Body Imagery: How Exercise Motivation Type Affects Self and Social Perceptions

Author

Alexander GranatFollow

College

Buchtel College of Arts and Sciences

Date of Last Revision

2025-05-08 11:40:57

Major

Psychology

Honors Course

PSYC 498 - Honors Research in Psychology

Number of Credits

4

Degree Name

Bachelor of Arts

Date of Expected Graduation

Spring 2025

Abstract

The current research revolves around individuals’ motivations for engaging in regular exercise and how this motivation may be associated with self-esteem, social confidence, social anxiety, and social media behavior. Recent literature on exercise and its relation to anxiety and social media usage has almost exclusively addressed a one-way direction: how social media, especially problematic social media use, and the anxiety derived thereof influence individuals to increase exercise frequency. The present research seeks to understand the potential relationship within the opposite direction, looking to discover confluence between one’s drive to exercise (i.e., for functional reasons or social desirability and aesthetics), derived depressive or anxiety-related symptoms experienced while interacting with social media, self-esteem, and confidence in social settings. Results of this research may gauge how the foundational component of motivation type can permeate throughout our perceptions of self and assumptions of how others perceive us in the domains of peer social settings and social media.

Research Sponsor

Dr. Jennifer Tehan Stanley

First Reader

Nikolina Kravljaca

Second Reader

Julia Brooks

Honors Faculty Advisor

Dr. Kevin P Kaut

Proprietary and/or Confidential Information

No

Recommended Citation

Granat, Alexander, "Body Imagery: How Exercise Motivation Type Affects Self and Social Perceptions" (2025). Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects. 2023.
https://ideaexchange.uakron.edu/honors_research_projects/2023