Perceived exertion: Integration of psychological and physiological factors
Abstract
Ratings of perceived exertion (RPE) have been utilized all over the world for the assessment of subjective responses during physical work. Most investigations have focused on the physiological contribution to the perception of effort. However, since exercise is usually performed in social environments, the impact of the psychosocial domain on RPE simply cannot be ignored. The general purpose of this study was to investigate what explains human perception of effort during exercise and how such perception is affected by exercise intensities and fitness levels. Eighty-nine male Caucasian students completed the three-session experiment. Physiological parameters including oxygen consumption, heart rate, ventilation, respiration exchange ratio, lactate acid and psychological profiles including extroversion, neuroticism, self presentation, physical self efficacy were measured in all subjects. Regression analysis was applied with RPE as dependent variable and above-mentioned parameters as independent variables. The results of the study showed that RPE is an integration of physiological and psychological factors. Results of the study also indicated that certain physiological variables including oxygen consumption, heart rate, ventilation, lactate acid, respiration exchange ratio and certain psychological parameters including physical self-efficacy, self presentation and neuroticism are the most important predictors for RPE across different exercise intensities. Relatively speaking, psychological variables contribute more at low exercise intensities than at high exercise intensities while physiological variables contribute more at high exercise intensities than that at low exercise intensities. Fitness level did not contribute differently to the physiological and psychological cues utilized for perception of physical effort. However, that high fit subjects depended more on physiological cues while low fit subjects depended more on psychological cues. Similar trends were observed across different exercise intensities.
Degree
Ph.D.
Advisors
Noble, Purdue University.
Subject Area
Physical education|Health education
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