This study investigated the effects of generalized and domain-specific expectancies on participation in 8 weeks of step aerobic-exercise classes. 154 university students and staff who registered for step aerobic classes completed measures of aerobic self-efficacy and dispositional optimism prior to attending their first class. Attendance was taken at each session by the instructors. A split at the median on attendance classified participants as dropouts or adherers. Analysis indicated that adherers scored significantly higher on self-efficacy than did dropouts. Adherers and dropouts did not differ on dispositional optimism.
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