1. Factors Influencing Participation
in Physical Activity
PE Unit 2 AOS 2

2. Factors
• Demographics
• Social
• Environmental

3. What are the influences?
• Individual attitudes
• Childhood (5-12 years)
• Adolescence (12-18
years)
• Adulthood
• Older adults
• Gender
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Socioeconomic class
Ethnicity
Parents
Schools/workplaces
Peers
The media
Physical environment

4. Individual Attitudes
• As you grow up you go
through different
phases of development.
– Different commitments
– Developing identity
– Influenced by different
groups and ideas
– Attitude
• All of these things will
shape a persons
attitude towards PA

5. Childhood
• Children experiment
with PA in the forms of
play, modified games
and competitive
activities
• They learn the basic
skills required to be
successful in future PA
pursuits.

6. Adolescence
• Experiences for boys and
girls differ greatly at this
state of development
• Both groups experience
intense physical
development, as well as
identity and personality
• The experiences gained
during adolescence can
shape PA attitudes and
behaviours

7. Adults
• PA for adults is based
on priorities and
motivations, and a
result of lifestyle and
experiences gained
during adolescence.
• Opportunities are based
on time available,
money, study and the
influence of peer
groups

8. Older Adults
• Time available greatly
increases
• However, money,
health, peer groups and
mobility are factors that
will limit or increase
participation in PA

9. Gender
• Historically, females had
less access and fewer
opportunities to
participate in PA
• Often they were not
encouraged to be active
by family, schools or the
community

10. Gender
• Social attitudes have
changed gradually, and
females are encouraged
to participate in most
forms of PA
• Coverage of women’s
sports in the media has
helped to provide role
models and
opportunities for goal
setting and aspirations.

11. Socioeconomic Class
• Opportunities and
access to PA are often
dictated by available
money, time, facilities
and equipment.
• Concider sports such as
snow-sports, sailing and
other motorised water
sports, polo and other
horse-based sports.

12. Ethnicity
• Australia is a multicultural
society with an eclectic
mix of ethnic groups.
• A person’s access to
activities and the variety
of activities available
often differ according to
the country the person
lives in or where they’re
from.

13. Parents
• Parents are a major
influence on children's
attitudes to PA
• They can encourage
participation by showing
interest
• Parental support is critical
(money, transport,
coaching, role-models)
• Research tells us that if a
parent is physically active,
the child is more likely to
be active as well.

14. School/Workplaces
• Schools provide
meaningful PE and Sport
programs
• 7-10 students are
mandated to participate
in at least 100-minutes of
PE and 100-minutes of
Sport per week
• Primary age students are
required to participate in
at least 3-hours per week

15. School/Workplaces
• Employers recognise the
benefits of having a
healthy workforce
• The are consistently
developing new strategies
to get they employees
more physically active:
– Providing gym
memberships
– Bike racks
– Showers at work

16. Peers
• Your friends (usually have
the same interested and
of a similar age)
• A peer group’s favorable
attitude towards
participation in PA will
have a strong influence
on individual members of
the group
• Negative attitudes are
equally as powerful

17. The Media
• The media plays a
significant role in
influencing people to
participate in PA in
various forms:
– Exposure of activities
(sport, comps, venues)
– Promoting role models
– Promoting lifestyle
campaigns
– Encouraging greater
female participation

18. Physical Environment
• Research has shown that
the characteristics of a
neighborhood can influence
a person’s participation in
PA
• Access to facilities
• Proximity to facilities
• Safety of facilities and
nearby surroundings
• Environmental changes
(speed-zones, street lights,
speed-humps, footpath and
bike-path/road separation)