Social Provisions in the Exercise Setting

Abstract

The Social Provisions in the Exercise Setting is a psychological scale adapted by Watson and Spink (2004) to measure the specific forms of social support, or provisions, that individuals seek and experience within physical activity environments. This instrument is based on Robert Weiss’s (1974) model of Social Provisions, which posits that different types of relationships fulfill distinct emotional needs. The scale is structured into two primary sections: Exercise Preferences (desired provisions) and Exercise Experiences (received provisions) during the last month. It is designed for use in exercise psychology research to understand the relationship between social environment quality and exercise adherence or motivation.

Keywords

Social Provisions, Social Support, Exercise Psychology, Physical Activity, Group Exercise, Weiss’s Model, Attachment, Reliable Alliance, Nurturance, Reassurance of Worth, Reliability.

Authors

Jocelyn D. Watson, Karen S. Spink, K. S. Wilson, M. W. Bruner, J. M. Bostick, Robert S. Weiss (Original Theory).

Purpose

The primary purpose of the Social Provisions in the Exercise Setting scale is to operationalize and quantify the specific relational needs individuals have (preferences) and the extent to which those needs are met (experiences) within their exercise context. By distinguishing between desired and perceived social provisions, the scale helps researchers determine how the psychological functions of social relationships—such as the provision of guidance, emotional security, or recognition of competence—influence exercise behavior, adherence, and motivation.

The instrument provides a detailed assessment beyond general measures of social support, allowing for targeted interventions aimed at improving the social environment in fitness settings. It aims to test the applicability and fit of Weiss’s (1974) Model of Social Provisions specifically within group physical activity contexts.

Construct

The scale measures the psychological construct of Social Provisions, as originally conceptualized by Weiss (1974). This model suggests that social relationships are multidimensional and provide distinct functions necessary for psychological well-being. When adapted to the exercise setting, these provisions relate to the perceived quality and functionality of relationships with fellow exercisers, instructors, or partners.

The instrument is structured around five core dimensions (provisions) that characterize the supportive functions of social relationships in this context:

• Attachment: Providing a sense of security, comfort, and emotional closeness.
• Reliable Alliance: Providing assurance that others can be counted on for tangible aid or assistance in a crisis (e.g., during an injury or emergency).
• Social Integration: Providing a sense of belonging to a group who shares similar attitudes, interests, and beliefs.
• Opportunity for Nurturance: Providing a sense of being needed or responsible for the well-being of another person.
• Reassurance of Worth: Providing recognition of one’s competence, skills, and abilities by others.

Validity

While specific coefficients for construct validity are not detailed in the available source snippets, the scale demonstrates strong theoretical validity. It is a direct adaptation designed to map the dimensions established in the seminal work on social relationships by Weiss (1974) and subsequent work by Cutrona and Russell (1987, 1990) onto the domain of physical activity.

The two-part structure (Preferences vs. Experiences) inherently supports criterion or predictive validity by allowing researchers to test the “optimal matching” theory—that is, whether adherence is maximized when preferred provisions align with experienced provisions in the Exercise Setting. The consistent subscale structure suggested by the reliability data further indicates that the instrument successfully differentiates between the distinct, hypothesized social provisions.

Reliability

The internal consistency of the Social Provisions in the Exercise Setting scale is reported using Cronbach’s Alpha coefficients for its five primary subscales. These values indicate good to excellent internal reliability, demonstrating that the items within each provision consistently measure the same underlying construct.

The reported alpha values are:

• Attachment: 0.80
• Reliable Alliance: 0.81
• Social Integration: 0.85
• Opportunity for Nurturance: 0.84
• Reassurance of Worth: 0.82

Factor Analysis

The instrument is designed based on the multi-dimensional structure of Social Provisions theory, suggesting a five-factor structure corresponding to the distinct provisions identified (Attachment, Reliable Alliance, Social Integration, Opportunity for Nurturance, and Reassurance of Worth). The high internal consistency reported for these five factors strongly suggests that factor analytic techniques (such as Exploratory or Confirmatory Factor Analysis) were employed during the scale development and adaptation process (Watson, 2004) to confirm that the items load appropriately onto their intended underlying constructs, distinguishing them from one another.

Instrument

Test Type: Self-report Psychological scale.

Format: Paper-and-pencil or online questionnaire consisting of three parts: Part A (Behavioral/Demographic data), Part B (Preferences, 24 items), and Part C (Experiences, 24 items). Items are rated on a 4-point Likert scale.

Language Available: English (as presented in the source material).

Population Group: Individuals participating in physical activity or group exercise settings.

Age Group: Typically adult and young adult populations (based on Master’s thesis context).

Population Details: Participants are asked to specify their exercise involvement, including activity type (e.g., Aerobics, Weight Lifting, Running), frequency, duration, and intensity (Light, Moderate, Heavy).

Test Methodology: Respondents rate their agreement with statements regarding their desired social relationships (Part B) and their actual social experiences over the last month (Part C). The scoring uses a 4-point scale: 1=strongly disagree, 2= disagree, 3= agree, 4= strongly agree.

Keywords

Social Relationships, Social Support Measurement, Exercise Adherence, Psychological Measurement, Weiss, Likert Scale, Group Dynamics, Fitness.

Authors

Author ORCID Identifier: Not provided in source content.

Affiliation Email addresses: Not provided in source content.

Correspondence Address: Not provided in source content. Primary affiliation is listed as University of Saskatchewan (2004 thesis).

Permissions & Fee and Test Year

The scale was adapted and utilized in a Master of Science Thesis by Watson in 2004. Given its availability through academic archives and inclusion in published conference proceedings, it is primarily intended for non-commercial academic research use. No explicit fee or licensing structure is mentioned in the source material.

The original PDF can be downloaded here: http://www.collectionscanada.gc.ca/obj/s4/f2/dsk3/SSU/TC-SSU-12152004201524.pdf

Reference’s

• Watson, Jocelyn. Dawn. (2004). social provisions in the exercise setting. University of Saskatchewan. Master of Science Thesis.
• Watson, J. D., Spink, K. S., Wilson, K. S., Bruner, M. W., & Bostick, J. M. (October 2003). Social support in the group exercise setting: Testing the fit of Weiss’s (1974) Model of Social Provisions. Paper presented at the Annual Meeting of the Canadian Society for the Psychology of Sport and Physical Activity, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada.
• Cutrona, C. E., & Russell, D. W. (1990). Type of social support and specific stress: Toward a Theory of Optimal Matching. In B. R. Sarason, I. G. Sarason, & G. R. Pierce (Eds.), Social support: An interactional view (pp. 319-366). New York: John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
• Cutrona, C. E., & Russell, D. W. (1987). The provisions of social relationships and adaptation to stress. In W. H. Jones & D. Perlman (Eds.), Advances in personal relationships (Vol. 1, pp. 37-67). Greenwich, CT: JAI Press Inc.
• Weiss, R. (1974). The provisions of social relationships. In Z. Rubin (Ed.), Doing unto others (pp. 17-26). Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice Hall.

Items of the Social Provisions in the Exercise Setting

IMPORTANT: The following scale items must be preserved in their original language and must not be changed in any way.

PART B –Your exercise preferences

1. When I exercise with others, I prefer to have people I can depend on to help me if I really need it.
2. When I exercise with others, I prefer to have close relationships with other people.
3. When I exercise with others, I prefer to have someone I can turn to for guidance in times of stress.
4. When I exercise with others, I prefer to have people who depend on me for help.
5. When I exercise with others, I prefer to have people who enjoy the same social activities I do.
6. When I exercise with others, I prefer to have other people who view me as competent.
7. When I exercise with others, I prefer to feel personally responsible for the well-being of another person.
8. When I exercise with others, I prefer to feel part of a group of people who share my attitudes and beliefs.
9. When I exercise with others, I prefer to have other people who respect my skills and abilities.
10. When I exercise with others, I prefer to know that, if something went wrong, someone would come to my assistance.
11. When I exercise with others, I prefer to have close relationships that provide me with a sense of emotional security and well-being.
12. When I exercise with others, I prefer to have someone who I could talk to about important decisions in my life.
13. When I exercise with others, I prefer to have my competence and skill recognized.
14. When I exercise with others, I prefer to have someone who shares my interests and concerns.
15. When I exercise with others, I prefer to have someone who really relies on me for his/her well-being.
16. When I exercise with others, I prefer to have a trustworthy person I could turn to for advice if I were having problems.
17. When I exercise with others, I prefer to feel a strong emotional bond with at least one other person.
18. When I exercise with others, I prefer to have someone I can depend on for aid if I really need it.
19. When I exercise with others, I prefer to have someone I feel comfortable talking about problems with.
20. When I exercise with others, I prefer to have people who admire my talents and abilities.
21. When I exercise with others, I prefer to feel intimacy with another person.
22. When I exercise with others, I prefer to have someone who likes to do the things I do.
23. When I exercise with others, I prefer to have people I can count on in an emergency.
24. When I exercise with others, I prefer to have someone who needs me to care for them.

PART C – Your exercise experiences

1. While I was exercising with others during the last month, there were people I could depend on to help me if I really needed it when I exercised.
2. While I was exercising with others during the last month, I feel that I had close personal relationships with other people.
3. While I was exercising with others during the last month, there was someone I could turn to for guidance in times of stress.
4. While I was exercising with others during the last month, there were people who depended on me for help.
5. While I was exercising with others during the last month, there were people who enjoyed the same social activities I do.
6. While I was exercising with others during the last month, other people viewed me as competent.
7. While I was exercising with others during the last month, I felt personally responsible for the well-being of another person.
8. While I was exercising with others during the last month, I felt part of a group of people who share my attitudes and beliefs.
9. While I was exercising with others during the last month, I think other people respected my skills and abilities.
10. While I was exercising with others during the last month, if something went wrong, someone would have come to my assistance.
11. While I was exercising with others during the last month, I had close relationships that provided me with a sense of emotional security and well-being.
12. While I was exercising with others during the last month, there was someone I could talk to about important decisions in my life.
13. While I was exercising with others during the last month, my competence and skill were recognized.
14. While I was exercising with others during the last month, there was someone who shared my interests and concerns.
15. While I was exercising with others during the last month, there was someone who really relied on me for his/her well-being.
16. While I was exercising with others during the last month, there was a trustworthy person I could turn to for advice if I was having problems.
17. While I was exercising with others during the last month, I felt a strong emotional bond with at least one other person.
18. While I was exercising with others during the last month, there was someone I could depend on for aid if I really needed it.
19. While I was exercising with others during the last month, there was someone I felt comfortable talking about problems with.
20. While I was exercising with others during the last month, there were people who admired my talents and abilities.
21. While I was exercising with others during the last month, I felt intimacy with another person.
22. While I was exercising with others during the last month, there was someone who liked to do the things I do.
23. While I was exercising with others during the last month, there were people I could count on in an emergency.
24. While I was exercising with others during the last month, someone needed me to care for them.