Predicting exercise motivation and exercise behavior: A moderated mediation model testing the interaction between perceived exercise variety and basic psychological needs satisfaction

Objectives
Perceived variety in exercise predicts exercise behavior through autonomous motivation. However, psychological need satisfaction (viz. for competence, autonomy, and relatedness) may moderate the relationship between perceived variety in exercise and exercise behavior (through autonomous motivation). The purpose of the present study was to examine whether the satisfaction of the basic psychological needs in exercise contexts moderates the mediating role of autonomous exercise motivation in the relationship between perceived variety in exercise and exercise behavior.
Design
Cross-sectional.
Method
Adults (N = 499) completed an online questionnaire to measure the study variables. Associations were examined using structural equation modeling.
Results
Psychological need satisfaction moderated the positive indirect relationship between perceived exercise variety and self-reported exercise behavior (via autonomous motivation) such that perceived variety was associated with exercise behavior when psychological need satisfaction scores were lower than average.
Conclusions
Based on these findings, perceived exercise variety may act as a compensatory source of motivation when psychological need satisfaction is low. In addition to attempting to foster need-supportive exercise contexts, it may be particularly important for exercise promotion specialists to foster the experience of variety among individuals who have lower psychological need satisfaction.