| The Impact of Emotional and Instrumental Messaging on Sport Participation via Instagram in Promoting Physical Activity Among University Students |
| Paper ID : 1761-SPORTCONGRESS |
| Authors |
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سعید یوسفی, fatemeh abdavi *, yaghoob badriazarin uni tabriz |
| Abstract |
| Given the global rise in physical inactivity and the proven benefits of exercise for physical and mental health, social media platforms like Instagram offer a cost-effective means of promoting physical activity. Emotional and instrumental messaging about the benefits of sport participation-delivered through Instagram’s highly engaging and widely accessible format-has the potential to influence inactive university students. This study employed a three-phase quasi-experimental design. Study 1 assessed the validity of visual and textual content created to convey emotional and instrumental benefits, with input from experts and students. Study 2 examined the effects of viewing 14 Instagram posts across different visual and textual conditions on motivation, satisfaction, exercise intention, page-following interest, liking behavior, and recall among active and inactive students. Study 3 evaluated the impact of receiving emotional and instrumental posts over one week on self-reported physical activity among inactive students. Findings from Study 1 confirmed the clarity and effectiveness of the designed content. In Study 2, emotionally framed informative posts significantly enhanced motivation, satisfaction, intention to exercise, and engagement- especially among inactive students. Study 3 revealed that 75% of participants transitioned from inactive to active status, with 71% belonging to the emotional messaging group. Notably, 84% of those who became active were female. Emotional messages not only increased physical activity but also boosted satisfaction and interest in following sport-related pages. Overall, emotionally driven visual content on Instagram proved more effective than health-focused instrumental messaging. These results offer practical guidance for designing targeted, evidence-based media interventions tailored to gender and activity level, contributing meaningfully to public health promotion. |
| Keywords |
| Physical Activity, Sport Participation, Emotional Messaging, Instrumental Messaging, Instagram |
| Status: Abstract Accepted (Oral Presentation) |
