The acute impact of extended aerobic exercise on cognitive performance
- Tichiwanhuyi, Tendayi Stephen
- Authors: Tichiwanhuyi, Tendayi Stephen
- Date: 2015
- Subjects: Aerobic exercises , Cognition -- Effect of exercise on , Exercise -- Physiological aspects , Exercise -- Psychological aspects , Visual perception , Short-term memory , Motor ability , Human information processing
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MSc
- Identifier: vital:5173 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1018182
- Description: Previous research has established a relationship between exercise and cognition, with more emphasis on this ascertained link, being made on the effects of long term and endurance exercise on cognition. However, enhanced worker effectiveness relies on a strong acute collaboration of physical and cognitive performance during task execution. As a result, the purpose of this study was to examine the acute effects of extended aerobic exercise on visual perception, working memory and motor responses, and to achieve this 24 participants (12 males and 12 females) aged between 18 and 24 participated in a 2 bout cycling exercise. The experimental condition had cycling resistance set at 60 percent of each individual’s maximum aerobic output and the control condition had zero cycling resistance, where three cognitive tasks were performed at 10 minute intervals during the cycling exercise. The results showed that exercise did not affect any significant changes on the cognitive performance measures over the entire cycling duration, as well as during the exercise phase (cycling with resistance). However, visual perception improved significantly (p<0.05) immediately after exercise. This led to the conclusion that moderate to high intensity exercise when performed for an extended duration, has selective effects on certain cognitive performance measures, with the time at which the performance is measured during the exercise being a relevant factor to be considered for maximum activation effects of the exercise.
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- Authors: Tichiwanhuyi, Tendayi Stephen
- Date: 2015
- Subjects: Aerobic exercises , Cognition -- Effect of exercise on , Exercise -- Physiological aspects , Exercise -- Psychological aspects , Visual perception , Short-term memory , Motor ability , Human information processing
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MSc
- Identifier: vital:5173 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1018182
- Description: Previous research has established a relationship between exercise and cognition, with more emphasis on this ascertained link, being made on the effects of long term and endurance exercise on cognition. However, enhanced worker effectiveness relies on a strong acute collaboration of physical and cognitive performance during task execution. As a result, the purpose of this study was to examine the acute effects of extended aerobic exercise on visual perception, working memory and motor responses, and to achieve this 24 participants (12 males and 12 females) aged between 18 and 24 participated in a 2 bout cycling exercise. The experimental condition had cycling resistance set at 60 percent of each individual’s maximum aerobic output and the control condition had zero cycling resistance, where three cognitive tasks were performed at 10 minute intervals during the cycling exercise. The results showed that exercise did not affect any significant changes on the cognitive performance measures over the entire cycling duration, as well as during the exercise phase (cycling with resistance). However, visual perception improved significantly (p<0.05) immediately after exercise. This led to the conclusion that moderate to high intensity exercise when performed for an extended duration, has selective effects on certain cognitive performance measures, with the time at which the performance is measured during the exercise being a relevant factor to be considered for maximum activation effects of the exercise.
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A cross-cultural study of susceptibility to the Müller-Lyer and Ponzo illusions
- Authors: Smith, T V G
- Date: 1970
- Subjects: Personality and culture , Xhosa (African people) -- Psychology , Visual perception , Optical illusions , Cross-cultural studies
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MA
- Identifier: vital:3239 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1013235
- Description: In order to investigate certain anomalies evident in the literature, the performances of three Xhosa groups (rural dwellers, urban dwellers, and undergraduates) of varying degrees of acculturation and a White undergraduate group, each group consisting of 30 subjects, were measured on tests of mode of field approach and susceptibility to the Müller- Lyer and Ponzo illusions. In addition, the effect of the introduction of a mental set, which facilitated the perception of perspective in the Ponzo figure, on susceptibility to the illusion was ascertained. Mode of field approach was measured by a portable version of the Rod-and-Frame Test. Susceptibility to the Müller-Lyer illusion was measured by a conventional movable- slide, subject-adjustable device, while a piece of apparatus which also worked on the movable slide principle and was subject-adjustable was developed to measure susceptibility to the Ponzo illusion. The set to facilitate the perception of perspective in the Ponzo figure was introduced by having subjects match the length of Ponzo contrast lines embodied in a photograph and a line-drawing of a bridge, both of these pictures having strong perspective cues. The subjects were required to perform the tasks in prescribed order. Standardised English or Xhosa instructions were ensured by the use of "programmed" worksheets for each task. Prior to each experimental task, the more unacculturated subjects performed comprehension checks to ensure that they understood the concepts of equal length and verticality. The results of the study suggested that: (i) When groups of differing acculturation levels are tested, there may be a pronounced negative association of field dependence with susceptibility to the Müller-Lyer and Ponzo illusions. In general, the more unacculturated the subject, the more field dependent and the less susceptible to illusions he was. However, there was no evidence which either strongly supported or refuted the relationship between these attributes at the intra-group level. (ii) There is no intra- group association between susceptibility to the Müller-Lyer and to the Ponzo illusions. This would indicate that they are not necessarily generated by similar inference habits or by similar contour properties. (iii) The introduction of a "perspective set" increases susceptibility to the Ponzo illusion only among acculturated subjects, who have well-developed pictorial depth perception skills and who habitually infer depth in inverted - V configurations. (iv) There is a significant association between acculturation and field independence. The unacculturated subjects, presumably because they lack the skills of visual analysis which are engendered by Western culture, were more field dependent than the acculturated subjects. (v) Provided that their degrees of acculturation are more-or-less equivalent, as were those of the two undergraduate groups, there are no differences in mode of field approach or susceptibility to the Müller-Lyer and Ponzo illusion among Xhosa and White subjects. Summary, p. 112.
- Full Text:
- Authors: Smith, T V G
- Date: 1970
- Subjects: Personality and culture , Xhosa (African people) -- Psychology , Visual perception , Optical illusions , Cross-cultural studies
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MA
- Identifier: vital:3239 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1013235
- Description: In order to investigate certain anomalies evident in the literature, the performances of three Xhosa groups (rural dwellers, urban dwellers, and undergraduates) of varying degrees of acculturation and a White undergraduate group, each group consisting of 30 subjects, were measured on tests of mode of field approach and susceptibility to the Müller- Lyer and Ponzo illusions. In addition, the effect of the introduction of a mental set, which facilitated the perception of perspective in the Ponzo figure, on susceptibility to the illusion was ascertained. Mode of field approach was measured by a portable version of the Rod-and-Frame Test. Susceptibility to the Müller-Lyer illusion was measured by a conventional movable- slide, subject-adjustable device, while a piece of apparatus which also worked on the movable slide principle and was subject-adjustable was developed to measure susceptibility to the Ponzo illusion. The set to facilitate the perception of perspective in the Ponzo figure was introduced by having subjects match the length of Ponzo contrast lines embodied in a photograph and a line-drawing of a bridge, both of these pictures having strong perspective cues. The subjects were required to perform the tasks in prescribed order. Standardised English or Xhosa instructions were ensured by the use of "programmed" worksheets for each task. Prior to each experimental task, the more unacculturated subjects performed comprehension checks to ensure that they understood the concepts of equal length and verticality. The results of the study suggested that: (i) When groups of differing acculturation levels are tested, there may be a pronounced negative association of field dependence with susceptibility to the Müller-Lyer and Ponzo illusions. In general, the more unacculturated the subject, the more field dependent and the less susceptible to illusions he was. However, there was no evidence which either strongly supported or refuted the relationship between these attributes at the intra-group level. (ii) There is no intra- group association between susceptibility to the Müller-Lyer and to the Ponzo illusions. This would indicate that they are not necessarily generated by similar inference habits or by similar contour properties. (iii) The introduction of a "perspective set" increases susceptibility to the Ponzo illusion only among acculturated subjects, who have well-developed pictorial depth perception skills and who habitually infer depth in inverted - V configurations. (iv) There is a significant association between acculturation and field independence. The unacculturated subjects, presumably because they lack the skills of visual analysis which are engendered by Western culture, were more field dependent than the acculturated subjects. (v) Provided that their degrees of acculturation are more-or-less equivalent, as were those of the two undergraduate groups, there are no differences in mode of field approach or susceptibility to the Müller-Lyer and Ponzo illusion among Xhosa and White subjects. Summary, p. 112.
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