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Hudson, J, Gowing, R, Day, M, Oliver, EJ, Thomas, LB and Legrand, FD (2024) Modifying physical selves with reversal-theory framed expressive writing. Journal of Motivation, Emotion, and Personality: Reversal Theory Studies, 13. pp. 1-8. ISSN 2331-2343
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Abstract
The aim of this study was to explore the use of reversal-theory framed expressive writing to modify middle-aged adults’ and older adults’ physical self-perceptions. Fifteen participants aged 57-89 years (mean = 72.5 ± 11.3 years) completed either six sessions of standard expressive writing (n = 7), or six sessions of reversal-theory framed expressive writing (n = 8), both focused on their physical self and health. Prior to and following this, all participants identified their hoped-for and feared future selves and after the writing sessions, were interviewed about the experience and its effects. Composite vignettes used to illustrate these experiences highlighted that both groups found the experience challenging and to varying degrees beneficial for raising awareness of their physical self. However, the use of different metamotivational states in the reversal-theory framed expressive writing group encouraged participants to look at themselves in hoped-for ways, generating new perspectives on aspects of their physical selves. Feared and hoped for selves did not change over the course of the writing but were characterized by an unexpected metamotivational richness. Participants’ experiences of the reversal-theory framed expressive writing suggested that this is a feasible intervention for use with this population sub-group. Its potential to help modify physical self-perceptions and behaviors could be investigated further. This method also has potential for exploring lay theories of metamotivational states to unearth the mental ethologies of everyday metamotivational experiences (cf. Apter, 2013) and their implications for the individual’s view of themselves and their behaviors.
| Item Type: | Article |
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| Subjects: | R Medicine > RC Internal medicine > RC1200 Sports Medicine |
| Divisions: | Sport & Exercise Sciences |
| Publisher: | Reversal Theory Society |
| Related URLs: | |
| SWORD Depositor: | A Symplectic |
| Date Deposited: | 03 Sep 2024 13:48 |
| Last Modified: | 03 Sep 2024 13:48 |
| DOI or ID number: | 10.12689/jmep.2024.1301 |
| URI: | https://researchonline.ljmu.ac.uk/id/eprint/24063 |
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