Influencing factors of physical exercise behavior among Chinese female university students: a configurational analysis based on fsQCA

This study confirms the characteristics of "multiple conjunctural causation" and "causal asymmetry" in forming physical activity behaviors among Chinese female university students. It extends SCT by revealing complex compensatory and substitutive mechanisms among factors, moving beyond traditional linear models. The findings offer a novel configurational perspective for understanding this population's physical activity behaviors and provide crucial evidence for designing targeted health behavior interventions.