An analysis of the associations between boredom, effort value, and exercise behavior

Insufficient physical activity poses significant health risks, making it essential to understand psychological aspects influencing exercise engagement. Here, we examined the relationship between exercise boredom, the perceived value of physical effort, and self-reported exercise behavior. A cross-sectional online study with 351 participants (M = 30.58 years, SD = 10.82) assessed exercise boredom using a Bored of Sports Scale (BOSS) and the perceived value of physical effort using the Value of Physical Effort Scale (VoPE). Exercise behavior was measured as weekly minutes of sport activity. We found that both exercise boredom and the value of physical effort are relevant for exercise engagement, with the value of physical effort being a stable predictor and closely linked to exercise behavior. Bayesian network analysis further supported this, revealing that value of physical effort and exercise behavior clustered closely together, suggesting a robust relationship. Mediation analyses showed that the relationship between exercise boredom and exercise behavior was mediated by the perceived value of physical effort. Higher boredom levels were associated with a lower perceived value of physical effort, which in turn was positively linked to time spent exercising. The significant indirect effect suggests that boredom contributes to lower exercise engagement partly by reducing the perceived value of physical effort. These findings highlight the importance of addressing exercise boredom and enhancing the perceived value of physical effort to promote sustained physical activity and improve health outcomes.