adacl

DOSE RESPONSE EFFECTS OF ACUTE EXERCISE OF VARYING INTENSITIES AND DURATION ON MOOD STATE CHUN-XIAO HE¹ AND DANIEL M. LANDERS ARIZONA STATE UNIVERSITY The purpose of this study was to provide a test of Solmon's opponent-process theory by examining how different fitness levels influence mood alteration as a function of varying intensities and durations of exercise. Sixteen fit and 16 moderately fit subjects were recruited to participate in a no exercise condition and in six randomly presented combinations of two intensities (50-55% & 70-75% of V0_2max ) and three durations (15, 30 & 45 min) of treadmill running. The Activation-Deactivation Adjective Check List (ADACL) and the short version of the STAI were administered before, every 5 minutes during, and at 5-, 15-, 25-, and 30-min post-exercise to evaluate mood state changes. Although there were significant Session X Intensity interactions for General Activation (GA) and High Activation sub-scales of the ADACL, only the General Deactivation (GD) sub-scale revealed a significant Fitness X Session X Intensity interaction. These 3-way interactions were directly relevant to the predictions of Opponent-Process Theory. Consistent with theory predictions, high and moderately fit subjects did not differ during exercise at the same relative intensity. Also consistent with this theory's prediction that fit subjects would have a more highly developed "b" process (i.e., after effect)," the high fit subjects in this study had a calmer mood state (P<.05) than moderately fit subjects following 30 and 45 min of low intensity exercise. No significant fitness GD differences were found for exercise at 15 min low intensity and 45 min high intensity. It is concluded that the GD differences between fit and moderately fitt subjects are associated with dose response effects of acute exercise, and at 30 min of high or low intensity and 45 min of low intensity these GD findings support the predictions of Opponent-Process Theory.

¹ Chun-xiao He was the 1998 North American Society for the Psychology of Sport and Physical Activity Student Award Winner for this sport and exercise pyschology research presentation. An abstract of this presentation appears in the Journal of Sport & Exercise Psychology, 20(June, 1998 Supplement), S14.