Arousal and Vigilance: The Effects of Physical Exercise and Positive Mood on Attention

Abstract

The present study was an effort to examine the extent to which the different states of arousal, as induced through exercise and manipulation of positive mood, interact to affect attentional processes. Thirty-four healthy participants were randomly assigned into 2 mood conditions: neutral and positive. A computerized auditory continuous performance test was used to measure attentional performance. Following baseline performance at rest and mood induction, participants completed the test while walking on a treadmill. Results showed that the impact of physical exercise-induced arousal on attention varied as a function of mood, such that while exercising, participants were able to maintain detectability scores and refrain from making an exaggerated number of commission errors only following positive (but not neutral) mood induction. These findings suggest that the impact of exercise on attention may depend on other key variables, such as mood. ReseaRch aRticleforce [3]. The notion that cognitive performance is associated with arousal levels has long been part of the academic research, and a correlational relationship between performance of attentional tasks and levels of arousal has been reported [4,5].According to Ashby, Valentin, and Turken, [6] there are at least two possible ways for experimentally influencing the state of arousal in cognitive studies: mood induction and physical exercise. Although arousal may increase with either positive or negative mood, it is the positive emotion that is considered to directly impact high-level cognitive processes [7,8]. Among the cognitive processes reported to have been influenced by emotional states include intuitive judgments, decision-making, attention, memory, and creative problem-solving tasks [9,10], suggesting that emotional influences on cognition may be deeply rooted in evolutionary continuity [11].In an effort to explain the influence of positive mood on cognition, the broaden-and-build theory by Fredrickson and Branigan [8] proposes that different discrete positive emotions, such as amusement and contentment, produce broadening of attention, cognition, and action. They suggest that by inducing positive emotion, thinking becomes more integrative, inclusive, flexible, creative, and efficient. Ashby, Turken, and Isen [12] support this theory by pointing out many well-documented effects of improved cognitive processes due to positive feelings, attributing these effects to the increased dopamine release associated with positive feelings.

Temporal perception is distorted by submaximal and maximal isometric contractions of the knee extensors in young healthy males and females

“…Exercise has been shown to increase physiological arousal, such as increased heart rate, temperature, and neuromuscular responses such as increased electromyographic (EMG) activity (representative of motor unit recruitment and rate coding) ( 14 , 15 ) as well as psychological arousal such as increases in perceived exertion, competitive tension, and other factors ( 16 ). Although, the influence of exercise on temporal perception is currently limited.…”

Attention Improves During Physical Exercise in Individuals With ADHD

“…The measures used in the present analyses are described in detail elsewhere (Kallo and Rassovsky, 2017). Below is a summary of these measures:…”