Invitation to a lecture from the “I Want to Know More” series: Emotions as the Key to a Long-Term Relationship with Physical Activity: Why It’s Not Enough to Just Talk About Physical Activity

Physical activity among children and young people has been declining over the long term, and although many interventions can increase the amount of physical activity in the short term, their effects often fade quickly once the program ends. The fundamental question, therefore, is not merely how to get more active, but above all how to foster a relationship with physical activity such that we seek it out on our own, even without external guidance.

This lecture will present a perspective on motivation for physical activity through emotions and the concept of “core affect.” This concept refers to the body’s immediate emotional response to a specific situation. If a physical experience is associated with a pleasant feeling, the likelihood that a child will seek out a similar activity again increases. Conversely, repeated negative experiences can gradually lead to a tendency to avoid physical activity.

Using the UNCE project as an example, we will demonstrate how this principle can be applied to the context of school physical education. We will focus on the role of experience, perceived motor competencies, physical literacy, and the individual’s social environment. We will also discuss whether more frequent and positively guided physical education can influence not only a child’s behavior at school but also their spontaneous physical activity during free time.

The goal of the lecture is not to offer a simple guide, but to show why the emotional quality of the movement experience can be one of the key factors in long-term engagement in physical activity.

The main question, therefore, is: Can we simply move more, or can we also learn to want to move?

Prof. PhDr. Martin Musálek, Ph.D., is a professor of kinesiology at the Faculty of Physical Education and Sport at Charles University in Prague. In his research, he has long focused on developmental kinesiology and investigates the interrelationships between motor and cognitive development, physical fitness, growth, body composition, and biological maturation in children and adolescents. Specifically, he focuses on motor competence, coordination, basic motor skills, lateralization, and their relationship to physical activity, health, and cognitive functions. An important part of his research also involves the biological maturation of young athletes, particularly in soccer and ice hockey. He is the author and co-author of numerous scientific publications and actively collaborates with research institutions in Europe, Africa, and North America.

Link to join: Doctoral School - Emotions as the Key to a Long-Term Relationship with Physical Activity: Why Talking About Physical Activity Isn’t Enough | Join the Meeting | Microsoft Teams