The Effects of Training Type and Affective Stimuli on Promoting Physical Activity: Based on the Approach-Avoidance Training Paradigm.

This study examined whether approach-avoidance training (AAT) could promote physical activity among insufficiently active individuals. Two experiments tested typical and consequence-based AAT using neutral physical activity and sedentary stimuli in Experiment 1 and physical activity images with positive and negative affective valence in Experiment 2. Across the two experiments, single-session AAT was associated with increased approach (vs. avoidance) tendencies and immediate postintervention physical activity. The overall pattern of findings suggested that consequence-based AAT may hold greater behavioral promise under affective stimulus conditions. These findings provide preliminary support for the role of automatic processes in physical activity promotion.