THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN PERSONALITY TYPES AND

EXERCISE PREFERENCES AND BEHAVIORS

by

Kimberly Taylor

Submitted in partial fulfillment of the

requirements for Departmental Honors in

the Department of Kinesiology

Texas Christian University

Fort Worth, Texas

May 8, 2017
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THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN PERSONALITY TYPES AND

EXERCISE PREFERENCES AND BEHAVIORS

Project Approved:

Supervising Professor: Debbie Rhea, Ed.D

Department of Kinesiology

Gloria Solomon, Ph. D.

Department of Kinesiology

Amanda Duvall

Harris College Resource Center

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ABSTRACT

The purpose of this study was to determine the relationships between personality

types, according to the dichotomies of the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI), and

exercise preferences and behaviors. College students (n= 80, age 18-23 yrs) enrolled

in Physical Activity classes at TCU completed a demographics questionnaire that

analyzed preferences for exercise characteristics, the Keirsey Temperament Sorter

(KTS) that classified participants’ personality types, and the Godin Leisure-Time

Exercise Questionnaire that assessed current exercise frequency and intensity. One-

way ANOVAs indicated significant differences between only two of the dichotomies

and three of the exercise preferences. The main effect differences were for the

thinking vs. feeling subscale and preference for company, F(1,76) = 7.20, p = 0.009,

and preference for aerobic exercise, F (1,79) = 4.25, p = 0.043, and for the judging vs.

perceiving subscale and preference for location, F(1,75) = 5.59, p = 0.021.These

results indicate that feeling was associated with a preference for aerobic exercise

and exercise with a few others, and judging was associated with a preference for

exercise at the gym. While limited, the results do indicate relationships between

personality types and exercise preferences and behaviors.

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Review of Literature

Introduction

Researchers often examine the relationship between personality and

exercise. This relationship helps to develop trends between certain personality

characteristics and exercise behavior, which encourages people to maintain more

physical lifestyles. Suzanne Brue has even developed a method for personalizing

exercise based on personality. Her “8 Colors of Fitness” method focuses on

matching physical activity routines and exercises with peoples’ individual

personalities. Her eight categories are inspired and based on the sixteen personality

types from the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI). Through her observational

research, she indicates that people can be categorized according to their preferences

for environment, types of physical activity, duration, structure, and motivation for

exercise, and more importantly, can be encouraged to begin or maintain a more

physically active lifestyle based on the individualization of the program (Brue,

2008).

The current study is interested in furthering the study between personality

types, according to the MBTI, and exercise behaviors and preferences. However,

research analyzing these specific factors is relatively new; therefore, research

examining personality traits, according to the Five Factor Model, another common

method used to categorize personality, will also be considered. The purpose of the

literature review is to examine the current understanding of the use of personality

assessments on exercise and health behaviors, including motivation for exercise,

adherence to exercise, barriers to exercise, and the effects of exercise on

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personality. This review will assist in exploring the relationship between certain

personality types and exercise behaviors and preferences.

Five Factor Model

The Five Factor Model uses five factors to encompass the differences in

personality across individuals. The five factors are Extraversion (E), Agreeableness

(A), Conscientiousness (C), Neuroticism (N), and Openness to Experience (O) and

are set on a continuum, demonstrating the comprehensive and enduring belief of

this model (McCrae & John, 1992). Researchers continue to explore applications of

the Five Factor Model within different settings, such as the relationship between the

five factors and exercise related behaviors, such as weight change, physical activity,

and individual preferences for exercise.

Weight changes and personality. Researchers were initially interested in

examining the differences in personality between people based on weight and

weight changes over time (Magee & Heaven, 2011). Using a sample of over five

thousand Australian adults, researchers obtained baseline personality scores, using

Goldberg’s Big Five Markers Scale, and a baseline BMI score. Both baseline

conditions were then compared to scores obtained two years later. The purpose of

the study was to determine if there was an association between personality traits

and baseline obesity, as indicated by the BMI score, and between personality traits

and a two-year change in weight. The results indicated that while

Conscientiousness was inversely related to obesity, Extraversion, Agreeableness,

and Neuroticism were directly related to obesity. In addition, Extraversion

predicted two-year weight gain of more than 5% of body weight. Overall,

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Extraversion was associated with a higher baseline BMI and with a greater

likelihood of increased weight changes.

Further research also investigated the relationship between personality

traits and changes in weight but more specifically focused on the use of personality

traits as predictors of weight loss behavior (Munro, Bore, Munro, & Garg, 2011). The

purpose of the study was to determine if personality traits could be shown as

predictors of weight loss in order to match individuals with personal and efficient

weight loss programs. Researchers recruited 54 participants, characterized by BMI

scores of 30 to 40, to follow either a “slow, healthy eating weight loss diet (HEWLD)”

or a “fast, very low energy diet (VLED)” (Munro et al., 2011). The HEWLD group

consumed 5000-6000 kJ/day for 12 weeks, and the VLED group consumed 3000

kJ/day for 12 weeks. Weight was measured at the beginning of the trial and at the

end of the 12 weeks, and personality traits were assessed using the Tangney Self

Control Scale and the Neuroticism, Conscientiousness, and Extraversion scales from

the Five Factor Model.

The results revealed a positive correlation between weight loss as a result of

the VLED and Neuroticism, as well as a negative correlation between weight loss as

a result of the VLED and Conscientiousness (Munro et al., 2011). The results of this

study therefore show positive support for the ability of personality traits, especially

Neuroticism and Conscientiousness, in predicting weight loss behaviors.

Physical activity and personality. In a similar manner, researchers

conducted studies to determine whether personality traits could predict changes in

physical activity over time (Allen, Magee, Vella, & Laborde, 2016). Specifically,
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researchers hypothesized a bidirectional association between personality and

physical activity and tested this hypothesis across a large sample of over 10,000

Australian adults. Participants responded to 28 adjectives in order to assess

personality traits according to the Five Factor Model and completed the Short-form

Health Survey 36 to determine physical activity. Researchers administered the

personality and physical activity assessments three separate times: in 2006, in

2010, and in 2014. They found that increases in Openness to Experience and

Conscientiousness were positively associated with increases in physical activity, but

Agreeableness was associated with decreases in physical activity. The results also

indicated that while personality can influence changes in physical activity, physical

activity does not influence changes in personality (Allen et al., 2016). This study

indicates that certain personality traits influence changes in physical activity, which

further supports the application of personality traits as causes for changes in

physical activity.

Preferences for exercise and personality. To obtain a more complete look

at the individualization of exercise, researchers of one study examined the

relationship between the five factors and exercise behavior, motives, barriers, and

preferences (Courneya & Hellsten, 1998). The 264 undergraduate student

participants completed five surveys to assess personality traits, exercise behavior,

motives, barriers, and preferences. The NEO Five Factor Inventory measured the

five factors, and the Godin Leisure Time Exercise Questionnaire measured current

exercise behavior in terms of intensity and duration. The researchers asked the

participants to rank the importance of six difference exercise motives: fitness,

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physical appearance, weight control, socialization, stress relief, and fun. The

participants also ranked the influence of three exercise barriers: lack of time, lack of

energy, and lack of motivation. Finally, they identified their preferences for people,

environment, time, type, structure, and intensity of exercise.

These researchers found that Extraversion was positively correlated and

Neuroticism negatively correlated to the amount of exercise performed.

Neuroticism was strongly related with the motive of physical appearance, while

Extraversion was strongly related with the motive of socialization. Openness to

Experience was positively related with a preference for outdoor exercise.

Agreeableness was correlated with a preference for aerobic exercise rather than

weight lifting. In regards to structure, researchers found that Extraversion was

correlated with a preference for more supervised exercise but Openness to

Experience was correlated with a preference for the opposite (Courneya & Hellsten,

1998). This study is important because it suggests that exercise preferences and

exercise behaviors are strongly influenced by certain personality traits, which could

then be used to encourage people to adopt the most fitting and effective exercise

and health plans.

Summary. The Five Factor Model evidences the influence of personality on

exercise and health behaviors. The traits within the Five Factor Model are related to

different likelihoods of weight changes, different motivations and barriers to

exercise, and different overall preferences for type, intensity, and atmosphere of

exercise. However, the Five Factor Model is only one of many personality types
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readily available to the public. Another popular choice in personality test is the

Myers-Briggs Type Indicator.

Myers-Briggs Type Indicator

The Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) is a personality assessment whose

focus is to empower users to apply the information learned to their daily lives and

interactions. The MBTI, inspired by the theories of Carl Jung and made applicable for

daily life by Isabel Briggs Myers and Katharine Cook Briggs, categorizes users into

16 personality types based on four dichotomies. The four dichotomies express the

ways in which people focus attention (Extraversion/Introversion), receive

information (Sensing/Intuition), make decisions (Thinking/Feeling), and approach

the world (Judging/Perceiving) (Myers & McCaulley, 1998).

Researchers have applied the MBTI to exercise psychology, though not as

frequently as the Five Factor Model. One study examined the relationship between

the personality types, classified by the MBTI, and motives for exercise, classified by

the Exercise Motivations Inventory 2 (Baghurst & Pruitt, 2010). Researchers

administered both assessments to university students enrolled in walking and

weight training classes. The results did not indicate distinct relationships between

personality types and participation motives, but they did highlight the least common

personality types seen in each fitness class. INTJ was the least common personality

type in both the walking class and the weight training class (Baghurst & Pruitt,

2010). Although this study is limited in its scope and indistinct relationships, it does

suggest that the MBTI could provide cues for prediction of exercise and exercise

behavior and urges for follow-up research.

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MBTI and Five Factor Model

Researchers also examined the relationship between these two personality

assessments, the MBTI and the Five Factor Model. Specifically, research found

strong similarities between four of the five factors and the four dichotomies of the

MBTI (Furnham, Moutafi, & Crump, 2003). Researchers in this study administered

the MBTI and the Revised NEO-Personality Inventory to 900 participants to assess

personality in the four dichotomies of the MBTI and the five factors of the Five

Factor Model. The results showed that Extraversion was positively correlated with

MBTI’s Extraversion and that Openness to Experience was positively associated

with MBTI’s Intuition. In addition, Agreeableness was positively linked to MBTI’s

Feeling, and Conscientiousness was positively related with MBTI’s Judging. Even

Neuroticism was positively correlated to Introversion, although this relationship

was not as strong as the others. Researchers concluded their results with the

assertion that the MBTI dichotomies can be compared to the factors of the Five

Factor Model (Furnham, Moutafi, & Crump, 2003). Even further, these results

suggest that the MBTI dichotomies could be used, similarly to the Five Factor Model,

to categorize health behaviors and exercise preferences.

The results of the above study replicated those of an earlier study. The

researcher in this initial study also examined the commonalities between the two

personality assessments (Furnham, 1996). Using the MBTI and the NEO-Personality

Inventory to assess the five factors on 160 subjects, he found the same relationships

between the five factors and the four sections of the MBTI; Agreeableness was

positively correlated with Feeling Conscientiousness with Judging, Extraversion

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with Extraversion, and Openness to Experience with Intuition. Again, this study

indicates that the Five Factor Model factors have a strong overlap with the

dimensions of the MBTI, suggesting that the MBTI dichotomies would also have

similar effects on exercise behaviors and preferences as the factors did.

Conclusion. Research dictates that the different characteristics of

personality assessments are strong influences of health behaviors particularly

exercise behaviors. While, the Five Factor Model has been more widely used to

examine personality traits and apply them to exercise behavior, the MBTI could

offer additional benefits for users. Although critics point out its oversimplification

and compartmentalization of personality (Pittenger, 2005), the MBTI’s simplistic

nature, easily understood groupings, and popularity in common culture could

attract and motivate more users. In addition, because of the identified overlap

between the MBTI and the Five Factor Model, the effects of the four MBTI

characteristics on exercise behavior should resemble the findings of the Five Factor

Model.

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to determine the relationship between different

personality types, according to the dichotomies of the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator,

and exercise behaviors and exercise preferences among college students. Types of

exercise behaviors examined in this study include current intensity, frequency, and

duration of exercise. Types of exercise preferences examined in this study include

location, environment, aerobic level, and structure.

Hypothesis
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The hypothesis for amount of exercise within the topic of exercise behavior is

that Extraversion and Conscientiousness will be positively and Neuroticism

negatively related to the amount of exercise performed. In regards to intensity

within exercise behavior, the hypothesis is that strenuous exercise will be positively

linked to Extraversion and Conscientiousness. However, moderate exercise will be

positively linked to Openness to Experience.

The hypothesis for environment for exercise preference is that Extraversion

will be positively related to a preference for exercising with people, while Openness

to Experience will be positively related to a preference for exercising outside. In

regards to preference of type of exercise, the hypothesis is that Conscientiousness

and Extraversion will be positively related to a preference for structured exercise,

and Agreeableness will be positively related to a preference for aerobic exercise.

The hypotheses for both exercise behavior and exercise preference will be tested

using questionnaires.
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Methods

Introduction

In this study, college student participants completed three paper surveys.

The surveys assessed relevant background information including age, sex, exercise

experience, and exercise preferences, classified the participants by the sixteen

personality types of the MBTI, and obtained information regarding the current

exercise behaviors, such as intensity, duration, and frequency, of the participants.

Participants

The participants were 80 undergraduate students, ages 18 to 23 years, from

the Physical Education Activity classes at Texas Christian University. The study

recruited participants in person in classrooms before each class began. The

selection criteria was that the participants had exercised for at least six months at

some point during their life, but they did not have to be currently exercising.

Additionally, participants were excluded if they were intercollegiate or club athletes.

The mean age of the participants was 20.85 years, and 57% of the participants were

female.

Measures

The measures of this study were three questionnaires. They were completed

on paper. Together, they assessed demographics, current exercise behaviors, and

exercise preferences.

Keirsey Temperament Sorter (KTS). The Keirsey Temperament Sorter was

administered to participants to measure personality types. This 70-item survey

categorizes people into sixteen personality types of the MBTI based on four
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opposing dichotomies – Extraversion/Introversion, Sensing/Intuition,

Thinking/Feeling, Judging/Perceiving (Keirsey & Bates, 1984). The KTS is

correlated with the MBTI by a coefficient of 0.75 (Keirsey, 2004).

Godin Leisure Time Exercise Questionnaire. The Godin Leisure Time

Exercise Questionnaire was administered to measure exercise behaviors. In this

questionnaire, the participant answered three open questions regarding the

frequency of exercise occurring for at least 15 minutes. He or she denoted how

frequently he or she engages in mild (easy walking, golf, yoga, etc.), moderate (fast

walking, baseball, light swimming, etc.) and strenuous (jogging, soccer, judo, etc.)

exercise during an average week. The frequency of exercise is then multiplied by

three, five, and nine for mild, moderate, and strenuous, respectively. The leisure

score index is calculated by summing the new products of frequency of exercise

(Godin, Jobin, & Bouillon, 1986).

Demographics Questionnaire. The Demographics Questionnaire evaluated

participant background information, including age, sex, and previous exercise

experience. It also obtained participants’ exercise preferences, such as exercise

location, atmosphere, activity, structure, and intensity. The Demographics

Questionnaire provided information necessary to exclude any data, such as if the

participant were an intercollegiate or club athlete, from the data analysis.

Procedure

First, the study will seek institutional review board (IRB) approval through

Texas Christian University. Upon IRB approval, participants will begin the

assessments. Participants will complete the three assessments individually in print.

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They will complete the assessments in one sitting, and the responses will be

anonymous. The researcher will approach students in classrooms at Texas Christian

University. Before the class begins, the researcher will invite all students in the

classroom to participate, and any data obtained from an ineligible student will be

omitted from the statistical analyses. The willing participants will return the

completed surveys to the researcher immediately.

Design

Purpose and Hypotheses. The purpose of this study is to determine the

relationship between different personality types, according to the dichotomies of

the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator, and exercise behaviors, such as current intensity,

frequency, and duration of exercise, and exercise preferences, such as location,

environment, aerobic level, and structure, among college students. The first

hypothesis relates to exercise preferences. It is hypothesized that extraversion will

be associated with a preference for group exercise and structured exercise, Intuition

with a preference for exercise outdoors, Feeling with a preference for aerobic

exercise, and Judging with a preference for structured exercise. The second

hypothesis relates to exercise behaviors. It is hypothesized that Extraversion will be

associated with a high amount of exercise.

Data Analyses. Univariant Analyses of Variance (ANOVA) will be used to

determine significant differences at a level of .05 or less between the personality

dichotomies and types and the exercise preferences and behaviors.

Results

Keirsey Temperament Sorter Reliability

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Reliability coefficients for the four dichotomies of the KTS were determined.

The Extraversion vs. Introversion dichotomy resulted in a coefficient of .54,

indicating that this subscale has low reliability. The Sensing vs. Intuition dichotomy

resulted in a coefficient of .68, indicating that this subscale also has low reliability.

The Thinking vs. Feeling dichotomy and the Judging vs. Perceiving dichotomy both

resulted in high reliability coefficients of .78 and .81 respectively.

Personality Types and Exercise Preferences and Behaviors

The ANOVAs indicated significant differences at a level of.05 of lower for two

of the personality dichotomies and three of the exercise preferences. There was a

significant difference between Thinking and Feeling of 0.043 for the preference of

aerobic or anaerobic exercise. Feeling was associated with a preference for aerobic

exercise, while Thinking was associated with a preference for anaerobic exercise.

There was a significant difference between Thinking and Feeling of 0.009 for the

preference of exercise company. Feeling was associated with a preference for

exercise with a few others, while Thinking was associated with a preference for

exercise alone. There was a significant difference between Judging and Perceiving of

0.021 for the preference of exercise location. Judging was associated with a

preference for exercise at the gym, while Perceiving was associated with a

preference for exercise outside. However, there were no significant differences

between any of the personality types or dichotomies for exercise behaviors.

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Table 1

ANOVA Significant Differences between Personality Factors and Preferences

T vs. F J vs. P
Mean SD Mean SD
Preferences
Alone 1.478 .505
With a few others 1.774 .425
F(1,76) = 7.20, p = 0.009
Aerobic 1.661 .478
Anaerobic 1.417 .504
F (1,79) = 4.25, p = 0.043
At the gym 1.167 .376
Outside 1.438 .512
F(1,75) = 5.59, p = 0.021

Discussion

The results of this study indicated a preference for aerobic exercise and

exercise with others for the personality factor Feeling and a preference for exercise

at a gym for the factor Judging. On the other hand, the results showed a preference

for anaerobic exercise and exercise alone for Thinking and a preference for exercise

outside for Perceiving. Because feeling exhibits a desire to relate to others, it is easy

to see why feelers would want to exercise with other people. Exercise could be

another outlet for developing relationships and could also be a form of motivation

because feelers make decisions based on others, they could need that pressure to

decide to exercise. A social environment can also surround aerobic exercise,

especially seen in aerobic dance classes or running groups, which could explain the

association between aerobic exercise and Feeling. The judging personality factor

shows an appreciation for structure and tradition, which could explain why judgers

would prefer to exercise at a gym, the most conventional location for exercise.
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Perceivers, who are less structured, could enjoy the spontaneity and openness of

nature, explaining their preference for exercise outside.

Only the association between aerobic exercise and Feeling supported the

hypotheses. The other results did not support the other parts of the first hypothesis

regarding exercise preferences, and they did not support the second hypothesis

regarding exercise behaviors because there were no significant differences between

any personality types and exercise behaviors. These hypotheses were based on the

assumed relationships between the MBTI and the FFM and the relationships

between the FFM and exercise preferences. Previous research indicated that the

MBTI and the FFM were related by Extraversion with Extraversion, Intuition with

Openness to Experience, Feeling with Agreeableness, and Judging with

Conscientiousness (Furnham, Moutafi, & Crump, 2003). Previous research also

indicated associations between the five factors and specific exercise preferences and

behaviors. Extraversion was associated with a high amount of exercise, a motive of

socializing, and a preference for structured exercise. Conscientiousness was

associated with a preference for structured exercise. Openness to Experience was

associated with a preference for outdoor exercise. Agreeableness was associated

with a preference for aerobic exercise (Courneya & Hellsten, 1998). However, the

KTS was not reliable enough for this comparison. As demonstrated by the resulting

poor reliability coefficients of this study, the KTS was not a good test for the

subscales of the MBTI and so could not be related similarly to the FFM or its

associated exercise characteristics as the MBTI had been in previous research.

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Therefore, this study encourages future research on the relationship

between personality types and exercise preferences and behaviors using the Myers-

Briggs Type Indicator, rather than the KTS. Even though the MBTI has more items

and takes longer for completion, it should be used over the KTS because of its

superior reliability (Consulting Psychologists Press, 2007). Future research should

also more greatly consider and concentrate on the usefulness of this study’s results

on practical application. Future research should explore if knowledge of one’s

exercise preferences based on personality types impacts initiation, improvement,

and maintenance of physical activity in order to benefit the greater population.

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