Browsing by Subject "College of Education and Human Services"

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    Exercise and Psychological Stress: How Does Exercise Promote the Alleviation of Stress?
    (2011-04-13) Smith, Melissa
    Stress is an inevitable aspect of life, so how does one handle it on a daily basis? Exercise is an excellent coping mechanism for many. But how does exercise reduce stress? Previous research indicates a difference in cortisol levels, reactivity to, and recovery from stress (Jackson & Dishman, 2006).The purpose of this study was to examine cortisol levels between high and low fit groups as well as differences in reactivity to and recovery from stress. First, a fitness questionnaire was given to participants to assess total number of hours per week of exercise. Saliva samples were used to analyze cortisol levels and were obtained using a Salivette collection device. A saliva sample was first taken to establish baseline cortisol levels. Then, the participant completed a series of tasks in the following order: public speaking, mental arithmetic, and a cold pressor task followed by another saliva sample. Lastly, saliva samples were taken following a recovery period. An immunosorbent assay kit was used to measure cortisol levels in the saliva (IBL America, Minneapolis, MN). Following cortisol analysis, the fitness questionnaire was evaluated. Participants were divided into two groups based on a five hour per week median. Five or less hours was considered low fit (N=21) and more than five hours was considered high fit (N=24). A 2x7 ANOVA was used to analyze the differences in cortisol levels, reactivity, and recovery between high and low fit. A significant difference was found in cortisol levels between high and low fit participants (F4.1, 174=2.595, p= 0.036). High fit participants were also found to have greater reactivity to a stressor (F1, 42=3.780, p=0.059) as well as faster recovery from a stressor (F1, 42=7.656, p=0.008). These results imply that high fit individuals have lower overall cortisol levels and greater reactivity to and recovery from a stressor.
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    Investigation of Variable Exercise Intensities on Coincidence Anticipation Timing
    (2011-04-13) Smith, Melissa
    Coincidence anticipation timing is the ability to track a moving stimulus and correctly perform a coincident action at the exact moment the stimulus arrives at a target area. For example, a baseball hitter uses his coincidence anticipation timing skills while tracking a baseball from a pitcher’s hand to the exact moment he strikes the ball with his bat. He uses his ability to determine how and when to swing his bat in order to make contact with the ball. Past vision research studies have examined the effects of different exercise intensities on a subject’s dynamic visual acuity, the ability to track a moving object. Since dynamic visual acuity has been one of the only aspects of visual ability examined, the purpose of this study was to examine the effect of varying levels of exercise intensities on a performer’s coincidence anticipation timing. Twenty college-aged students’ coincident anticipation ability was tested at rest and during cycling across three varying exercise intensity levels: 30%, 60%, and 90% of maximal heart rate. Coincidence anticipation timing for each of the four experimental conditions was recorded in milliseconds. Each subject's coincident anticipation timing scores were calculated in terms of absolute (magnitude), constant (bias), and variable errors (consistency). Three separate one-way ANOVA analyses were performed for each type of error to determine the effects of the different experimental conditions on coincidence anticipation timing. The results of the study determined if exercise intensity affects one’s ability to accurately perform receptive skills such as hitting or catching with little bias and high reliability.
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    Vision In Action Strategies Involving Experienced and Inexperienced Softball Umpires
    (2010-04-21) Smith, Melissa S.
    Players, coaches, and fans place their ultimate confidence in that of an umpire’s call accuracy. An umpire needs a specific strategy to call strikes and balls as precisely as possible. This strategy is critical because the umpire has a difficult job that requires fast decision-making. What is this strategy? What separates elite from novice umpires? Some studies have been performed to compare the vision in action strategies of elite and novice athletes in various sports such as ice hockey and Olympic speed skating. These studies were conducted using the ASL Mobile Eye Tracker. Few studies have been completed involving the strategy of softball umpires. Information regarding the strategy of an umpire would greatly benefit softball. More precise training techniques for novice umpires could be identified. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to compare the visual strategies of novice and elite softball umpires to determine if a vision in action strategy exists for accurately calling pitches. The hypothesis of this study predicts that the strategy of elite and novice umpires are significantly different.