The Health Education and Sports Psychology research group investigates the psychological foundations of health-promoting physical activity and develops evidence-based approaches to promoting physical activity in prevention, rehabilitation, and follow-up care. The focus is on how people incorporate physical activity and sports into their daily lives, how they maintain these habits over the long term, and why they often fail to do so. A particular focus is on the dynamic analysis of health-promoting physical activity and on how motivational, affective, habitual, and self-regulatory processes develop over time and interact in specific situational contexts.

The research conducted by the research group combines theoretical modeling with real-life empirical data collection and application-oriented interventions. Using longitudinal studies, Ecological Momentary Assessment, digital data collection formats, and mixed-methods approaches, the group investigates how intentions, affect, habit, and perceived behavioral control interact in specific behavioral episodes. This perspective makes it possible to explain the gap between intention and behavior more precisely and to identify starting points for effective interventions.

The research group’s key areas of focus include dynamic explanations of physical activity behavior, the role of emotion and motivation in sports and health promotion, digital and hybrid interventions, and the sustainability of promoting physical activity in prevention, rehabilitation, and follow-up care.

In current projects, the research group is investigating, among other things, participation in sports and health courses, digital prevention programs, individualized rehabilitation, COPD therapy, and follow-up care. Further information on ongoing and completed projects can be found here.

In this way, the research unit combines basic research in sports psychology with intervention research in health psychology and interdisciplinary health services research.