Social Provisions in the Exercise Setting

Abstract

The Social Provisions in the Exercise Setting (SPES) is a specialized psychological scale designed to measure the perceived availability and experience of specific types of social support within a fitness or group exercise context. Developed by Jocelyn D. Watson, this instrument operationalizes Robert S. Weiss’s (1974) Model of Social Provisions, adapting its five core functions—Attachment, Reliable Alliance, Social Integration, Opportunity for Nurturance, and Reassurance of Worth—to the domain of physical activity. The scale is structured into two main sections: one assessing the preference for these provisions (Part B) and another assessing the actual experience of these provisions during recent exercise involvement (Part C). This dual approach allows researchers to evaluate both the desired and actual social environment experienced by participants, crucial for understanding adherence and motivation in group exercise settings.

Keywords

Social support, Social Provisions, Exercise adherence, Physical activity, Group dynamics, Reliable alliance, Reassurance of worth, Social integration.

Authors

Jocelyn Dawn Watson, Kathleen S. Spink, Kimberly S. Wilson, Megan W. Bruner, J. M. Bostick.

Purpose

The primary purpose of the Social Provisions in the Exercise Setting (SPES) scale is to systematically measure distinct dimensions of social support (or social provisions) as they are perceived and experienced by individuals engaged in physical activity, particularly in group settings. The instrument aims to move beyond generic measures of support by quantifying specific relational functions that contribute to emotional security, self-esteem, and belonging within the exercise environment.

By separating the measurement into preferred provisions (Part B) and experienced provisions (Part C), the scale allows for the identification of potential gaps between an individual’s ideal social support structure and the reality of their exercise environment. This information is vital for fitness professionals and researchers seeking to optimize social interventions to enhance exercise motivation and long-term adherence.

Construct

The SPES scale is grounded in Robert S. Weiss’s (1974) Model of Social Provisions, which posits that different types of social relationships fulfill specific emotional and instrumental needs, or “provisions.” The scale measures five distinct constructs adapted to the context of the exercise setting:

• Attachment: Reflects close relationships that provide a sense of emotional security, well-being, and intimacy.
• Reliable Alliance: Measures the presence of dependable individuals who can offer tangible aid or assistance in times of need or emergency.
• Social Integration: Refers to feeling part of a group of people who share common interests, attitudes, and recreational activities.
• Opportunity for Nurturance: Captures the sense of being needed and feeling personally responsible for the well-being of another person within the exercise context.
• Reassurance of Worth: Measures the extent to which others recognize, admire, and respect one’s competence, skills, and abilities.

Validity

While the source content does not explicitly detail comprehensive validity analyses (e.g., convergent, discriminant, or predictive validity), the theoretical structure is derived from the established and widely validated Weiss’s model, suggesting strong theoretical and content validity. The adaptation of items specifically to the exercise context ensures content relevance. Further research, typically following the initial thesis work, would confirm the scale’s construct validity through rigorous statistical methods.

Reliability

Internal consistency reliability was assessed for the five subscales using Cronbach’s alpha coefficients. The reported alpha values for the subscales indicate good to excellent reliability, suggesting that the items within each provision consistently measure the same underlying construct.

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

Factor Analysis

The scale’s structure appears to be based on a five-factor model corresponding directly to the five provisions outlined by Weiss’s (1974) Model of Social Provisions. The reported internal consistency for these five factors strongly suggests that the instrument was subjected to factor analytic techniques (likely Exploratory Factor Analysis or Confirmatory Factor Analysis) to confirm that the items load onto their intended respective dimensions, thereby supporting the multi-dimensional nature of social support in this setting.

Instrument

Test Type: Self-report psychological scale.

Format: Paper-and-pencil questionnaire consisting of three parts: Exercise Participation (A), Exercise Preferences (B), and Exercise Experiences (C). The core items (B and C) utilize a 4-point Likert scale.

Language Available: English (Original development).

Population Group: Individuals engaging in group or shared exercise.

Age Group: Typically adult or adolescent populations participating in structured physical activity.

Population Details: Developed within an academic context, likely tested on university students or community fitness participants.

Test Methodology: Respondents rate their level of agreement with statements regarding their preferred (Part B) and experienced (Part C) social provisions during exercise, using the following scale: 1-strongly disagree, 2- disagree, 3- agree, 4- strongly agree.

Keywords

Sport psychology, Exercise motivation, Social relations, Group exercise, Fitness, Social provisions, Psychological measurement.

Authors

Author ORCID Identifier: Not provided in source.

Affiliation Email addresses: Not provided in source.

Correspondence Address: Correspondence likely routed through the University of Saskatchewan at the time of the thesis (2004).

Permissions & Fee and Test Year

Test Year: 2004 (Based on Master of Science Thesis completion).

Permissions & Fee: Not explicitly stated, but typically, academic instruments developed in theses are available for non-commercial research use upon request to the author or university. The original PDF can be downloaded here: http://www.collectionscanada.gc.ca/obj/s4/f2/dsk3/SSU/TC-SSU-12152004201524.pdf

Reference’s

1. Watson, Jocelyn Dawn. (2004). social provisions in the exercise setting. University of Saskatchewan. Master of Science Thesis.

2. 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.

3. 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.

4. 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.

5. 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

Scoring: Items in Part B and Part C are rated on a 4-point Likert scale: 1-strongly disagree, 2- disagree, 3- agree, 4- strongly agree.

PART A – Exercise Participation

Please complete the following table as it relates to your exercise involvement.

Aerobics, Aquatics, Badminton, Basketball, Wrestling, Biking/Cycling, Cardio machine, Boxing, Spin class, Curling, Dance (specify type), Figure Skating, Lacrosse, Pilates, Running/Jogging, Wall Climbing, Martial Arts/Kickbox, Ice Hockey, Gymnastics, Speed Skating, Rugby, Skipping, Ringette, Softball, Skiing–X country, Skiing-Downhill, Soccer, Football, Swimming-Laps, Taebo, Tennis, Volleyball, Weight Lifting, Walking, Training Club, Other

Number of Times Exercising Each Week …

Average Number of Minutes You Were Actually Exercising Each Time

Intensity: L = Light, M = Moderate, H = Heavy

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.