliefs during the crisis, and the resulting anxiety and stress were evaluated for their effect on the adoption of recommended behavioral changes during COVID-19. RESULTS 5,677 social media users participated in the online survey, however, only 4,998 completed the entire survey and were used in our analyses. Only respondents who were 18 years of age or older and U.S. residents were included in the final data set. Females had a higher average knowledge about COVID-19 (t=3.09, df=4960, p<0.01), but the genders were similar in their knowledge of protective factors (t=0.26, df=4960, p=0.79). Republicans had a lower average COVID-19 knowledge score (t=-3.93, df=4996, p<0.001) and a lower average knowledge of protective factors (t=-2.82, df=4996, p<0.01). Those with higher levels of education had higher mean COVID-19 knowledge scores (F=79.10, df=4,4993, p<0.001). Among the different age groups, younger respondents had higher levels of COVID-19 knowledge (F=11.46, df=2,4995, p<0.001), but the age groups were similar in their knowledge of protective factors (F=0.28, df=2,4995, p=0.645). About two-thirds of the sample (67%) disagreed or strongly disagreed that COVID-19 was an act of bioterrorism. About 82% agreed or strongly agreed that COVID-19 is more deadly than the seasonal flu. About 84% agreed or strongly agreed that the amount of media attention paid to COVID-19 was adequate, and most (80%) disagreed or strongly disagreed that COVID-19 is not as big a problem as the media suggests. Republicans on average had higher agreement that the virus was released as an act of bioterrorism (t=16.00, df=2030.3, p<0.001), that the virus is not as big a problem as the media suggests (t=20.61, df=1908.3, p<0.001), and that warm weather will reduce the spread of the virus (t=16.52, df=2286, p<0.001). Among the preventive behaviors that respondents reported adopting, the most frequent were keeping away from crowded places (N=4863, 96.5%), using hand sanitizer or washing hands more often (N=4826, 95.8%), starting to clean or disinfect things they might touch (N=4482, 89.0%) and avoiding public transportation (N=4393, 87.2%). CONCLUSIONS Individual beliefs in the severity of the pandemic, the level of stress/anxiety, and protective knowledge for COVID-19 were significant indicators in the adoption of protective behaviors while the level of COVID-19 knowledge was weakly and negatively associated with these indicators. Demographic factors including age, gender, political affiliation, education level, and race were also significant indicators of behavioral compliance. Study findings can provide valuable insights that can be used to further increase behavioral compliance among the population during COVID-19.

The Mediating Role of Job Competence between Safety Participation and Behavioral Compliance

The effective improvement of employee behavioral compliance and safety performance is an important subject related to the sustainable development of the construction industry. Based on data from a Chinese company (n = 290), this study used a partial least squares-structural equation model to clarify the relationship among safety participation, job competence, and behavioral compliance. Empirical analysis found that: (1) safety participation had a significant positive impact on employees’ behavioral compliance; and (2) job competence played a partial mediating role between safety participation and behavioral compliance. By selecting two new perspectives of safety participation and job competence, this study derived new factors affecting behavioral compliance, constructed a new theory about safety management, and conducted an in-depth discussion on improving behavioral compliance theoretically. Practically, the research put forward a new decision-making model, deconstructed the mechanism between safety participation and behavioral compliance, and provided new guiding strategies for improving employee behavioral compliance.

THE EMBODIMENT OF VOLUNTARY COMPLIANCE THROUGH UNDERSTANDING OF MSMEs TAX COMPLIANCE PERCEPTION

<p class="JurnalASSETSABSTRAK">ABSTRACT</p><p>This research aims to understand micro, small and medium-sized enterprises' (MSMEs) perception of tax compliance as an embodiment of voluntary compliance. This study uses a qualitative interpretive method. The results show the fulfillment of MSMEs taxation is affected by the application of fines/sanctions, tax audits, tax knowledge, tax education, trust in tax authorities, a fair tax system, social norms, and ease of tax administration. These factors internalize into a value in the self of MSMEs, which is reflected through behavioral compliance. The shaping of positive tax perception is capital to realize tax awareness. The study results contribute to the realization of MSMEs compliance, both tax authorities and MSMEs.</p><p class="JurnalASSETSABSTRAK"><em>ABSTRAK</em><em></em></p><p><em>Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk memahami persepsi wajib pajak usaha mikro kecil menengah (WP UMKM) tentang kepatuhan pajak sebagai bentuk perwujudan kepatuhan sukarela. Penelitian ini menggunakan metode interpretif kualitatif. Hasil penelitian menunjukkan bahwa pemenuhan kewajiban perpajakan WP UMKM dipengaruhi oleh penerapan denda/sanksi, pemeriksaan pajak, pengetahuan perpajakan, edukasi, kepercayaan terhadap otoritas pajak, sistem pajak yang adil, nilai sosial, dan kemudahan administrasi perpajakan. Faktor-faktor ini diinternalisasi menjadi sebuah nilai dalam diri WP UMKM yang kemudian tercermin melalui perilaku kepatuhannya. Pembentukan persepsi pajak yang positif merupakan modal untuk mewujudkan kesadaran pajak. Hasil penelitian berkontribusi terhadap perwujudan kepatuhan baik otoritas pajak maupun WP UMKM.</em></p>

Influential ethical aspects of Covid19 in multidimensions

The COVID19 pandemic poses an exceptional challenge for humanity. Because public behavior is key to curbing the pandemic at an early stage, it is important for social psychological researchers to use their knowledge to promote behaviors that help manage the crisis. Here, we identify human values as particularly important in driving both behavioral compliance to government guidelines and promoting prosocial behaviors to alleviate the strains arising from a prolonged pandemic. Existing evidence demonstrates the importance of human values, and the extent to which fellow citizens, for tackling the COVID19 crisis, share them. Individuals who attach higher importance to self‐transcendence (e.g., responsibility) and conservation (e.g., security) values are likely to be more compliant with COVID19 behavioral guidelines and to help others who are struggling with the crisis. Further, believing that fellow citizens share one's values has found to elicit a sense of connectedness that may be crucial in promoting collective efforts to contain the pandemic. The abstract nature of values, and cross-cultural agreement on their importance, suggests that they are ideally suited to developing and tailoring effective, global interventions to combat this pandemic