Abstract

The current study examined Truly Accomplished (TA), an intervention designed to help individuals develop personalized systems to measure and improve behavior by utilizing well-established principles and research on motivation, participation and feedback. This study focused on participation during Success Map development (an integral step in the TA process) and the impact of using experts to develop Success Maps in the TA system. Using the context of fitness, 40 female participants were randomly assigned to either complete the regular TA process, developing their own Success Maps, or the modified TA process, using expert-developed Success Maps. A repeated-measures design with one between-subjects independent variable was used to measure overall effectiveness scores, changes in fitness performance (plank, wall-sit, push-ups, curl-ups) and body composition (BMI, percent body fat), attitudes of system development, satisfaction with TA and satisfaction with life. Additionally, the similarities between expert and self-developed Success Maps were compared. Across all participants, large gains in effectiveness were found, including significant increases in all measurers of fitness performance; however, attitudes were poorer when Success Maps were developed by experts. Moreover, there were differences between expert and self-developed Success Maps. Results support TA as an effective intervention for positive behavior change. The practical and theoretical implications of the differences found between conditions are discussed.

Notes

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Thesis Completion

2013

Semester

Summer

Advisor

Fritzsche, Barbara

Degree

Bachelor of Science (B.S.)

College

College of Sciences

Degree Program

Psychology

Subjects

Dissertations, Academic -- Sciences; Sciences -- Dissertations, Academic

Format

PDF

Identifier

CFH0004485

Language

English

Access Status

Open Access

Length of Campus-only Access

None

Document Type

Honors in the Major Thesis

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Included in

Psychology Commons

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