Interaction of Physical Activity and Personality in the Subjective Wellbeing of Older Adults in Hong Kong and the United Kingdom
Subjective wellbeing (SWB) has been widely accepted as one of the most important elements of successful ageing. The present study explores the impact of two well-established correlates of SWB: physical activity and personality. Physical activity and each of the Big Five personality traits are consis...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2018-08-01
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| Series: | Behavioral Sciences |
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| Online Access: | http://www.mdpi.com/2076-328X/8/8/71 |
| _version_ | 1811219131114979328 |
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| author | Bill Cheuk Long Chan Michelle Luciano Billy Lee |
| author_facet | Bill Cheuk Long Chan Michelle Luciano Billy Lee |
| author_sort | Bill Cheuk Long Chan |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Subjective wellbeing (SWB) has been widely accepted as one of the most important elements of successful ageing. The present study explores the impact of two well-established correlates of SWB: physical activity and personality. Physical activity and each of the Big Five personality traits are consistent predictors of SWB, but there has been little research on whether certain personality traits enhance or hinder the psychological benefits of physical activity in older adults. This study examines the interactions of leisure-time physical activity and personality traits on SWB, and whether such interactions vary between older adults in Hong Kong (HK) and older adults in the United Kingdom (UK). Altogether, 349 participants (178 HK, 171 UK; 157 males, 192 female) aged 50 years or above (mean age = 61.84 ± 8.46 years old) completed an online assessment of: (1) leisure-time physical activity (Godin–Shephard Leisure-Time Physical Activity Questionnaire); (2) personality traits (Big Five Inventory); and (3) SWB (Satisfaction with Life Scale, Positive and Negative Affect Schedule). Results showed that agreeableness, conscientiousness, extraversion, neuroticism, openness to experience, and physical activity were all significantly related to SWB in the expected direction. The relationship between physical activity and SWB was moderated by extraversion and by openness to experience: higher levels of these two traits significantly enhanced the relationship. None of the interactions varied between the HK and UK samples. The expected negative relationship between neuroticism and SWB, however, was significantly stronger in the UK sample than in the HK sample. The findings of the present study indicate that personality needs to be considered when promoting and providing physical activity for older adults, although more research is needed to further explore how this can work effectively. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-12T07:21:15Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-262fa87928344e43bc4a5a7b30d7c269 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2076-328X |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-12T07:21:15Z |
| publishDate | 2018-08-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Behavioral Sciences |
| spelling | doaj.art-262fa87928344e43bc4a5a7b30d7c2692022-12-22T03:42:18ZengMDPI AGBehavioral Sciences2076-328X2018-08-01887110.3390/bs8080071bs8080071Interaction of Physical Activity and Personality in the Subjective Wellbeing of Older Adults in Hong Kong and the United KingdomBill Cheuk Long Chan0Michelle Luciano1Billy Lee2Department of Psychology, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh EH8 9JZ, UKDepartment of Psychology, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh EH8 9JZ, UKDepartment of Psychology, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh EH8 9JZ, UKSubjective wellbeing (SWB) has been widely accepted as one of the most important elements of successful ageing. The present study explores the impact of two well-established correlates of SWB: physical activity and personality. Physical activity and each of the Big Five personality traits are consistent predictors of SWB, but there has been little research on whether certain personality traits enhance or hinder the psychological benefits of physical activity in older adults. This study examines the interactions of leisure-time physical activity and personality traits on SWB, and whether such interactions vary between older adults in Hong Kong (HK) and older adults in the United Kingdom (UK). Altogether, 349 participants (178 HK, 171 UK; 157 males, 192 female) aged 50 years or above (mean age = 61.84 ± 8.46 years old) completed an online assessment of: (1) leisure-time physical activity (Godin–Shephard Leisure-Time Physical Activity Questionnaire); (2) personality traits (Big Five Inventory); and (3) SWB (Satisfaction with Life Scale, Positive and Negative Affect Schedule). Results showed that agreeableness, conscientiousness, extraversion, neuroticism, openness to experience, and physical activity were all significantly related to SWB in the expected direction. The relationship between physical activity and SWB was moderated by extraversion and by openness to experience: higher levels of these two traits significantly enhanced the relationship. None of the interactions varied between the HK and UK samples. The expected negative relationship between neuroticism and SWB, however, was significantly stronger in the UK sample than in the HK sample. The findings of the present study indicate that personality needs to be considered when promoting and providing physical activity for older adults, although more research is needed to further explore how this can work effectively.http://www.mdpi.com/2076-328X/8/8/71older adultspersonalityphysical activitysubjective wellbeing |
| spellingShingle | Bill Cheuk Long Chan Michelle Luciano Billy Lee Interaction of Physical Activity and Personality in the Subjective Wellbeing of Older Adults in Hong Kong and the United Kingdom Behavioral Sciences older adults personality physical activity subjective wellbeing |
| title | Interaction of Physical Activity and Personality in the Subjective Wellbeing of Older Adults in Hong Kong and the United Kingdom |
| title_full | Interaction of Physical Activity and Personality in the Subjective Wellbeing of Older Adults in Hong Kong and the United Kingdom |
| title_fullStr | Interaction of Physical Activity and Personality in the Subjective Wellbeing of Older Adults in Hong Kong and the United Kingdom |
| title_full_unstemmed | Interaction of Physical Activity and Personality in the Subjective Wellbeing of Older Adults in Hong Kong and the United Kingdom |
| title_short | Interaction of Physical Activity and Personality in the Subjective Wellbeing of Older Adults in Hong Kong and the United Kingdom |
| title_sort | interaction of physical activity and personality in the subjective wellbeing of older adults in hong kong and the united kingdom |
| topic | older adults personality physical activity subjective wellbeing |
| url | http://www.mdpi.com/2076-328X/8/8/71 |
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