Year: 2013
Type: article
Study design: Clinical Trial
Abstract: Theories of suggestion and motivation were used to examine if college students exercising in an environment with low or high motivation posters would affect mood, perceived exertion, and exercise workload (i.e., RPM and speed). A total of 134 students (62 males, 72 females) were randomly assigned to one of three conditions while exercising: relaxing posters (i.e., tropical nature), motivational posters (i.e., competitive bikers), or no posters (i.e., control). Participants completed 20 minutes of exercise at their own pace. Measures of mood were taken immediately prior to and following exercise. Exercise workload was recorded throughout. Results indicate that participants in the relaxing condition experienced higher levels of tension than those in the other two conditions. Participants in the motivational condition reported higher levels of relaxation. A consistency bias may have made participants uncomfortable in an exercise environment with relaxing images that are inconsistent with a typical exercise atmosphere.
Authors: Thomas G. Plante, Ashley Morisako, Justine Folk, Elizabeth Kay, Caroline Read, Ashley R. Dunn, Ángel Luis Pérez Rodríguez, Eleanor Willemsen
Language: English
Subfield: Social Psychology
Field: Psychology
Domain: Social Sciences
Open Access status: green
OpenAlex ID: W2298257002