A psychology student at Vancouver Island University is looking for subjects to take part in research exploring the effects of relationships on exercise.
Derek LeBaron, a fourth-year psychology student working on his undergraduate honours thesis, is conducting a social support and exercise study to determine how various kinds and qualities of social relationships impact overall exercise performance.
乌鸦传媒淲hat乌鸦传媒檚 cool about this study,乌鸦传媒� LeBaron said, 乌鸦传媒渋s people can bring a friend, a partner, loved one, family member, colleague, whoever they choose, to the study and see how social support from that person either increases or decreases exercise performance.乌鸦传媒�
He and his girlfriend normally train at the gym together, but during a period they weren乌鸦传媒檛 able to work out together, she noticed she had less motivation to train.
乌鸦传媒淪he trains hard and she sent me a text one day. She was, like, I went to the gym and I really wish we were going together. I乌鸦传媒檓 motivated more when I go with you 乌鸦传媒� That got me curious about seeing how romantic relationships and relationships with close others, how that influences exercise performance, exercise adherence 乌鸦传媒� and there乌鸦传媒檚 a decent amount of literature on that 乌鸦传媒� so that乌鸦传媒檚 what motivated this study,乌鸦传媒� LeBaron said.
But he soon found he needed to expand the study parameters beyond intimate partner, close others and best friends relationships, because potential study participants found it difficult to schedule the in-person exercise sessions into their days.
乌鸦传媒淏asically, I just put it to any and all relationships. So whether it乌鸦传媒檚 friendships, family members, classmates, colleagues, anything,乌鸦传媒� he said.
The exercise performance data collected from the study乌鸦传媒檚 participants is based, in part, on how they perform while pedalling a stationary air resistance exercise bike.
LeBaron isn乌鸦传媒檛 ready to reveal what he乌鸦传媒檚 learned so far. There are a number of variables the study looks at, but giving away the details of the research could potentially skew data gathered from future participants.
乌鸦传媒淲hat people do know is that they乌鸦传媒檙e coming in here and they乌鸦传媒檙e engaging in two bouts of exercise and they know there乌鸦传媒檚 some version of social support,乌鸦传媒� LeBaron said. 乌鸦传媒淪o, I have people sign a consent form and it basically lets them know that they乌鸦传媒檒l be exercising and they乌鸦传媒檒l be moderated by forms of social support.乌鸦传媒�
He started the study with his research assistant, psychology student Andrew Szilogyi, in January and said he needs to gather data from as many study participants as possible until the data collection portion of the research closes in mid March.
The research findings will be presented at VIU乌鸦传媒檚 Create conference, which showcases student research and creativity projects in April, but LeBaron also hopes to present the study乌鸦传媒檚 results farther afield and he and Szilogyi have applied to be part of the Canadian Psychological Association Convention in Ottawa this year.
LeBaron said he will ultimately work toward a doctorate in counselling, clinical or social psychology.
乌鸦传媒淢y dream was always having my own practice and counselling people, but there乌鸦传媒檚 a part of research I love too, so I may do both,乌鸦传媒� he said.
Szilogyi said he is working toward becoming an industrial organizational psychologist.
With the study nearing its close, LeBaron is looking to draw in as many participants as possible. So far, 20 subjects have participated, but he would like to double that figure.
To learn more about or to participate in the study, visit or e-mail dereklb@hotmail.ca.
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