Social psychological dimensions of physical activity: a state-of-the-art review of reviews.

Abstract

The purpose of this state-of-the-art review of reviews was to unify, describe and appraise the relationship between physical activity (PA) and social psychological constructs, using the social dimensions of health behavior (SDHB) framework, which represents a taxonomy of 10 social dimensions applicable to health behaviors. Eligible reviews were published in a peer-reviewed journal in English, included a review in which PA was operationalized as a focal predictor or outcome variable and with data also reported on at least one social construct reported in the results, and published between 2010 and July 2025. Literature searches were completed in August 2025 using seven common databases. The search yielded 54 reviews. We identified limited evidence for reviews of experimental research. Reviews of observational quantitative studies showed associations between PA with injunctive norm, perceived social support, and attachment ties with meta-analysis point estimates in the small, positive effect size range. Reviews of qualitative studies revealed positive associations with PA that covered the entire SDHB framework, yet most were conducted on specific populations so generalizability was not clear. The findings show domains in need of further examination to address gaps in knowledge, opportunities for theoretical integration, and highlight key social dimensions important in PA promotion.