Conceptions of well-being in psychology and exercise psychology research: a philosophical critique.
The potential of physical activity to improve our health has been the subject of extensive research [38]. The relationship between physical activity and well-being has prompted substantial interest from exercise psychologists in particular [3], and it seems, is generating increasing interest outside the academic community in healthcare policy and practice inter alia through GP referrals for exercise. Researchers in the field have benefited from a rich tradition within psychology that investigates subjective well-being and its antecedents [7]. We argue that the exercise and health psychology research suffers from this intellectual ancestry specifically in the form of two significant conceptual limitations. First, short-term pleasure and enjoyment which are associated with exercise induced well-being may mask activities that are doing us no good or even harm us [18]. Second, focusing on pleasure entails unacceptable methodological reductionism which undermines the validity of such research by excluding other ways in which our well-being may be enhanced in non-hedonistic terms.
Bloodworth
Andrew
A
School of Health Science, Centre for Philosophy, Humanities and Law in Healthcare, University of Wales Swansea, Singleton Park, Swansea SA2 8PP, UK.
McNamee
Mike
M
D000339:Affect; D035843:Biomedical Research; D015444:Exercise / Q000523:psychology*; D005081:Exercise Therapy; D006240:Happiness; D006801:Humans; D009043:Motor Activity; D010549:Personal Satisfaction; D010684:Philosophy