Type of Document	Dissertation
Author	Murray, Melissa A
Author's Email Address	mam04d@fsu.edu
URN	etd-06252008-215021
Title	Computerized Pedagogical Agents as an Intervention to Increase Youth Self-Efficacy for Physical Activity
Degree	Doctor of Philosophy
Department	Educational Psychology and Learning Systems, Department of
Advisory Committee	Advisor Name Title Gershon Tenenbaum Committee Chair Alysia Roehrig-Bice Committee Member Robert Eklund Committee Member Thomas Ratliffe Committee Member
Keywords	Exercise Youth Pedagogical Agents Physical Activity Intervention School
Date of Defense	2008-05-08
Availability	unrestricted
Abstract Physical activity participation rates in the US have been in steady decline for the last 25 years, so much so that 60% of youth ages 9-13 get no physical activity outside of school (Alliance for a Healthier Generation, 2006). This state of inactivity indicates that promoting participation in physical activity at a young age is of importance. Both the Transtheoretical Model and Social Cognitive Theory have been used to design successful activity promotion interventions (Castro, King, & Brassington, 2001; Lippke, Ziegelmann, & Schwarzer, 2005). The present study was designed to assess the potential effectiveness of an intervention using computerized agents on self-efficacy and stage of change for physical activity in a youth sample. Results support the use of computerized human agents for increasing exercise efficacy and health and fitness knowledge. Further research must be conducted to determine gender and ethnic effects of the pedagogical agents. Moreover, long-term studies should be conducted with more substantial measures of physical activity to determine if the interaction with agents produces change in behavior.
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