title: Testing social cognitive mechanisms of exercise in college students.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine if different dimensions of outcome expectations are mediators between self-efficacy and exercise among college students.
  
  
  METHODS
  Students (n = 290) reported exercise levels, self-efficacy, and expectations using a Web-based questionnaire. Factor analysis was performed to identify dimensions of expectations; regression analyses tested whether each factor mediated the relationship between self-efficacy and exercise.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Physical, mental, social, and self-evaluative expectations emerged from the factor analysis, but none was associated with exercise independent of self-efficacy. Self-efficacy, however, was significantly associated with exercise independent of expectations (P < 0.01).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  College students' activity expectations are multidimensional, but do not mediate the relationship between self-efficacy and exercise.
authors.affiliation: Department of Epidemiology, University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill, NC 27599-7435, USA. dtaber@email.unc.edu
authors.forename: Daniel R
authors.initials: DR
authors.lastname: Taber
authors.forename: Hendrika
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Meischke
authors.forename: Matthew L
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Maciejewski
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D001290:Attitude; D003071:Cognition; D015444:Exercise / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D020377:Self Efficacy; D012931:Social Environment; D013334:Students / Q000523:psychology*; D014495:Universities; D055815:Young Adult