How Do Two Types of Exercise Habits Predict Physical Activity with Intention?

This manuscript investigates how conscious intention and unconscious exercise habits influence physical activity behavior. While prior research has predominantly focused on conscious decision-making, this study applied a dual-process model to explore the impact of intention and habit on physical activity engagement. Out of the 300 questionnaires distributed to students from one university, 282 questionnaires were utilized for data analysis after excluding insincere responses. Intention was measured using a 7-point scale, while exercise habits were assessed using the Self-Report Behavioral Automaticity Index. In addition, physical activity was measured using the Weekly Leisure-Time Exercise Questionnaire. The validity and reliability of measurement tools were confirmed. Data were analyzed using SPSS and AMOS, including correlation analysis, multiple regression, and moderation analysis. Intention, exercise preparation habit, and exercise performance habit were all found to influence physical activity levels significantly. Intention demonstrated the strongest impact, followed by exercise preparation habit and exercise performance habit. This suggests that the research efforts regarding intention conducted before the emergence of the dual process model, which proposes the importance of unconscious thinking patterns, were not in vain. The analysis revealed a statistically significant moderating effect of exercise preparation habit, but not exercise performance habit, in the relationship between intention and physical activity. Exercise preparation habit was identified as a significant moderator, enhancing the relationship between intention and physical activity. This study underscores the importance of considering both conscious intention and unconscious exercise habits in promoting physical activity. The findings challenge the prevailing emphasis on conscious decision-making and highlight the need for a more comprehensive understanding of unconscious behavior in health behavior interventions. This study is expected to arouse academic interest in the often-neglected area of unconscious behavior.

Robust Co alloy design for Co interconnects using a self-forming barrier layer.

With recent rapid increases in Cu resistivity, RC delay has become an important issue again. Co, which has a low electron mean free path, is being studied as beyond Cu metal and is expected to minimize this increase in resistivity. However, extrinsic time-dependent dielectric breakdown has been reported for Co interconnects. Therefore, it is necessary to apply a diffusion barrier, such as the Ta/TaN system, to increase interconnect lifetimes. In addition, an ultrathin diffusion barrier should be formed to occupy as little area as possible. This study provides a thermodynamic design for a self-forming barrier that provides reliability with Co interconnects. Since Cr, Mn, Sn, and Zn dopants exhibited surface diffusion or interfacial stable phases, the model constituted an effective alloy design. In the Co-Cr alloy, Cr diffused into the dielectric interface and reacted with oxygen to provide a self-forming diffusion barrier comprising Cr2O3. In a breakdown voltage test, the Co-Cr alloy showed a breakdown voltage more than 200% higher than that of pure Co. The 1.2 nm ultrathin Cr2O3 self-forming barrier will replace the current bilayer barrier system and contribute greatly to lowering the RC delay. It will realize high-performance Co interconnects with robust reliability in the future.

Understanding of Physical Activity in Social Ecological Perspective: Application of Multilevel Model.

In the social ecological model, personal characteristics are important determinants of health behaviors, however, multi-dimensional approaches that consider social and physical environments must be utilized to gain a broader picture. Accordingly, this study examines the effects of personal, social, and physical environment variables as factors affecting levels of physical activity (METs). Our findings are based on 72,916 responses from the 2015 Community Health Survey in South Korea. Individual characteristics considered included sex, education level, marital status, age, and income. The social environment variables considered were trust between neighbors and the social network with neighbors. The physical environment variables were satisfaction with living environment and satisfaction with public transportation. The analysis was conducted using a multilevel model in order to accurately consider the characteristic differences of the variables. Regarding personal characteristics, sex, education level, and age have a significant effect on physical activity. Of the social and physical environment variables, social network with neighbors and satisfaction with public transportation have a significant effect on physical activity. This study confirms that a macroscopic understanding is needed to explain individual levels of physical activity; the results of this study will be helpful for public health interventions concerning physical activity.

Exploring the Formation of Exercise Habits with the Latent Growth Model.

This study investigated the antecedent factors affecting exercise preparation and performance habits and provides basic data for the development of health promotion interventions, based on what was found to be most effective in improving intention and habit. The participants were 114 university students who were willing to participate regularly in exercise and physical activities and interested in forming exercise habits. After coding, we analyzed the complete data set through frequency analysis, reliability, and latent growth model analysis. The provision of early rewards positively affected an initial exercise preparation habit. Both initial consistency and development of consistency also positively affected the development of exercise preparation, and initial behavioral complexity positively affected initial exercise preparation. However, no factors influenced an exercise performance habit. Thus, forming an exercise preparation habit requires fun, personal control, and repetitive behavior while forming an exercise performance habit is particularly challenging. These results may help construct a program for continuous exercise participation.