Neuroticism and extraversion moderate the relationship between physical activity enjoyment and habit

Abstract

The aim of this study was to examine whether certain personality traits moderate the relationship between physical activity enjoyment and habit. Seven hundred twenty-four participants (Mage = 31.29 years; 54.7% female) completed an online survey that included measures of physical activity enjoyment, physical activity habit, personality factors (neuroticism, extraversion, and consciousness), and emotional style dimensions (outlook and resilience). The data were analysed using Hayes’ PROCESS macro for SPSS (controlled for demographic variables and engagement duration for the selected physical activity behaviour) with habit as the dependent variable. Results indicate that physical activity enjoyment was positively related to habit. Neuroticism was negatively related to habit, while the other personality traits examined were positively related to habit. Moderation analyses revealed that the relationship between physical activity enjoyment and habit was stronger for individuals with higher levels of neuroticism and extraversion, however, the effects were very small. The other tested moderation effects were not significant. These findings suggest that increasing physical activity enjoyment may be crucial for reinforcing habit regardless of the personality traits analysed in this study. In nuances, physical activity enjoyment could be particularly important for less emotionally stable and more extraverted individuals as a reward that promotes habit.

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