Dr. Anne Cox
Dr. Anne E. Cox
Associate Professor
Kinesiology/Sport and Exercise Psychology
Program Faculty
Smith 213C
Pullman, WA 99164
(509) 335-7504
anne.cox@wsu.edu
Follow me on Twitter @Annecox21
Listen to my podcast:
This has led to my recent interest in the role of mindfulness during physical activity. Mindfulness refers to open, nonjudgmental attention to the here and now and can include mental (e.g., thoughts) and physical (e.g., exertion, muscular sensations) objects of attention. Conceptually, paying attention to one’s current experience while moving seems a necessary prerequisite to actually enjoying being active. We can’t enjoy what we aren’t paying attention to, right? This is in contrast to many of the strategies individuals use to “get through” a workout such as listening to music or watching TV. Our recent research findings support the positive associations of mindfulness of one’s physical experience to intrinsic motivation for a particular bout of physical activity as well as more internal sources of motivation more generally. We are currently investigating how mindfulness during physical activity not only supports more intrinsic motivation but also contributes to a less objectified view of the self, thus improving body image. Please explore our lab website to learn more about what we are doing including our current projects and research blog. You can also listen to my podcast, Moving Mindfully, to learn more about how the research informs our practice.
Psychology of Physical Activity Laboratory
Smith Gym 213-A
Department of Kinesiology and Educational Psychology
Washington State University
Pullman, WA 99164