title: Does imposing a goal always improve exercise intentions in avatar-based exergames? The moderating role of interdependent self-construal on exercise intentions and self-presence.
abstract: What are important factors to consider when designing health messages to improve people's physical activity using avatar-based exergames? Does the effectiveness of health messages embedded in exergames depend on players' self-construal? Drawing on regulatory focus theory and the literature on self-construals, this study examined the effects of imposing a prevention goal ("Exercise to avoid aging") and the moderating role of game players' interdependent self-construal on their exercise intentions and feelings of self-presence. Results indicated that regulatory fit between game player's self-construal and the nature of the goal (i.e., fit between interdependent self-construals and the imposed goal with a prevention regulatory focus) increases exercise intentions and self-presence. Theoretical contributions to exergame literature and practical implications for designing health games are discussed.
authors.affiliation: Department of Communication, Boston College, Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts 02467, USA. seunga.jin.1@bc.edu
authors.forename: Seung-A Annie
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Jin
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D001364:Awareness; D003198:Computer Simulation; D015444:Exercise / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D006040:Goals; D006266:Health Education / Q000379:methods; D006801:Humans; D033182:Intention; D008297:Male; D009042:Motivation; D010809:Physical Fitness / Q000523:psychology*; D020377:Self Efficacy; D012938:Social Perception; D014584:User-Computer Interface; D018910:Video Games / Q000523:psychology*