Director: Sami Yli-Piipari

Dr Sami Yli-Piipari

Lab: FH 158

Office: FH 214

Phone: (901) 6781794

E-mail: srylppri@memphis.edu

Director: Sami Yli-Piipari, Ph.D. Lab Staf: Joshua Campbel (Graduate Research Assistant) Affiliated Faculty: Carol Irwin, Ph.D., Dr Todd Layne, Ph.D. International Collaborators: Jarmo Liukkonen, Ph.D. (Professor, University of Jyvaskyla, Finland), Timo Jaakkola (Senior Lecturer, Clinical Psychologist, University of Jyvaskyla, Finland), Vassilis Barkoukis, Ph.D. (Senior Lecturer, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Greece).

Research Focus: Physical Activity and Exercise Psychology Laboratory (PAEP) has its focus on the study of determinants and consequences of physical activity behavior across K-12 and exercise settings. Specifically, the PAEP employs a social cognitive perspective to examine how social, physiological, behavioral, and psychological factors influence and are influenced by physical activity across the lifespan. Laboratory has generated a Physically Active School Initiative program to increase school students’ physical activity to facilitate children’s and adolescents’ health, well-being, and school achievement.

Current Research Projects

Examining the Role of Schools in the Urban Elementary School Students’ Physical Activity and Fitness Timeline: 2012-2013 PI: Yli-Piipari, S., Co-I: Layne, T. & Irwin, C. Abstract:The research study is to examine the role of school policies along with physical and psychological environment in the children’s and adolescents’ physical activity and fitness. School health policies of 50 middle and elementary schools, perceptions of 300 school teachers, and BMI and one mile run test scores of 2,000 students will be examined. The findings of the study will advance our understanding regarding the role of school environment in children’s and adolescents’ physical activity and fitness. As a result of this project, more physically active school environment can be created and more successful interventions to increase children fitness and health can be designed.

The Development of Students’ Physical Education Motivation and Physical Activity: A Longitudinal Study Timeline: 2007-2013 PI: Yli-Piipari, S. & Liukkonen, J., Co-I: Grasten, A, (GA), & Jaakkola, T. Abstract: The purpose of this study is to investigate the change in Finnish adolescents’ physical education motivation and habitual physical activity from last grade of elementary school across middle, high, and volitional schools.

The Role of Motivation Climate in Physical Education Students’ Behavior, Cognition, and Affect Timeline: 2009-2011 PI: Yli-Piipari, S., Co-I: Barkoukis, V., Jaakkola, T., & Liukkonen, J. Abstract: The aim of this 2-year longitudinal study is to examine the relationships between students’ perception of motivational climate, in-class and out-of-class physical activity behavior, enjoyment, and anxiety in physical education.