The Primordial Link: HRM and Workplace Learning

Abstract

Purpose: Larger social networks (SN) and greater perceptions of social support (SS) may provide individuals with greater resources and opportunities to be active, instilling a higher sense of control over the behavior. The influence of SN and types of SS may differ according to increasing behavioral demands. This study examined the influence of SN and general SS on perceived control (PC) for exercising 2, 4, or 6 days per week.

Methods: 154 undergraduate students completed survey measures of SN, SS (tangible, appraisal, self-esteem, and belonging), and PC over exercising 2, 4, or 6 days per week.

Results: PC was highest for exercising 2 days per week and lowest for 6 days per week. Step 1 of hierarchical regression analyses showed a larger network size was related to more control for exercising 2, 4, or 6 days per week. Step 2 showed self-esteem support was related to more PC for 2 and 6 days per week of exercise. In addition to network size, belonging support was positively related to PC for exercising 4 times per week.

Conclusions: PC was different depending on the frequency of exercise, yet PC for these different frequencies of exercise had different social antecedents. A larger network size was related to PC in general, even after adding social support. Feeling like one belongs to a group might be more important for PC over exercising a moderate frequency of 4 days per week, whereas self-esteem support was related to control over exercising 2 and 6 days per week.