Psychophysical Demands Research Articles

Heartbeats and high scores: esports triggers cardiovascular and autonomic stress response.

Gaming is often labeled as sedentary behavior. However, competitive gaming, also known as esports, involves significant cognitive demands and may induce stress. This study aims to investigate whether the psychophysical demands during esports elicit a physiological stress response. Fourteen FIFA 21 and thirteen League of Legends players (23.3 ± 2.8 years) were recruited for the study. Heart rate (HR), root mean square of successive differences between normal heartbeats (RMSSD), peripheral and central blood pressure (BP), pulse wave velocity (PWV), and energy expenditure (EE) were assessed during supine rest, seated rest, and competitive FIFA or League of Legends matches. No significant group × condition interactions were observed for any of the outcomes. However, there were significant increases in mean HR (p < 0.001, = 0.383), RMSSD (p = 0.019, = 0.226), peripheral systolic BP (p < 0.001, = 0.588), peripheral diastolic BP (p = 0.005, = 0.272), central systolic BP (p = 0.005; = 0.369), central diastolic BP (p = 0.016, = 0.313), PWV (p = 0.004, = 0.333), and EE (p < 0.001, = 0.721) during both games compared to the seated rest condition. Despite the sedentary nature of esports, the psychophysical demands appear to elicit physiological responses. Interestingly, no significant differences were found between the different game genres.

Psycho-physical demands of Traditional Indigenous Games played by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women

Psycho-physical demands of Traditional Indigenous Games played by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women

Psychophysiological changes in uphill runners

The increasing popularity of street racing combined with the psychophysical demands of racing competitions present new challenges for sports mental health. The objective of this study was to investigate psychophysiological changes after an uphill race. Twenty-three runners were recruited, eleven men (35 ± 5.6 years; 1.7 ± 0.2 m; 76.6 ± 10 kg; 11.5 ± 4.5% fat) and twelve women (39 ± 9.2 years; 1.61 ± 0.1 m; 58.8 ± 3.8 kg; 20.1 ± 3.1% fat), who participated in an uphill race (distance 24.6 km, altimetry 2142 m, slope 11%, temperature 13°C, humidity 97%). Every runner was submitted to evaluations, physiological, muscular strength and mental health, before and after of the race. After an uphill race, there was a significant decrease (p &lt; 0.05) in muscle resistance (22%), power (27%) and force (30%). There was a significant increase (p&lt; 0.05) in lactate levels (100%) and perceived effort (200%). Regarding mental health, there was a reduction (p&lt;0.05) in anxiety (competitive 10% and trace 40%) and a significant increase (p&lt; 0.05) in self-esteem (29%) and Happiness (43%). We conclude that after an uphill race there is a significant increase in the alterations in the psychophysiology, improving the mental health of runners.

Work profile of maritime pilots in Germany.

Long and irregular shifts, unforeseeable operations and high responsibility are still prominent in the job of a pilot and pose high psycho-physical demands. Furthermore, there is a disturbed work-family balance. Working hours of pilots are highly variable and not bound by regulations due to irregularities of vessel traffic. The pilots have to work in a shifting rotation system. This paper demonstrates the stressors during their work routine and shows the usual working profile of a pilot during their service.

Cardiovascular and Psychophysical Response to Repetitive Lifting Tasks in Women.

BackgroundUnderstanding the cardiovascular and psychophysical demands of repetitive lifting tasks is important in job design strategies. This study determined the cardiovascular (oxygen consumption (VO2) and heart rate (HR) and psychophysical response to repetitive lifting tasks in women.MethodsTen female (age 27 ± 5 yrs) participants transferred 11.4, 15.9, and 20.5 kg weights back and forth from a rung 40.6 cm high to a rung 156.2 cm high. Rungs were 195.6 cm apart horizontally. Three, 10 minute bouts (1 = 11.4 kg; 2 = 15.9 kg; 3 = 20.5 kg) were performed at 6 lifts per minute. Cardiovascular and psychophysical (rating of perceived exertion, RPE) parameters were monitored throughout the bouts. VO2max and HRmax were determined via a maximal treadmill test.ResultsVO2, HR, and RPE were significantly different between each work bout (p < 0.01), with each outcome variable increasing as load increased. VO2max and HRmax equaled 46.5 ± 7.5 mL·kg−1·min−1 and 191 ± 11 bpm, respectively. Work at 11.4 kg was performed at 38% VO2max and 63% HRmax; at 15.9 kg at 41% VO2max and 72% HRmax; and at 20.5 kg at 49% VO2max and 81% HRmax. RPE at 11.4, 15.9, and 20.5 kgs were: 8.4 ± 1.6, 11.4 ± 1.9, and 15.0 ± 2.2.ConclusionDuring these repetitive lifting tasks, metabolic cost and perceived exertion increased with weight lifted; average work intensity ranged from 63 to 81% of HRmax and 38 to 49% of VO2max. Results have important implications in relation to job pacing and design, and worksite health promotion strategies aimed at reducing work place injury.

Comparing the biomechanical and psychophysical demands imposed on paramedics when using manual and powered stretchers

The aim of this investigation was to compare the effect of three different stretchers (two powered and one manual) on the biomechanical and psychophysical demands experienced by paramedics when performing routine stretcher handling activities. Eight experienced paramedics performed stretcher raising, lowering, unloading and loading tasks. Video data of task performance and static force requirements were recorded and input into a posture matching program with a quasi-static linked segment model (3DMatch) to compute peak and cumulative L4/L5 compression and shear forces and shoulder moments during each activity. Ratings of perceived exertion (RPE) were recorded from paramedics upon the completion of each task.Use of powered stretchers with load assist functionality reduced the demands on paramedics. Peak L4/L5 forces were reduced by 13–62% and 58–93% for compression and shear respectively when using powered stretchers to perform routine stretcher handling activities. Shoulder flexor moments and RPE scores were reduced by 16–95% and 29–60% respectively when using the powered stretchers compared to the manual stretcher. However, cumulative forces showed mixed results. Although powered stretcher use decreased peak forces, loading and unloading a powered stretcher took 1.5 to 3.4 times longer then when using the manual stretcher, which may explain the mixed results regarding cumulative forces. Based on the RPE scores, paramedics preferred power stretchers relative to the manual stretcher. This study demonstrates that powered stretchers can reduce peak biomechanical and psychophysical exposures associated with the development of musculoskeletal disorder (MSD) during routine stretcher handling activities with minimal increases in cumulative exposures.

BRAZILIAN VERSION (ACSI-28BR) OF ATHLETIC COPING SKILLS INVENTORY-28

ABSTRACT Introduction: Coping is defined as a process based on motor, behavioral, and cognitive effort to deal with the psychophysical demands that exceed an individual’s capacity. One of the instruments used most often for evaluating coping skills is the Athletic Coping Skills Inventory-28 (ACSI-28). Objective: This study aimed to validate the Brazilian version of the Athletic Coping Skills Inventory-28 (ACSI-28). The ACSI-28 is a multidimensional inventory developed to evaluate the different methods used by athletes to cope with sports pressure. Methods: The sample comprised 667 Brazilian athletes: male (n = 467; 70%); female (n = 200; 30%) with mean age 25 ± 5 years and eight (± 5) years of experience in individual sports (n = 182; 27.3%) or team sports (n = 485; 72.7%). Results: For construct validity, the relational structure of the items that comprise the original version of ACSI-28 was analyzed using EFA. The Kaiser-Meyer-Olkin measure (KMO = .83) and the Bartlett sphericity test (p &lt;.0001) indicated adequate adjustment of the data to the factorial analyses. The reliability of the instrument was assessed by measuring internal consistency and by the stability of the measurement (test-retest). Conclusion: The Brazilian version of Athletic Coping Skills Inventory-28 was preliminarily considered valid. Level of Evidence III; Retrospective comparative study.

Stage call: Cardiovascular reactivity to audition stress in musicians

Auditioning is at the very center of educational and professional life in music and is associated with significant psychophysical demands. Knowledge of how these demands affect cardiovascular responses to psychosocial pressure is essential for developing strategies to both manage stress and understand optimal performance states. To this end, we recorded the electrocardiograms (ECGs) of 16 musicians (11 violinists and 5 flutists) before and during performances in both low- and high-stress conditions: with no audience and in front of an audition panel, respectively. The analysis consisted of the detection of R-peaks in the ECGs to extract heart rate variability (HRV) from the notoriously noisy real-world ECGs. Our data analysis approach spanned both standard (temporal and spectral) and advanced (structural complexity) techniques. The complexity science approaches—namely, multiscale sample entropy and multiscale fuzzy entropy—indicated a statistically significant decrease in structural complexity in HRV from the low- to the high-stress condition and an increase in structural complexity from the pre-performance to performance period, thus confirming the complexity loss theory and a loss in degrees of freedom due to stress. Results from the spectral analyses also suggest that the stress responses in the female participants were more parasympathetically driven than those of the male participants. In conclusion, our findings suggest that interventions to manage stress are best targeted at the sensitive pre-performance period, before an audition begins.

Psychophysical Demands and Perceived Workload-An Ergonomics Standpoint for Lean Production in Assembly Cells

The adoption of a lean production model means a systematic implementation of various management methods and practices. Such a model presents the human element as a key factor in continuous improvement efforts, influencing workers' job content and the quality of work. However, there are few evidences regarding research on quantitative assessment of the work demand, either psychological or physical, in a lean production environment. Therefore, this study aims to analyze from an ergonomics perspective the psychophysical demand and workers' perceived workload within assembly cells undergoing a lean production implementation. The proposed method integrates complementary concepts of widely known techniques, enabling the consolidation of several assessment criteria into one particular index for both psychological and physical demands. Such a diagnostic method is illustrated in a case study from the automotive parts manufacturing sector, whose application is performed in three critical assembly cells selected by senior management. Our findings show systemic gaps between work demand and employees' profile, indicating improvement opportunities in order to provide a better work environment.

Individual Differences in Diving: Intelligence, Personality, and Underwater Adaptation

Diving is an activity that is carried out in an extreme environment with extraordinary psychophysical demands. It requires the divers to undergo an adaptive process in order to survive, to be able to take advantage of their capabilities, and to achieve an efficient performance. In this ex post facto study, data from a sample of military personnel participating in scuba diving courses (N = 649) were analyzed. Our aim was to verify the role of individual differences in the adaptation to an extreme and hostile environment. The results indicate the existence of psychological variables that differentiate between divers and the general population, those who pass or fail the diving course, and between groups of divers who obtain differential levels of performance in underwater tasks. These findings support that dispositional characteristics have utility for the identification of suitable personnel for professional diving.

Incremental Validity of Personality Measures in Predicting Underwater Performance and Adaptation.

Intelligence and personality traits are currently considered effective predictors of human behavior and job performance. However, there are few studies about their relevance in the underwater environment. Data from a sample of military personnel performing scuba diving courses were analyzed with regression techniques, testing the contribution of individual differences and ascertaining the incremental validity of the personality in an environment with extreme psychophysical demands. The results confirmed the incremental validity of personality traits (ΔR 2 = .20, f 2 = .25) over the predictive contribution of general mental ability (ΔR 2 = .07, f 2 = .08) in divers' performance. Moreover, personality (R(L)2 = .34) also showed a higher validity to predict underwater adaptation than general mental ability ( R(L)2 = .09). The ROC curve indicated 86% of the maximum possible discrimination power for the prediction of underwater adaptation, AUC = .86, p < .001, 95% CI (.82-.90). These findings confirm the shift and reversal of incremental validity of dispositional traits in the underwater environment and the relevance of personality traits as predictors of an effective response to the changing circumstances of military scuba diving. They also may improve the understanding of the behavioral effects and psychophysiological complications of diving and can also provide guidance for psychological intervention and prevention of risk in this extreme environment.

Differential Effects of Cognitive Demand on Human Cortical Activation Associated With Vibrotactile Stimulation

This event-related functional MRI study examines the neural correlates of vibrotactile sensation within the context of different psychophysical demands. Nine subjects received vibrotactile stimuli on the right volar forearm during detection, localization, and passive tasks. In the detection task, subjects indicated the offset (end) of each stimulus by pressing a response key with their left hand. In the localization task, subjects identified the location of the stimulus ("distal?" or "proximal?") by pressing the appropriate response key 4 s after the end of the stimulus. In the passive task, subjects received the same vibrotactile stimuli, but no response was required. Analysis of stimulus-evoked activity compared with the resting baseline period revealed significant bilateral secondary somatosensory cortex activation for all three tasks. However, only in the offset-detection and localization tasks was stimulus-evoked activation observed in other expected areas of tactile processing, such as contralateral primary somatosensory cortex neighboring the posterior parietal cortex (SI/PPC) and in bilateral anterior insular cortex (aIC). During the localization task, we identified vibrotactile-evoked activation in the right aIC, which was maintained after the termination of the stimulus. Results suggest that vibrotactile-related activation within SI/PPC and aIC is enhanced by the increased levels of attention and cognitive demands required by the detection and localization tasks. Activation of aIC not only during vibrotactile stimulation, but also during the poststimulus delay in the localization trials, is consistent with the growing literature linking this area with the perception and short-term memory of tactile information.

“Optimal” speed–load combinations for military manoeuvres

Establishing a balance between the physical and mental demands imposed on soldiers and the objectives of the military poses a unique challenge which has been researched for almost a century (J. Roy. Army Med. Corps 40, 41 (1923) 435, 12; Ergonomics 21(5) (1978) 373; Eur. J. Appl. Physiol. 63 (1991) 89; Ergonomics 43(3) (2000) 293). The purpose of this project was to identify “optimal” speed–load combinations which would reduce the physical stress being imposed on the soldiers, while at the same time be effective to meet the demands of military manoeuvres.Thirty male soldiers with a mean age 29.2 (±3.02)yr from a local army base in South Africa participated in an ongoing army contract which investigated the responses of soldiers to 16 varying combinations of speed and load (Metabolic responses of South African soldiers during simulated marching with varying combinations of speed and backpack load, under review). The focus of this paper is to report on the three “optimal” combinations identified in the above contract. The three conditions investigated were: A: speed 3.5kmh−1−load 50kg; B: speed 4.5kmh−1−load 35kg; C: speed 5.5kmh−1−load 20kg.The stature of the soldiers was 1711.5 (±61.6)mm, with a mass of 68.2 (±8.7)kg and percentage body fat of 17.4 (±3.9)%. All subjects wore standardised military uniform including boots and helmets, but excluding rifles. The weight of the battle jacket was kept constant at 11.1kg for the three conditions, and only the backpacks were adjusted to make up the required loads of 20, 35 and 50kg.One-way ANOVAs conducted on the responses to the three conditions proposed as “ideal” combinations of varying speeds and adjusted loads revealed no significant differences. It could therefore be concluded that although the speeds ranged from 3.5 to 5.5kmh−1, and the loads varied from 20 to 50kg, the selected combination of speed and load illicited similar responses. It is thus contended that the results of this research demonstrate that the interplay between speed of marching and the load of the backpack plays a crucial role in ensuring that similar metabolic and psychophysical demands are retained at a bearable level for the soldiers, while meeting specific military requirements. Relevance to industryLoad carrying is an integral aspect of the military and indeed many industries, particularly in developing countries. As the need for speed or load dominates so the other factors need to be adjusted in order to retain an acceptable energy cost required to complete the task.

The transactional psychobiological nature of cognitive appraisal during exercise in environmentally stressful conditions

Background and Purpose: Successful adaptation to the stress of physical exertion in adverse environmental conditions (heat, cold, high altitude) is of great concern when optimal performance within safe parameters is the goal. The perception of the psychophysical demands imposed by the stressful situation and the perceived capability to cope with these demands is a process that can dramatically alter the intensity of the ensuing physiological activation. Thus, exercise in environmentally stressful conditions provides an excellent model for examining the relationship between the cognitive appraisal of the physical stress and the ensuing stress response. A brief review of the research on cognitive appraisals during exercise in stressful environments provides evidence of the connection between cognitive appraisals and the stress response during exercise under environmental stress and demonstrates a need for a transactional psychobiological model proposed in this paper. This model attributes a central role to the continuous cognitive appraisal of the situation by the individual. Methods: Computer searches of psychological, sport science, and medical databases using the terms exercise, heat, cold, high altitude, environmental stress, and ratings of perceived exertion were conducted. Additionally, the reference citations in the obtained articles were searched for relevant studies. An abridged integrated review summarizes the critical findings and limitations. Furthermore, literature supporting the proposed transactional psychobiological model is presented. Results and Conclusions: Further investigation into the psychophysical and the affective responses to exercise in adverse environmental conditions can be facilitated through the utilization of the proposed transactional psychobiological model.

The Rate of Gain of Perceived Workload in Sustained Attention

Perceived workload was measured via the NASA TLX following a visual vigilance task. Five task durations (10, 20, 30, 40, or 50 min) were combined factorially with two levels of discrimination difficulty (easy, hard) in a between groups design. Detection probability, computed from the final 10 min of watch in each duration condition, varied inversely with signal salience and declined over time. Overall workload varied directly with salience and increased linearly over time. The temporal growth in perceived workload was independent of signal salience. This result suggests that the rate of gain in workload is based upon general features of the vigilance situation rather than specific psychophysical demands such as signal salience.