Physical Activity
Influences on Physical Activity
Lesson 4
1. Influences on physical activity.
Discuss the factors that affect physical activity
choices.
Skill Development
Both internal and external influences affect
choices about physical activity.
Internal influences include:
• Enjoyment—Likes and Dislikes: If you like or enjoy an activity, then
you will probably do it again. However, if you don’t enjoy an
activity you are less likely to participate in it.
• Satisfaction: If you obtain happiness, gratification, or pleasure
from participating in a sport or an exercise, then you will likely do it
again.
• Motivation: If you are motivated to reach a particular goal, such as
winning the state championship or running thirty minutes without
stopping, you will more likely continue that activity in order to
reach your goal.
• Fear: Fear might inhibit some people from doing something they
might want to do.
• Curiosity: Curiosity might spur some people on to try something
that they normally wouldn’t try.
External influences include:
• Family Activities: Family functions or activities may affect
physical activity choices. For example, if your family does a
lot of camping or hiking, you might enjoy that.
• Brother or Sister Participation: Some people may be
interested or uninterested in a sport or activity because
their brother or sister do it. They are then exposed to the
sport and may or may not like it.
• Peer Influences: Sometimes people get involved in a sport
or activity because their friends are involved in it.
• Media Influences: TV, radio, magazines, newspapers—all
of these are forms of media. Watching, listening, or
reading advertisements, infomercials, sports shows, etc.
may affect choices. For example, if your favorite sports star
is Michael Jordan, you might decide to play basketball. Or a
popular actor might advertise a particular exercise product
on TV and because of that you are curious about it.
Discussion Points
• Are there any activities you like because your
family exposed you to them?
• Have you ever been interested in a sport or
lost interest in a sport that your brother or
sister participated in?
• Have you ever tried a new physical activity
because your friends do it?
• What exercise equipment have you seen
advertised on TV?
2. Groups create skits.
Divide into four groups, each group is assigned a specific
influence:
• Group 1: Internal Influences
• Group 2: Family Influences
• Group 3: Peer Influences
• Group 4: Media Influences
Create a realistic skit reflecting how your assigned
influence might affect physical activity choices. Your
skit should be 2-3 minutes long. Be creative. Every
member in your group must be included in the skit.
Internal Influences Family Influences Peer Influences
Media Influences
Group 1
Group 2
Group 3
Group 4
Mason R
Marcus B
Hunter D
Ty D
Sam S
Kayley K
Morgan H
Kayla E
Levi J
Aiden G
Chandler D
Logan R
Group 5
Group 6
Group 7
Group 8
Bryan J
Alex L
Colton K
Matt V
Shania W
Mariah V
Alecia V
K’Lea N
Jerod S
Riley R
Jayden H
Jacob J
Jaclyn B
McKenzie V
Group 9
Shae S
Chase A
Heidi S
Example
• Family Influences: a family trip and the
activities they do on that trip
• Media Influences: an infomercial for a makebelieve fitness product
• Peer Influences: peer pressure to be an
athlete
Skill Development
• Internal influences include enjoyment,
satisfaction, and curiosity.
• Family, media, and peer pressure are external
influences.
Assessment
Make up a story about some fictional person’s
activity habits. Describe the character’s activity,
then analyze the influences on the activity.
Assessment Criteria
Concepts
Student work demonstrates proficiency by showing
the ability to:
• Explain that a variety of influences affect physical
activity choices