There’s Cardio and There’s Cardio: How Fitness and Sexual Attitudes relate to Needs for Approval and Loneliness
Academic Level at Time of Presentation
Senior
Major
Psychology
Minor
Sports Communication
List all Project Mentors & Advisor(s)
Dr. Jana Hackathorn
Presentation Format
Poster Presentation - Murray State Access only
Abstract/Description
There’s Cardio and There’s Cardio: How Fitness and Sexual Attitudes relate to Needs for Approval and Loneliness
Problem or Major Purpose. Two-thirds of college students reported feelings of loneliness (Rideaux, 2024), with loneliness often positively correlating with feelings of depression/anxiety and high-fat diets (Diehl et al., 2018; Jiang et al., 2022). Additionally, Özmatyatlı and Cirhinlioğlu (2019) found loneliness to be correlated with a need for social approval. When looking at social approval needs with other factors, research involving physical activity is mixed (Pauline, 2013; Piasecka et al., 2018; Yougen, 1971), and research involving sexual activity is scarce (McCormick et al., 1984). This study aims to investigate the relationships between both fitness and sexual activity attitudes and need for social approval, loneliness, and mental well-being. Biological sex will be examined to see if it plays a moderation role. The relationship between loneliness and need for social approval, as well as fitness/sexual activity attitudes and well-being, will be explored to bolster current research.
Procedure. Data collection for this project began in October 2025. Participants complete an online survey that measures one’s need for social approval (Brief Version of the Fear of Negative Evaluation Scale; Leary, 1983), fitness/exercise attitudes (Eagerness for Physical Activity Scale; Säfvenbom et al., 2016), sexual activity attitudes (Eagerness for Sexual Activity Scale; created for the purposes of this study), loneliness (UCLA Loneliness Scale (Version 3); Russell, 1996), and mental well-being (Warwick-Edinburgh Mental Well-being Scale; Tennant et al., 2007) as well as demographics and activity history.
Expected Results. It is expected that there will be interrelationships among the variables, such as loneliness, need for social approval, well-being, and both fitness and sexual activity attitudes. Additionally, it is hypothesized that one’s sexual activity attitudes will be positively correlated with the need for social approval; however, the relationship between fitness attitudes and the need for social approval is unclear. Biological sex’s role is also unclear. Furthermore, we will examine the relationship between social approval needs and fitness/sexual activity attitudes as moderated by biological sex. Data collection is currently underway.
Conclusions and Implications. With loneliness in college being so common, understanding factors linked to social approval can inform what college students value in social settings and why they conform to certain norms/activities like exercising. The role sex plays can help differentiate how men versus women view their social worlds and what they think peers value. The relationships involving well-being and loneliness could illustrate how loneliness impairs other areas of life and how factors like sex/fitness might improve well-being.
Fall Scholars Week 2025
Psychology: Projects In-Progress
There’s Cardio and There’s Cardio: How Fitness and Sexual Attitudes relate to Needs for Approval and Loneliness
There’s Cardio and There’s Cardio: How Fitness and Sexual Attitudes relate to Needs for Approval and Loneliness
Problem or Major Purpose. Two-thirds of college students reported feelings of loneliness (Rideaux, 2024), with loneliness often positively correlating with feelings of depression/anxiety and high-fat diets (Diehl et al., 2018; Jiang et al., 2022). Additionally, Özmatyatlı and Cirhinlioğlu (2019) found loneliness to be correlated with a need for social approval. When looking at social approval needs with other factors, research involving physical activity is mixed (Pauline, 2013; Piasecka et al., 2018; Yougen, 1971), and research involving sexual activity is scarce (McCormick et al., 1984). This study aims to investigate the relationships between both fitness and sexual activity attitudes and need for social approval, loneliness, and mental well-being. Biological sex will be examined to see if it plays a moderation role. The relationship between loneliness and need for social approval, as well as fitness/sexual activity attitudes and well-being, will be explored to bolster current research.
Procedure. Data collection for this project began in October 2025. Participants complete an online survey that measures one’s need for social approval (Brief Version of the Fear of Negative Evaluation Scale; Leary, 1983), fitness/exercise attitudes (Eagerness for Physical Activity Scale; Säfvenbom et al., 2016), sexual activity attitudes (Eagerness for Sexual Activity Scale; created for the purposes of this study), loneliness (UCLA Loneliness Scale (Version 3); Russell, 1996), and mental well-being (Warwick-Edinburgh Mental Well-being Scale; Tennant et al., 2007) as well as demographics and activity history.
Expected Results. It is expected that there will be interrelationships among the variables, such as loneliness, need for social approval, well-being, and both fitness and sexual activity attitudes. Additionally, it is hypothesized that one’s sexual activity attitudes will be positively correlated with the need for social approval; however, the relationship between fitness attitudes and the need for social approval is unclear. Biological sex’s role is also unclear. Furthermore, we will examine the relationship between social approval needs and fitness/sexual activity attitudes as moderated by biological sex. Data collection is currently underway.
Conclusions and Implications. With loneliness in college being so common, understanding factors linked to social approval can inform what college students value in social settings and why they conform to certain norms/activities like exercising. The role sex plays can help differentiate how men versus women view their social worlds and what they think peers value. The relationships involving well-being and loneliness could illustrate how loneliness impairs other areas of life and how factors like sex/fitness might improve well-being.