The circumplex model of affect in physical activity contexts: a systematic review

For sustained physical activity participation, prescription should promote pleasure. Pleasure/displeasure from activities can be influenced by various factors and have meaningful relations with continuous practice adherence. Considering the importance of affective assessment in these settings, the aim of this review is to explore the usefulness and efficacy of the circumplex model to detect the fluctuations of affective responses across physical activity practices. This systematic review was conducted through a search on PubMed, SPORTDiscus and PsycINFO, adding studies retrieved manually and following PRISMA guidelines. A total of 25 empirical studies published between 1998 and March, 2020 were analysed. Studies on the application of the circumplex model were found in aerobic (n=14), resistance (5), and mixed activities (6). The circumplex model was applied in various settings without any major problem or issue identified. Most studies recorded pre-, during, and post-practice affective responses. Analysing the predominance of each of the four quadrants composing the model, most studies revealed a pattern of affective valence that mainly crossed the low-activation pleasure, high-activation pleasure and high-activation displeasure quadrants. Some discrepancies regarding measurement time points, methods, and individual vs. groups analysis emerged; no testing or associations with exercise adherence were detected. Results showed that the circumplex model seems to be a viable tool to assess affective valence and activation in physical activity. However, given the variety of practice settings, individual characteristics, and methodological inconsistencies, more research is needed to better define how and when to apply this instrument in a reliable manner.