Abstract

Physical activity promotes health and well-being (e.g., Warburton, Nicol, & Bredin, 2006). Positive activated affect (PAA) is a subjective mental state of energy and enthusiasm related to health and well-being. For example, PAA correlates favorably with longevity (Kubzansky, Sparrow, Vokonas, & Kawachi, 2001), immune function (Cohen, Doyle, Turner, Alper, & Skoner, 2003), stress response (Steptoe, Wardle, & Marmot, 2005), and marital satisfaction (Rogers & May, 2003). Given that physical activity is a healthy behavior and PAA is a positive mental state, the effect of physical activity on PAA offers a fertile area for health-related scientific inquiry. This chapter will review the quantitative effect of acute and regular physical activity on PAA, discuss a conceptual issue relative to PAA, and provide suggestions for future study. The chapter begins with definitions for the variables of interest: physical activity and PAA.