As predicted, self-affirmation was associated with significantly higher self-efficacy, and there were trends for greater message acceptance and less derogation compared with the control condition.
Many of us turned out to be more resilient than predicted — thanks, in part, to the affirmation offered by our alternative rock icons and third-wave feminist ideals.
There was evidence of the predicted moderating role of physical activity on self-affirmation effects for message acceptance, message derogation, response-efficacy, and self-efficacy, but not for perceived risk of heart disease, behavioural expectations, or self-reported physical activity.
As predicted, the extent to which participants fell short of recommendations moderated the effect of self-affirmation on responses to message and behaviour-specific cognitions.
Given the predicted benefits of the task, we randomly assigned ∼60% of students in each course to the values-affirmation treatment group and ∼40% to the control group (Table 1).
About 10 years ago, it began to be apparent that the affirmation of multiculturalism that was noticeable in Britain from the 1970s through the 1990s had failed to evolve in the way one would have predicted.
Considering the evolution of screening approaches, from Sydney Brenner's affirmation "just toothpicks and logic" to higher-level technologies (which have become available at low cost), increases in the rates of discovery of new bio-engineered molecules can be predicted.
In line with findings for other measures, self-affirmation was associated with lower self-efficacy for highly active participants (60 min or more of MVPA on at least 5.4 days; p ≤.10) but, as predicted, higher self-efficacy for those who were less active (1.1 days a week or less; p ≤.05).
Now that brain science has helped explain the natural power and social benefits of spiritual imagery, affirmation and gestures, I predict we will see the next wave of interest in meditation turn to the "divine science" of Tibetan Buddhism.
We predict that the extent to which physical activity falls short of recommended levels will moderate the effect of self-affirmation on message derogation and acceptance, perceived risk, response- and self-efficacy, behavioural expectations, and self-reported physical activity.
