The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between physical exertion and mental performance and then to interpret this information in terms of arousal theories. More specifically, this study has attempted to determine the effect that physical exertion has upon mental performance and to determine what, if any, is the nature of this relationship between physical exertion and mental performance. Varying degrees of physical exertion were induced, by bicycle ergometer riding at a rate of fifty revolutions per minute with a resistance of four kilograms. Treatment conditions of 0, 2, 4, 6, and 8 minutes of riding were randomly assigned to each of five consecutive days. On completion of each daily exercise bout the subject performed a task designed to measure mental performance. This task required the subject to listen to a list of random numbers, prerecorded at one second intervals, with the objective of detecting a sequence of digits which occurred in the order "odd number - even number - odd number", and to respond by saying "yes" before the next digit was presented. The test consisted of 150 digits and the score was the number of series correctly identified out of a maximum of twenty-eight. Twenty male students residing in campus dormitories volunteered as subjects. The results, although not significant in terms of the effect of the physical exertion conditions, did tend to indicate that physical exertion had a positive effect upon mental performance. Further investigation of the results led to the conclusion that the effect of physical exertion upon mental performance cannot always be described by a simple inverted U relationship. / Education, Faculty of / Curriculum and Pedagogy (EDCP), Department of / Graduate

Digitized by Kansas Correctional Industries

Digitized by Kansas Correctional Industries

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Missouri-Columbia, 1997. / Typescript. Vita. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 67-75). Also available on the Internet.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Missouri-Columbia, 1997. / Typescript. Vita. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 67-75). Also available on the Internet.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Wisconsin--Madison, 1979. / Vita. Tables. eContent provider-neutral record in process. Description based on print version record. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 100-111).

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Wisconsin--Madison, 1975. / Typescript. Vita. eContent provider-neutral record in process. Description based on print version record. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 59-68).

Thesis (M.S.)--University of Wisconsin--Madison, 1969. / eContent provider-neutral record in process. Description based on print version record. Includes bibliographical references.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Wisconsin--Madison, 1976. / Typescript. Vita. eContent provider-neutral record in process. Description based on print version record. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 212-216).

A dessertation submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the Degree of Master of Arts in Clinical Psychology in the Department of Psychology, Faculty of Arts at the University of Zululand, 1995. / Activities in which people perceive risk, arouses a certain measure of anxiety. The heightened anxiety level becomes pathological if it overcomes the natural coping abilities of a person for an extended period of time. In this study a perceived risk situation was created in which heightened physiological arousal was induced, observed and managed. Direct signs of heightened physiological arousal were observed by monitoring changes in heartbeat, skin temperature, skin conductance, electromyographic activity and blood volume pulse using a biofeedback system. The 11 member experimental group were introduced to a three day progressive relaxation training programme prior to participating in the stationary perceived risk activity. The experimental group experienced a lowering of sympathetic nervous system arousal, supported by the measurement of significant changes of physiological symptoms during the brief anxiety' eliciting situation. Results were statistically compared with an 11 member control group which received no relaxation training. Significant changes in heart rate, skin conductance and blood volume pulse measured on subjects of the experimental, group supported the hypothesis that a progressive relaxation training programme therapeutically changes physiological arousal.