Contrasting Implicit Associations for Exercise and Dance in Older Adults: Protocol for a Cross-Sectional Study
Devyn Battaglia, Jason Fanning PhD
ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: Regular physical activity is a key contributor to health and quality of life in older adults. However, few methods have been successful in engaging the inactive population. Dance has been associated with high levels of enjoyment and increased intrinsic motivation, yet many choose not to participate. Implicit associations result from a series of conscious and unconscious processes that influence behavior and choices. The purpose of this study is to investigate conscious and unconscious biases towards dance using implicit association testing and further investigate how to expand the use of dance as a mode of physical activity.
METHODS: Participants will be community-dwelling older adults aged 65 and older. There will be a targeted recruitment of approximately half who are actively engaging in some form of dance. These participants will be recruited through flyers, emails, and in-person information sessions. Participants will complete an entry survey to collect demographic information. Participants will engage in computerized implicit association testing contrasting walking verses social dance, walking verses performance dance, resistance training verses social dance, and resistance training verses performance dance. Following these tests, participants will complete questionnaires related to current participation in physical activity, exercise, and dance.
RESULTS: Results are expected by Spring, 2025.
CONCLUSION: The results of this study will help to more successfully promote dance to the general population as a mode of physical activity. This information will also allow us to find engaging ways to implement dance into more research studies and understand the main reasons people tend to avoid it.
