1 A SELF DETERMINATION THEORY BASED EXERCISE INTERVENTION IN A GROUP OF ADULT EXERCISERS: A CONTEXTUAL EVALUATION

pages. According to the Self-determination theory, when the social context is autonomy supportive, people are motivated to internalize the regulation of important activities, and whereas when the context is controlling, self-determined motivation is undermined. Exercise is one of those important activities which when internalized would result in persistent engagement leading people to positive psychological and physiological outcomes (improved health, affect, self esteem). Although much experimental work has been done in these field examining the exercise context at all angles, no study to date has implemented and intervention based on tenets of the self-determination theory and reported its dynamic processes qualitatively. With the use of in-depth open interviews, ethnographic participant observation and supplemental questionnaires, this study aimed to investigate and evaluate the contextual environment in which the dynamic process of internalization occurs in a summer fitness program. 29 participants signed up to partake in this program. Using case studies to construct motivational profiles of each participant, motivational orientations are th