010-111 · Question #261
According to the self-determination theory, a personal trainer would be most effective in helping a new client engage in an exercise regimen by ______.
The correct answer is D. encouraging him/her to choose a favorite mode of exercise in a supportive group environment that. Self-Determination Theory identifies autonomy, competence, and relatedness as the three core psychological needs that drive intrinsic motivation and long-term exercise adherence.
Question
According to the self-determination theory, a personal trainer would be most effective in helping a new client engage in an exercise regimen by ______.
Options
- Ainstructing him/her to walk/jog 3 days per week for 20-30 minutes at his/her training heart rate
- Binstructing him/her to bicycle 5 miles to work & back 5 days per week at a moderate pace
- Cencouraging him/her to take a 45 minute step-aerobics class 3 days per week in a supportive
- Dencouraging him/her to choose a favorite mode of exercise in a supportive group environment that
How the community answered
(13 responses)- A8% (1)
- C15% (2)
- D77% (10)
Why each option
Self-Determination Theory identifies autonomy, competence, and relatedness as the three core psychological needs that drive intrinsic motivation and long-term exercise adherence.
Instructing a specific exercise modality and schedule removes the client's sense of autonomy, which SDT identifies as essential for intrinsic motivation and sustained adherence.
Prescribing a specific activity (bicycling to work) eliminates client choice, directly undermining the autonomy component of SDT rather than supporting it.
While a supportive group addresses relatedness, assigning a specific class format removes the client's autonomy of choice, satisfying only one of the two key SDT needs targeted in this scenario.
SDT holds that intrinsic motivation is maximized when individuals feel autonomous (choosing their own preferred activity) and relationally supported (connected to others in a group). Allowing the client to choose a favorite exercise mode satisfies autonomy, and providing a supportive group environment satisfies relatedness - fulfilling two of the three core SDT needs most critical for initiating a new exercise regimen.
Concept tested: Self-Determination Theory autonomy and relatedness in exercise motivation
Source: https://selfdeterminationtheory.org/theory/
Topics
Community Discussion
4
Mateus R.Nov 28, 2025Think of self-determination theory like trying to get a friend to eat healthier. If you hand them a meal plan they had no say in, they might follow it for a week and quit. But if you ask them what foods they actually enjoy and then build around that, with people they like eating alongside, they stick with it because it feels like their own choice, not your assignment. That is exactly why D is the right answer here. Self-determination theory rests on three pillars: autonomy, competence, and relatedness. Option D hits all three. Letting the client choose their favorite mode of exercise satisfies autonomy, because the behavior feels self-initiated rather than imposed. The supportive group environment covers relatedness, giving the client a sense of connection and belonging that reinforces the habit. The other options, A, B, and C, are all prescriptive, where the trainer decides the activity, which undermines that sense of ownership. When people feel like they chose something themselves, in a community that supports them, they are far more likely to keep showing up long after the first session.
Imani T.Dec 1, 2025Good breakdown, but worth flagging that competence is the piece test writers love to bury in wrong answers, so make sure you can spot when an option sounds supportive but is actually just the trainer making all the decisions with a friendlier tone.
Imani T.Dec 11, 2025SDT is really about autonomy, competence, and relatedness, and option D is the only one that actually hands control to the client while also covering the social connection piece, so it checks all three boxes at once. Did the exam ever give you a scenario where the trainer was providing tons of structure and external instruction but the client still showed high intrinsic motivation, and how did SDT explain that?
Brenda K.Nov 20, 2025D is right, but what part of SDT makes autonomy more powerful than structure here?