Psychomotor skills are a combination of innate abilities as well as skills developed because of repeated actions. Researchers have dedicated many studies to understand the extent to which past videogame play contributes to psychomotor skills and fine motor control dexterity. However, not all gamers are created equal. With today's proliferation of platforms, many people are gamers who never pick up a controller. Grouping all gamers together forms dangerous confounds when trying to generalize across a population as diverse as today's gamers. The current study aims to study a population comprised only of gamers to see if there are significant differences in their psychomotor skills. A psychomotor skills test has been developed, which is designed to simulate proven physical tests, with the express purpose of exposing differences between gamers. After filling out an extensive survey of gaming habits, participants completed the psychomotor skills test. Participants were then grouped by measured psychomotor ability and a selection of high and low performing gamers completed four tutorial exercises on the dV-Trainer by Mimic Technologies, a validated robotic laparoscopic training device. The study shows that the number of hours reported per week using analog controllers is correlated with the psychomotor score as measured by the newly developed simulation. In particular, the Purdue Pegboard and Finger Tapping simulation software is the best discriminator among members of the gamer population.

Imagery is a mental skill that has been researched extensively over the last 40 years (Weinberg, 2008). Experimental and applied investigations have demonstrated that imagery positively affects sport performance as well as a number of psychological characteristics of athletes (Feltz & Landers, 1983; Morris, Spittle, & Watt, 2005). Studies have also revealed that athletes use imagery for multiple functions (both cognitive and motivational) in a variety of sports (both open and closed) and in and out of competition (Hall, Mack, Paivio, & Hausenblas, 1998; Munroe, Giaccobbi, Hall, & Weinberg, 2000). Prior to the present study, however, research had not examined athletes’ experience of imagery in depth. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to explore athletes’ lived experience of using imagery in their sport. To accomplish this goal phenomenological interviews were conducted with ten female collegiate gymnasts (M age = 22.2 yr). After a brief period of introductory conversation each participant was asked to respond to the following open-ended statement: “Think of a time when you have used imagery in your sport and describe that to me as fully as possible.” Follow-up questions were asked only to gain further clarification or to obtain additional details to gymnasts’ comments. All interviews were audio recorded and transcribed verbatim. Qualitative analysis of the transcripts revealed a total of 693 meaning units, which were then grouped into sub-themes and major themes. A final thematic structure revealed five major dimensions that characterized these gymnasts’ experience of using imagery: preparing for movement, mentally preparing, feeling the skill, controlling perspective/speed/effort, and time and place. The most significant findings of the present study were that these gymnasts (a) varied the speed of their imagery (real and slow time), (b) used imagery during a performance bout as well as in preparation for performance, (c) combined physical motion with their imagery to increase the feel of the skill, and (d) felt a persistent need to make their imagery perfect. These results extend the findings of previous imagery research and offer several implications for coaches and practitioners interested in using imagery with gymnasts.

Thesis supervisor: Paul D. Windschitl. Includes bibliographic references (p. 73-81).

Issued also as Thesis (Ph. D.)--Columbia University. / Bibliography: p. 52-53.

Thesis (M.S.)--Brock University, 2009. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 63-72).

Thesis (PH. D.) Columbia university. / Bibliography: p. 37-39.

Thesis (M.I.T.)--The Evergreen State College, 2010. / Title from title screen (viewed 7/7/2010). Includes bibliographical references (leaves 142-146).

The purpose of this study was to extend the knowledge of the relationship between movement and cognition by examining the impact of a sensory-motor program on the literacy skills of first grade learners from one elementary school in East Tennessee. Literacy skills were evaluated using five subtests of the Dynamic Indicators of Basic Early Literacy Skills (DIBELS) assessment. A 2 x 2 x 2 mixed factorial MANOVA was used to analyze group, gender, and test time effects on multiple dependent variables. The analysis yielded a statistically significant result (p < .05) in gains for the movement group and a significant interaction between gender and group. Post hoc analysis indicated that participation in a movement program appeared to negatively impact males and positively impact females. Replication of this study with a longer duration is strongly recommended to substantiate these findings.

<p>Self control is affected by self-regulatory strength depletion (Hagger et al., 2010) as well as construal-level mindset (Fujita et al., 2006). However, two conflicting perspectives have emerged predicting differential interactive effects of construals and depletion. The purpose of the present study was to investigate the independent and interactive effects of construal levels and self-control strength in an effortful cycling exercise task. Using a randomized 2 X 2 factorial design, undergraduate participants (<em>N </em>= 67, <em>n</em> = 34 women) completed a baseline cycling task, followed by a self-control depletion manipulation (Stroop task vs. quiet rest; Wallace & Baumeister, 2002), a construal-level manipulation (category vs. exemplar naming task; Fujita et al., 2006), and then a 10-minute strenuous cycling test trial. The results showed no main effects for either self-control strength depletion or construal level (<em>p</em> > .20). However there was a near-significant interaction effect (<em>p </em>= .07) indicating the depleted group outperformed the non-depleted group in the low-construal condition, whereas the opposite effect occurred in the high-construal condition. The results provide novel insights of the effects of self-control strength depletion and construal mindsets on exercise performance and implications for the design of construal level and self-control depletion research.</p> / Master of Science (MSc)

Obesity and its subsequent disease states are major health problems in the United States. In many ways, obesity can be considered a “disease state” itself due to the changes it causes on the body. High-intensity exercise also places acute stress the body, putting humans in recovery from exercise in a state that may be analogous to a temporary disease state. The purpose of this study was to examine biomarkers associated with obesity (CRP and Leptin) before and after continuous and intermittent bouts of exercise in an obese but otherwise healthy sample vs. a healthy, non-obese sample. This investigation focused on examining the obese sample’s biomarkers at rest compared to those of the healthy group immediately and 1 hour-post exercise. Eighteen male subjects participated, with nine in each group. Each subject performed a VO2 max test and a series of three anaerobic Wingate tests at least one week apart in a cross-over study design. Blood was taken at baseline, immediately-post, and 1-hour post for each exercise mode. A significant difference was noted between groups for CRP at baseline on the VO2 testing day. A significant difference between groups existed in leptin levels at baseline on both testing days. The only significant change was the decrease in leptin from post to 1- hour post for during the VO2 in the obese group. However, both exercise protocols demonstrated various effects on the subjects and groups. Healthy participants were examined individually, and two of them showed possible signs of being at risk for obesity and its subsequent disease states based on post exercise “spikes” in CRP and leptin that caused the levels of the biomarkers to be closer to those in the obese group at rest. Another three subjects saw at least two spikes. Thus, a total of five subjects could potentially be “at-risk” based on the assumptions of the present study. These results suggest CRP and Leptin could potentially hold the ability to classify someone in a “preobesity state.” Further investigations are warranted based on these initial results and should focus on biomarkers more specific to obesity.