Date of Award

3-22-2012

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Science

Department

Department of Systems Engineering and Management

First Advisor

John J. Elshaw, PhD.

Abstract

This research addressed the following question: "How are behavioral indicators related to physiological responses?" Three theories -- Conservation of Resources, Planned Behavior, and Achievement Motivation -- were employed to build a proposed model of the effects that an individual's motivation for a healthy lifestyle would have on his/her emotional exhaustion, daily medication usage, and low-density lipoproteins. Motivation for a healthy lifestyle was hypothesized to have a negative relationship with emotional exhaustion when using body mass index as a partial mediator. Emotional exhaustion was hypothesized to have positive relationships with daily medication usage and low-density lipoproteins. The model was tested using linear regression modeling and an archival dataset that contained a behavioral survey, anthropometric measurements, and blood samples. All the relationships except those between motivation for a healthy lifestyle and emotional exhaustion, and the partial mediation were supported. An alternate explanation for the lack of support for two of the hypotheses is discussed. This research is unique in that it incorporates behavioral constructs and physical outcomes, a combination that has been identified as underutilized in the realms of organizational and behavioral research.

AFIT Designator

AFIT-GEM-ENV-12-M12

DTIC Accession Number

ADA557565

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