Background: Social influence channels (e.g., parents) and types (e.g., compliance) have each been related to physical activity independently, but little is known about how these two categories of influence may operate in combination.
Purpose: This study examined the relationships between various combinations of social influence and physical activity among youth across structured and unstructured settings.
Methods: Adolescents (N=304), classified as high or low active, reported the social influence combinations they received for being active.
Results: Participants identified three channels and three types of influence associated with being active. For structured activity, compliance with peers and significant others predicted membership in the high active group (values of p< .001). In the unstructured setting, peer compliance (p= .009) and conformity (p= .019) were associated with active group membership.
Conclusions: These findings reinforce considering both setting, as well as the channel/type combinations of social influence, when examining health-related physical activity.