Women’s Psychological Responses To An Appearance Vs. Function Focused Hiit Group Exercise Class

Abstract

There are numerous benefits associated with physical activity for young women and yet according to objectification theory, the potentially objectifying nature of exercise environments may be related to negative psychological outcomes. The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of an appearance focused high intensity interval training (HIIT) group exercise session on women’s psychological response to exercise. Specifically, participants (n=69) were randomly assigned to an appearance focused or function focused high intensity interval training (HIIT) group exercise class. There was no effect of group assignment on body image, social physique anxiety, affect, or enjoyment. There was an effect of condition on state self-objectification but in the opposite direction as hypothesized. Exercising for appearance-based reasons was related to pre-class body image. Additionally, pre-class affect was related to pre-class body image. It is possible that the environment of the appearance-focused class was not self-objectifying or unpleasant enough to cause differences between groups on body image, social physique anxiety, affect or enjoyment. Young women with appearance-related reasons for exercise may be at an increased risk for self-objectification given high levels of appearance reasons for exercise were related to poor body image. Further research is needed to examine how group exercise environments can be self-objectifying and the impact that has on young women’s psychology.