PHYSICAL EXERTION IN SIMPLE REACTION-TIME AND CONTINUOUS ATTENTION OFSPORT PARTICIPANTS

To investigate the effect of physical exertion on simple reaction time and continuous attention of sport participants, an experiment was con ducted with 46 male university students and 12 male cyclists. The subj ects were assigned to three experimental and two control groups. The s ubjects of the experimental groups were asked to perform, following a 5-min. period of warming up, a high intensity exercise protocol for 5 min., on a mechanically braked cycle ergometer (Group A) or a moderate intensity exercise protocol for 30 min, on the same cycle ergometer ( Groups B and C). Shortly before and immediately after the physical exe rcise subjects of all groups were asked to perform a test of simple re action time and continuous attention. The subjects of the control grou ps were asked to perform at rest both tests of the simple reaction tim e and the continuous attention twice, with a IO-min. and a 35-min. int erval between the fiat and second attempts, respectively. The results did not support the notion that exercise of moderate or high intensity influences significantly the cognitive performance of aerobically tra ined or untrained subjects. The results are discussed in the light of the current research findings concerning exertion and human psychomoto r performance.