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 V02max ) 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.