State anxiety following resistance exercise: the role of gender and exercise intensity

Two experiments were conducted to investigate the effect of resistance exercise on state anxiety. In experiment 1, participants engaged in three 20-min bouts of resistance exercise, with intensity set as a function of perceived exertion. Results indicated that the relationship between resistance exercise and anxiety was moderated by both exercise intensity and gender. Although females reported no change in anxiety, males reported an increase in anxiety following moderate- and high-intensity exercise, and a decrease in anxiety following low intensity exercise. Experiment 2 was designed to replicate these findings utilizing a more precise manipulation of exercise intensity. Results indicated that the change in anxiety was again moderated by exercise intensity but was unaffected by gender. Both males and females reported increases in anxiety following 20 min of high-intensity exercise (75-85% of 1 RM), as well as significant decreases in anxiety following low-intensity exercise (40-50% of 1 RM).

The Sports Inventory for Pain: a confirmatory factor analysis

This investigation was designed to assess the factorial validity of the Sports Inventory for Pain (SIP) which was completed by 182 undergraduate students. Responses were subjected to a confirmatory factor analysis designed to test the hypothesized underlying factor structure. Of five proposed subscales, only the items for the Cognitive and Coping subscales reasonably fit the hypothesized structure. To improve the fit of the model, factors were allowed to correlate, and the worst fitting item from each of the subscales was removed. The modified model also failed to adequately fit the data. Lastly, the items corresponding to the worst fitting subscale were dropped from the analysis. Again, the modified model failed to fit the data. Discussion suggests a possible respecification of the SIP.

Post-exercise analgesia: replication and extension

This study was designed to investigate whether post-exercise analgesia occurs following an ad lib exercise routine. All of the 17 male participants exercised on a regular basis. In an exercise setting (student gymnasium) they participated in 20 min of self-selected exercise, while in the neutral setting (laboratory) they rested quietly for 20 min. Pain was induced via the gross pressure device. Pain threshold and pain tolerance were measured twice, with an interval of 20 min, in both the exercise and the neutral setting. Pain threshold was stable in the exercise setting. A significant increase in pain tolerance followed the 20 min bout of exercise, indicating a post-exercise analgesic response. These results support the prediction that the analgesic effect of exercise is not limited to controlled experimental conditions, but generalizes to naturally occurring situations.

Situational correlates of emotional adjustment to athletic injury

Patients at a sports medicine clinic served as subjects in an investigation of the relationship between various situational variables and emotional adjustment to athletic injury. Physician-rated current injury status, perceived impairment of sport performance, and perceived social support for rehabilitation were significantly correlated with postinjury depression. Age was negatively associated with postinjury mood disturbance. In general, patients demonstrated a positive mental health profile. The results suggest that although most patients cope well with their injuries, some patients experience clinically meaningful psychological distress that is associated with certain situational factors.

Human (Homo sapiens) responses to the pig (Sus scrofa) sex pheromone 5 alpha-androst-16-en-3-one

Previous studies have suggested that the pig sex pheromone 5 alpha-androst-16-en-3-one may function as a human sex pheromone. Two hundred male and female college students were assigned to one of four odor conditions (androstenone, methyl anthranilate, skatole, and a no-odor control) and were asked to rate photographs of a male stimulus and to rate their own mood in the presence of each odorant. There was a significant overall sex by treatment condition interaction. Men in the androstenone condition rated the stimulus male as more passive, and women in the androstenone condition rated themselves as less sexy; these effects were specific to the androstenone condition.