Objectives: The purpose of the current study was to examine how affective responses during physical activity (PA) captured in real-time and real-world settings via Ecological Momentary Assessment (EMA) predicted same day and next day physical activity.
Methods and measures: During a 10-day study, physically active participants wore an accelerometer which captured PA and triggered EMA prompts during PA to capture affect (e.g. positive, negative). Additional EMA prompts captured affect during non-PA.
Results: Emerging adults (n = 80; Mage = 22.8; MBMI = 25.3; 56% White, 79% Female) completed the study. On days when emerging adults experienced an increase in their average feelings of energy during PA compared to non-PA occasions, they tended to engage in more PA the same day. On days when emerging adults experienced an increase in their average feelings of fatigue during PA compared to non-PA occasions, they tended to engage in less PA the next day. Positive and negative affect during PA, compared to non-PA, was not associated with same or next day PA.
Conclusions: There is inconsistent evidence that affective responses during PA can predict same day and next day PA. Future work should examine the affect-physical activity link among those who are insufficiently active and across person-specific micro-timescales.
Keywords: Physical activity; affect; ambulatory assessment; naturalistic setting.