The Role of Self-as-Doer Identity in Physical Activity: Increasing Behaviors by Increasing Self-Efficacy for Overcoming Barriers to Physical Activity

https://openriver.winona.edu/urc2018/1054/thumbnail.jp

Predicting Physical Activity: The Role of Social Support and Self-as-Doer Identity

The self-as-doer identity is a motivational identity that describes oneself as the doer of a behavior, such as physical activity. Social support, including emotional, instrumental, and financial assistance from friends, family, and significant others, can also influence health habits like physical activity. However, there is limited research on the relationship between social support, self-as-doer identity, and their effects on physical activity. Therefore, we hypothesized that there will be a positive relationship between social support for exercise and physical activity rates, specifically that support from significant others will be associated with greater physical activity rates. We also hypothesized that a self-as-doer identity will predict physical activity over and above social support for exercise. Participants (N=126, Mage=20.40, SD=2.86) completed a survey with questions assessing the self-as-doer identity for physical activity, and the role of family, friend, and significant other social support for physical activity. Correlation coefficients and hierarchal linear regression analyses were computed.  Physical activity was not correlated with family involvement support (r= .04, p=.65) or family reward support (r= .12, p=.17), but was positively correlated with friend support (r=.18, p = .04) and significant other support (r=.25, p = .05).  In addition, the self-as-doer identity was positively correlated with physical activity (r= .30, p=.02). In hierarchical analyses, all types of social support accounted for 17.1% of the variance in physical activity (R2=.17, F(4,23)=1.19, p=.34), but this was not significant. The self-as-doer identity predicted an 61 increase of 30.6%, (ΔR2=.306, F(1,22)=12.88, p=.002) of the variance in physical activity above and beyond all types of social support.    Significant other support and friend support are associated with physical activity. The lack of family support may be because college students are living away from home and have less frequent interactions with family. That the self-as-doer predicted physical activity above and beyond social support suggests that individual, motivational factors account for more variance in physical activity behaviors than does the support of others. This research grants insight into the psychology of motivation, specifically how factors such as identity and social support affect exercise habits. That is, seeing oneself as the doer of one’s physical activity behaviors is likely to promote more engagement in physical activity. Furthermore, the significant correlations between significant other and friend support and physical activity would suggest that having a significant other or associating with a group of friends that are physically active is associated with increased levels of physical activity. Future researchers could focus on the self-as-doer identity in an experimental setting and how it impacts individuals\u27 decision to exercise as well as exploring social support in different age groups as the role of family and friends may change depending on age.https://openriver.winona.edu/urc2019/1013/thumbnail.jp

3D Bioprinting: from Benches to Translational Applications

Over the last decades, the fabrication of 3D tissues has become commonplace in tissue engineering and regenerative medicine. However, conventional 3D biofabrication techniques such as scaffolding, microengineering, and fiber and cell sheet engineering are limited in their capacity to fabricate complex tissue constructs with the required precision and controllability that is needed to replicate biologically relevant tissues. To this end, 3D bioprinting offers great versatility to fabricate biomimetic, volumetric tissues that are structurally and functionally relevant. It enables precise control of the composition, spatial distribution, and architecture of resulting constructs facilitating the recapitulation of the delicate shapes and structures of targeted organs and tissues. This Review systematically covers the history of bioprinting and the most recent advances in instrumentation and methods. It then focuses on the requirements for bioinks and cells to achieve optimal fabrication of biomimetic constructs. Next, emerging evolutions and future directions of bioprinting are discussed, such as freeform, high-resolution, multimaterial, and 4D bioprinting. Finally, the translational potential of bioprinting and bioprinted tissues of various categories are presented and the Review is concluded by exemplifying commercially available bioprinting platforms