Abstract
In this chapter, we explore the importance of studying emotional responses to exercise, focusing on the acute and chronic effects of exercise on the multifaceted and nuanced construct of emotion. We begin the chapter by identifying and discussing theoretical perspectives of emotion, ranging from discrete to dimensional conceptualizations, with the goal of operationalizing emotion and how it is studied in the context of psychophysiological research. Next, we provide an overview of how emotions are measured in exercise research, highlighting commonly used self-report instruments and psychophysiological methods. We then review the scientific evidence regarding emotional responses to both acute and chronic exercise and provide a summary and conclusions regarding the state of the evidence. Lastly, general suggestions for future research aiming to advance this line of inquiry are offered.