Faculty and Staff Biographies

1993, B.A. State University of New York, College at Oswego

Selected Publications:

Hausenblas, H. A., Symons-Downs, D., Giacobbi, P. R., Jr., Tuccitto, D.,* Cook, B. (2008). A multilevel examination of exercise intention and behavior during pregnancy. Social Science & Medicine, 66, 2555-2561.

Giacobbi, P. R., Jr., Stancil, M.,* Hardin, B., & Bryant, L. (2008). Physical activity and quality of life experienced by highly active individuals with physical disabilities. Adapted Physical Activity Quarterly, 25, 189-207.

Giacobbi, P.R., Jr. (2007). Age and activity level differences in the use of exercise imagery. Journal of Applied Sport Psychology, 19(4), 487-493.

Penfield, R., Giacobbi, P. R., Jr., & Myers, N. D. (2007). Using the cumulative common log-odds ratio to identify differential item functioning of rating scale items in the exercise & sport sciences. Research Quarterly for Exercise and Sport, 78(5), 451-464.

Hoenig, H., Giacobbi, P.R., Jr., & Levy, C. (2007). Methodological challenges confronting researchers of wheeled mobility aids and other assistive technologies. Disability and Rehabilitation: Assistive Technology, 2(3), 159-168.

Giacobbi, P.R., Jr., Tuccitto, D.,* & Frye, N. (2007). Exercise, affect and university students’ appraisals of academic events prior to the final examination period. Psychology of Sport and Exercise, 8(2), 261-274.

Giacobbi, P.R., Jr., Hardin, B., Frye, N., Hausenblas, H. A., Sears, S., & Stegelin, A.* (2006). A multi-level examination of personality, exercise, and daily life events for individuals with physical disabilities. Adapted Physical Activity Quarterly, 23, 129-147.

Giacobbi, P.R., Jr., Hausenblas, H. A., & Penfield, R.D. (2005). Further refinements in the measurement of exercise imagery: The exercise imagery inventory. Measurement in Physical Education and Exercise Sciences, 9(4), 251-266.

Giacobbi, P.R., Jr., Poczwardowski, A., & Hagar, P. (2005). A pragmatic research philosophy for sport and exercise psychology. The Sport Psychologist, 19, 18-31.

Biography:

Dr. Giacobbi has a multi-pronged research program focused on the social-psychological determinants of physical activity behavior, the examination of linkages between psychological stress and exercise behavior, and the use of mental imagery in exercise settings. He is particularly interested in examining and promotion exercise behavior for individuals at risk for inactive sedentary lifestyles such as individuals with physical disabilities. Dr. Giacobbi is currently funded as a co-investigator by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) in a study focused on exercise during pregnancy. This study uses the theory of planned behavior (Ajzen, 1985) as a framework to examine women’s beliefs, attitudes, and exercise behavior during pregnancy.

“My work on exercise and stress emotions has shown that (a) aspects of personality (e.g., neuroticism, trait anger, trait anxiety) moderate links between exercise and stress emotions; (b) there are vast individual differences in how individuals respond to evaluative sources of stress within physical activity contexts; and (c) social support influences individuals’ choices to engage or avoid exercise behavior.”

Mental imagery is a quasi-sensory experience that allows people to mimic or create experience in one’s mind. Everyone engages in mental imagery and it is a widely used part of various cognitive-behavioral therapies for the treatment of anxiety and coping with pain. Dr. Giacobbi is one of only a few researchers studying mental imagery in exercise settings. “It is my hope to use mental imagery as part of an overall intervention strategy to promote exercise behavior.”

Dr. Giacobbi continues to have active collaborations with clinical psychologists, medical doctors, and gerontologists. These collaborative efforts have resulted in funding from the National Institutes of Health and various private sources.