The theory of planned behavior (TPB) has been criticized for not incorporating emotions in its theoretical framework and for not explaining the origin of attitudes. This dissertation sought to address the sufficiency of the theory by analyzing the effects of guilt on individuals' intentions to participate in physical activity and the effects of media exposure on their attitudes toward physical activity. This study employed a two-wave panel design and used both a convenience sample and a random sample based on the undergraduate students drawn from a university in the southeastern United States. A two-step structural equation modeling procedure was utilized to analyze the data. Two path models were proposed and compared. The initial model included the TPB variables, self-efficacy, and past behavior, and the final model included guilt variables in addition to those included in the initial model. The study confirmed that the TPB was a good theory in predicting individuals' intentions to participate in physical activity and their physical activity behaviors, but the inclusion of guilt further augmented the sufficiency of the theory. More specifically, this study found that individuals' anticipated guilt predicted their intentions to participate in physical activity and that past guilt was not a significant predictor of their intentions. Multiple regression analysis revealed that individuals' attitudes toward physical activity were predicted by their exposure to health, entertainment, and fashion magazines, and were not predicted by their sports magazine reading or their exposure to slim or muscular body images in television programs. Results from the two samples revealed generally consistent patterns. Both theoretical and practical implications are discussed, and future research directions are provided. / A Dissertation Submitted to the Department of Communication in Partial Fulfillment
of the Requirements for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy. / Summer Semester, 2006. / June 15, 2006. / Persuasion, Health Behavior, Theory of Planned Behavior, Media Exposure, Guilt / Includes bibliographical references. / Gary R. Heald, Professor Directing Dissertation; Akihito Kamata, Outside Committee Member; Barry S. Sapolsky, Committee Member; Laura M. Arpan, Committee Member; Vicki B. Eveland, Committee Member.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:fsu.edu/oai:fsu.digital.flvc.org:fsu_175804 |
| Contributors | Wang, Xiao (authoraut), Heald, Gary R. (professor directing dissertation), Kamata, Akihito (outside committee member), Sapolsky, Barry S. (committee member), Arpan, Laura M. (committee member), Eveland, Vicki B. (committee member), School of Communication (degree granting department), Florida State University (degree granting institution) |
| Publisher | Florida State University, Florida State University |
| Source Sets | Florida State University |
| Language | English, English |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Text, text |
| Format | 1 online resource, computer, application/pdf |
| Rights | This Item is protected by copyright and/or related rights. You are free to use this Item in any way that is permitted by the copyright and related rights legislation that applies to your use. For other uses you need to obtain permission from the rights-holder(s). The copyright in theses and dissertations completed at Florida State University is held by the students who author them. |
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