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Document Type

Article

Keywords

physical education, self-regulation, confidence, social comparison, frame of reference

Publication Date

2-20-2026

Abstract

This study examined whom college-aged individuals believe observing would more likely increase their physical activity self-efficacy (PASE) for a physical skill, whom they are more likely to compare their abilities to within a physical education (PE) class, how often they compare themselves to others in PE, and what students’ PASE scores were. Based on the mean scores for each question, students were more likely to compare themselves to a student than a teacher, friend than a non-friend, and similar or higher skilled peer than a lower skilled peer. To increase students’ confidence for a physical skill, students had higher levels of agreement that they would want to observe a friend than a non-friend and a similar or higher skilled peer than a lower skilled peer. There was only one observed gender difference for observing another student in that females’ level of agreement for the statement was significantly higher than the males’ level of agreement. There was a weak positive correlation between Total Average PASE and comparing to higher skilled peers and similarly skilled peers. For PASE, males had significantly higher scores than females for School PASE, Leisure PASE, and Total Average PASE.

DOI

https://doi.org/10.18122/ijpah.5.2.1.boisestate

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