Resumen de Exploring physical activity intention as a response to the Vancouver Olympics: an applicatin and extension of the theory of planned behavior
The theory of planned behavior (TPB) was used to understand motivational factors behind individuals' intention to become more active in response to the Vancouver 2010 Olympics. Gender, geographic proximity to the event, past behavior, and descriptive norm were explored as extensions of the TPB model. Just over 400 (n=405) students attending undergraduate classes in two universities at opposite ends of Canada completed a questionnaire prior to the start of the Games. Results from the hierarchical multiple linear regression analysis revealed that 50.7% of the variance in respondents' intention scores was explained by the variables in the proposed extended TPB model. Specifically, attitude toward the behavior, past behavior, and descriptive norms (i.e., people's perceptions about the degree to which other people were going to become more active as a result of the Olympic Winter Games) emerged as significant predictors of intention to become more active in response to the event. Implications for the design of interventions aimed at enhancing participation legacies of Olympic Games are discussed.
