Exercise Psychology

There is no doubt that active lifestyles are crucial for the maintenance of health and a disability free life at all ages and for almost all population groups, including healthy individuals, participants in health promotion and prevention programs, and clients of rehabilitation programs. Research findings showing that physical activity is not only beneficial for physical and functional health, but also for cognitive performance and psychological well-being have long found their way into popular media. Even newer research identifying sedentary behavior as a health risk factor independent of a lack of physical activity is present in the media with headline such as, “Sitting is the new smoking.” Still, a large share of the population continues to lead very inactive lives. In this course, we will discuss to what extent existing intervention approaches are suitable for promoting active lifestyles. We will start by comparing and contrasting physical activity and sedentary behavior and discuss to what extent intervention approaches addressing these target behaviors should be similar or different. Students will get to know classic psychological theories of behavior change and examine to what extent existing interventions are based on these models. Additionally, students will get to know psychological theories that may be useful for explaining intervention needs of specific target groups, such as children, older adults, and individuals from different cultures – all three of which seem to be at particular risk for inactive lifestyles. We will analyze how these theories may allow us to modify existing interventions or design new ones for these specific target groups. Students will also get to know social psychological principles that are the basis for leading and managing groups and individuals successfully. Throughout the course, we will discuss how technology may aid in the delivery and implementation of an intervention. Students will have the opportunity to practice evaluating existing interventions and developing new ones and to practice presenting their proposals to scientific and non-scientific audiences.