ABSTRACTThe main purpose of the study was to examine societal norms toward exercise as perceived by school children. To this end, the normative beliefs of specific referents (parents, teachers, and friends) and the motivation to comply with the beliefs of these specific referents were measured in 698 students of both sexes attending grades seven‐nine. Results indicated major changes in both normative beliefs and motivation to comply with “significant others” as the children move from grade seven to nine. There also were substantial differences between the results for active and sedentary children. Teachers seem to provide a stable norm, less influenced by the age, sex, and level of physical activity of the st
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