Research suggests that people who engage in personality-appropriate activities will stick with the activities longer, enjoy their workout more and ultimately have a greater overall fitness experience. In fact, who you are determines how you stay fit, suggests a University of Florida study that links personality as one factor in an individual’s willingness to stick to an exercise routine.
According to researcher Amy Hagan, those who advocate regular exercise need to tailor their programs to suit the personality types of buff wannabes. “If people’s personalities can predict what conditions are most favourable for them to exercise, then an exercise program can be tailored to fit their personal needs, making it more likely they will stick with a routine,” she adds. The study divided people into different groups of personalities. Personality type was determined by whether or not someone scored high on a particular scale representing each of the five personality domains:
Extrovert: If you are an extrovert, you may have more success exercising in a gym than in the privacy of your home, because you prefer the excitement and companionship of large groups in a gym, and those of you who crave new experiences could be better off with physical activity outdoors.
Neurotic: Neuroticism gauges emotional stability and refers to the tendency to feel fear, embarrassment, sadness and guilt. If you find yourself in this group you are least likely to exercise, but you would benefit the most from the activity because it would help reduce your anxiety and stress. Cardiovascular exercise indoors, a home treadmill rather than a gym membership, and low-intensity workouts work the best for you.
Open: Openness refers to one’s receptiveness to new experiences. You do the best while exercising in step to music, perhaps because it broadens the experience. Your preference for variety makes regularly scheduled exercise less appealing, and you would rather exercise outdoors than inside.
Agreeable: You want to exercise regularly. You also prefer morning workouts, perhaps because being compliant you like to know it has been completed.
Conscientious: You have the tendency to be strong-willed and determined. You prefer scheduled workout sessions along with high-intensity exercise, and would rather lead yourself in cardiovascular exercise than have a fitness instructor do it. You are very self-disciplined who strive to achieve something. You want to take charge of your own exercise routine to make sure it will get done.
“Understanding personality is important for predicting people’s exercise habits,” said Danielle Symons Downs, director of the exercise psychology laboratory at Pennsylvania State University. “By identifying certain core attributes that are associated with physical activity, such as extraversion and motivation, researchers and practitioners are better equipped to design effective intervention programs promoting exercise for different groups of people.”
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