Why Do You Exercise? Motives and Satisfaction in Women

Taylor Scofield

Previous research studying the influence of intrinsic and extrinsic motivation for exercise found that those who display more intrinsic type motivation for physical activity tend to have a higher sense of well-being and esteem. To further understand how motivation type affects women's life satisfaction (intrinsic motivation: having to do with desire to be healthy/ for enjoyment; and extrinsic motivation: having to do with appearance concerns/ to impress others), this study focused on body image and depression levels in a sample of women. Surveys utilized included versions of the Satisfaction with Life Scale, the Body Esteem Scale, the Beck Depression Inventory, and the Exercise Motivation Inventory-2.