TY - JOUR
T1 - Group structure and entitativity in group fitness
T2 - considering groupness at within- and between-group levels
AU - Evans, M. Blair
AU - Graupensperger, Scott
AU - Benson, Alex J.
AU - Eys, Mark
AU - Hastings, Bryce
AU - Gottschall, Jinger S.
N1 - Funding Information:
Partial funding to complete this proved was funded through a research contract funded by Les Mills International [0402327 UP46NF0].
Publisher Copyright:
© 2019, © 2019 Informa UK Limited, trading as Taylor & Francis Group.
PY - 2019/6/3
Y1 - 2019/6/3
N2 - Objective: How can we distinguish between a collection of individuals exercising alongside one another from group that is exercising ‘together’? This question is central to research on the extent that individuals perceive their fitness settings to entail core features of groups. To advance understanding of the nature of groupness and its implications in exercise, the current study (a) evaluated a brief measure of groupness and (b) examined the extent that groupness predicted perceptions of exertion and affect. Design: Participants included 633 exercisers (M age = 33.92, SD = 11.05, 74% female) who completed surveys after group fitness classes (k = 34). Main outcome measures: Groupness, affect, exertion, and group cohesion. Results: Exploratory structural equation modelling provided support for a two-factor solution reflecting entitativity and group structure as subdimensions of groupness. The groupness factors were differentially associated with theoretically relevant aspects of classes (e.g. synchronised movement), the individual (e.g. number of members interacted with), as well as group cohesion. Groupness also predicted perceived exertion and affect. Conclusion: Our research provides support for a brief measure of groupness, advances theory related to how individuals perceive exercise groups, and provides evidence regarding how broader experiences during exercise may relate to exercisers’ perceptions of groupness.
AB - Objective: How can we distinguish between a collection of individuals exercising alongside one another from group that is exercising ‘together’? This question is central to research on the extent that individuals perceive their fitness settings to entail core features of groups. To advance understanding of the nature of groupness and its implications in exercise, the current study (a) evaluated a brief measure of groupness and (b) examined the extent that groupness predicted perceptions of exertion and affect. Design: Participants included 633 exercisers (M age = 33.92, SD = 11.05, 74% female) who completed surveys after group fitness classes (k = 34). Main outcome measures: Groupness, affect, exertion, and group cohesion. Results: Exploratory structural equation modelling provided support for a two-factor solution reflecting entitativity and group structure as subdimensions of groupness. The groupness factors were differentially associated with theoretically relevant aspects of classes (e.g. synchronised movement), the individual (e.g. number of members interacted with), as well as group cohesion. Groupness also predicted perceived exertion and affect. Conclusion: Our research provides support for a brief measure of groupness, advances theory related to how individuals perceive exercise groups, and provides evidence regarding how broader experiences during exercise may relate to exercisers’ perceptions of groupness.
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U2 - 10.1080/08870446.2019.1566548
DO - 10.1080/08870446.2019.1566548
M3 - Article
C2 - 30693798
AN - SCOPUS:85060792606
SN - 0887-0446
VL - 34
SP - 715
EP - 732
JO - Psychology and Health
JF - Psychology and Health
IS - 6
ER -
