(How) Does Affect Influence the Formation of Habits in Exercise?

Abstract in brief

• The study explored how the frequency of exercise and positive feelings after exercise influence the development of habits related to exercising, finding that positive feelings (affect) are linked with stronger automaticity (habit strength) but simply attending classes more often does not directly increase habitual behavior.
• Participants’ mood during or after exercise, rather than how often they attend, played a significant role in strengthening exercise habits, suggesting that feeling good post-exercise may help in making exercise more automatic over time.
• The research did not find that positive feelings directly moderated or changed the relationship between how often participants attended and habit development, indicating that consistent positive emotions associated with exercise may be helpful but do not necessarily change how frequency influences habit formation.