The use of virtual self models to promote self-efficacy and physical activity performance
Abstract/Contents
- Abstract
- Five pretests and two experiments were conducted in a fully immersive virtual environment to test the utility of virtual representations of the self (VRSs), i.e., photorealistic virtual humans made to resemble the self, in promoting health behaviors. Using social cognitive theory as a framework, these studies manipulated identification with and vicarious reinforcement of virtual selves and virtual others to encourage exercise behavioral modeling and promote self-efficacy. The pretests indicated that virtual selves were more effective than virtual others in promoting behavioral modeling both at the time of the experiment and 24 hours following. The pretests also indicated that vicarious reinforcement of the VRS led to greater behavioral modeling than reinforcement of a virtual other. Study 1 revealed that virtual representations of the self are more effective than similar or dissimilar representations in promoting exercise behaviors; however, self-efficacy did not vary among groups. Study 2 compared virtual environments to the process of mental practice (i.e., visualization or mental imagery) in promoting exercise performance among low and high self-efficacy participants. Participants across conditions demonstrated greater performance over time. Finally, the dissertation considers future directions for research conducted with virtual representations of the self as both avatars and agents in health contexts.
Description
| Type of resource | text |
|---|---|
| Form | electronic; electronic resource; remote |
| Extent | 1 online resource. |
| Publication date | 2010 |
| Issuance | monographic |
| Language | English |
Creators/Contributors
| Associated with | Fox, Jesse Alison |
|---|---|
| Associated with | Stanford University, Department of Communication. |
| Primary advisor | Bailenson, Jeremy |
| Thesis advisor | Bailenson, Jeremy |
| Thesis advisor | Koltun, Vladlen, 1980- |
| Thesis advisor | Reeves, Byron, 1949- |
| Thesis advisor | Turner, Fred |
| Advisor | Koltun, Vladlen, 1980- |
| Advisor | Reeves, Byron, 1949- |
| Advisor | Turner, Fred |
Subjects
| Genre | Theses |
|---|
Bibliographic information
| Statement of responsibility | Jesse Alison Fox. |
|---|---|
| Note | Submitted to the Department of Communication. |
| Thesis | Ph. D. Stanford University 2010 |
| Location | electronic resource |
Access conditions
- Copyright
- © 2010 by Jesse Alison Fox
- License
- This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution Non Commercial 3.0 Unported license (CC BY-NC).
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