ABSTRACT
The purpose of this chapter is to discuss the role of self-as-doer identity in health behavior change for non-clinical populations. The self-as-doer identity is argued to provide a source of motivation that goes beyond external reinforcement, self-efficacy, and environmental barriers to promote sustaining behavior change. Results from studies exploring physical activity and healthy diet behaviors are presented. The chapter discusses the degree to which the self-as-doer identity promotes physical activity behavior and is related to exercise motivations, exercise self-efficacy, and exercise identity. The development of an intervention to increase self-as-doer identity which corresponds to the maintenance of healthy diet behaviors is also discussed at length. The research reviewed in this chapter supports the self-as-doer theory that conceptualizing oneself as the doer of one's behavior can have an effect on health behavior maintenance.
