This thesis investigated the effect of exergaming versus mirror matched gym based exercise with no virtual stimuli on technology acceptance, flow and postural control in healthy young adults. Firstly a review of literature was performed analysing the effects of technology acceptance and flow on exergaming, and the effects of exergaming on postural control. Results showed the plausible nature of exergaming as an immersive environment and the potential to improve postural control. However, some major gaps in the literatures were identified. Technology acceptance had never been applied in exergaming and flow had only partly been applied to exergaming in limited studies. Additionally the effects of exergaming on postural control had shown some potential benefits, however no study had truly analysed the effects of exergaming on postural control by analysing mirror matched exercise with no virtual stimulus. The purpose of this thesis was to address these important areas of research and contribute novel evidence to the field. In two separate studies, 38 non active and 50 active young healthy adults took part in either exergaming based training or mirror matched gym based exercise with no virtual stimuli. Technology acceptance (behavioural intention), flow and postural control were measured at pre and post exercise intervention. Technology acceptance results showed that performance expectancy was significantly higher in the exergaming group in both studies, as well as being a significant predictor of behavioural intention at both pre and post exercise testing. In the second study, only, performance expectancy, social influences, and behavioural intention where statistically significantly higher for the exergaming group compared to the mirror matched gym based exercise with no virtual stimuli on technology acceptance, highlighting greater levels of acceptance into the exercise environment. Flow results showed greater levels immersion in the exergaming groups, especially in terms of clear goals, unambiguous feedback, action awareness merging, transformation of time and loss of self- consciousness. The effects of exergaming on postural control showed significant improvements in anterior- posterior standard deviation and range for the exergaming group in study one, and improvements in medio-lateral range in study two. Study two also showed significant improvement over time (pre-post exercise) for medio-lateral SD, range and centre of pressure. Evidence from both studies suggests that exergaming may offer an immersive environment for exercise which has a positive effect on behavioural intention to keep using the exergaming system in the future. With regards to postural control evidence from both studies suggest that exergaming may offer a new method of exercise to improve static postural control.

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