Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Chapter 2
Chapter 2
The Social-Ecological
Model
Learning Intention (from study design):
Key Knowledge: Components of social-ecological model
(individual, social environment, physical environment and
policy). The relationship between the multiple levels of
influence and physical activity.
Key Skills: Identify the components of the socialecological model. Apply the social ecological model to
critique physical activity strategies used by government
and non-government organisations to target two
subpopulation groups.
Social-Ecological Model
Social-Ecological Model
The model is comprised of four distinct but interactive
(interrelate) components which impact upon each other.
The model depicts a series of overlapping circles, showing
that human behaviour is not only determined by the
values and decisions of the individual.
Individual Factors
Knowledge, attitudes, behaviours, perceived
barriers, motivation, enjoyment and self-efficacy.
Skills (including fundamental motor skills and
sport specific skills), abilities and disabilities or
injuries.
Age and Gender
Level of education
Socio-economic status
Employment status
Individual Factors
Social Environment
Surrounding the individual in the socialecological model is the social environment.
The social environment comprises the
relationships, the culture and the society with
whom the individual interacts.
The social environment has a significant
influence on physical activity behaviour. For
example, having someone such as a peer,
family member or work colleague to be
physically active with can impact on physical
activity behaviour.
Social Environment
Social Environment
Strategies
Strategies which bring change at the social
environment level include community
education, support groups, peer programs,
workplace incentives and social marketing
campaigns. These are used to promote
positive community attitudes and awareness
to participation in physical activity.
E.g. Work sport teams, walking clubs,
community activity groups such as active
mothers.
Physical Environment
Physical activities take place in physical environments. The
physical environment includes the natural environment and
the built(or constructed) environment.
Physical environments provide prompts for physical
activity, but can also deter people from being active. Poorly
maintained infrastructure is likely to be a barrier to physical
activity, but well maintained resources where people feel
safe and comfortable increase the chance of an individual
being physically active. Furthermore, from positive physical
environments, social groups often sprout and flourish. For
example, a new walking track may lead to an increase of
walking groups, resulting in more support for the individual.
The physical
environment includes:
Natural factors, such as weather or geography.
Availability and access to facilities, such as parks and
playgrounds.
Attractiveness of facilities or the natural environment.
Safety issues, such as crime rates or danger levels of
roads.
Urban design, such as connectivity of streets to town
facilities.
Public transport access and connectivity.
Physical Environment
Physical Environment
Strategies
The built environment provides opportunities for intervention,
such as the inclusion of walking or bicycle tracks and parks in
new housing developments and ease of access to them. The
natural environment has fewer opportunities for intervention;
these tend to focus on overcoming barriers to physical activity
within the natural environment.
Physical Environment
Strategies Contd
Workplace- putting in showers so staff can get changed
after active travel to work, bike racks.
School having access to oval or school gym
Community safe walking tracks with equipment, bike
paths, boat ramps.
Policy Level
This refers to legislation, regulatory or
policy making actions that have the
potential to affect physical activity. These
are often formal legal actions taken by
local, state or federal governments but
can also be informal local policies or
rules in settings such as schools or work
places.
Policy Factors
Urban Planning
Transport networks
Education policies, such as mandating time
for PE classes.
Health policies
Environmental policies
Workplace policies
Funding
Policy
Policy
Policies are behind almost every change.
Therefore, be selective when choosing a policy
level strategy. Does it require planning or funding?
What sort of language is used? Key words such as
implement, organise, and enforce are often hints
for policy type changes.
Policy examples include:
Workplace- Subsidised gym memberships, flexible work
hours for those that use active travel to work, walk and
talk meetings.
School designated areas for year levels, handing out
equipment at lunch, mandated PE lessons.
Community Urban planning policies, safe zones around
parks,
Exam Questions........