Prior self-control exertion and perceptions of pain during a physically demanding task

Tools

Boat, R. ORCID: 0000-0002-4897-8118 and Taylor, I.M., 2017. Prior self-control exertion and perceptions of pain during a physically demanding task. Psychology of Sport and Exercise, 33, pp. 1-6. ISSN 1469-0292

Preview

Text
8954_Boat.pdf
Download (371kB) | Preview

Official URL: http://doi.org/10.1016/j.psychsport.2017.07.005

Abstract

Objectives:
Exertion of self-control has been associated with impaired performance on subsequent physical tasks also requiring self-control, but it remains unknown why this occurs. This study, therefore, explored whether a) prior self-control exertion reduces subsequent persistence on a physically demanding task, and b) whether any observed performance decrements could be explained by changes in perceptions of pain.
Method:
In a within-subject design, sixty-three individuals completed an easy (congruent) Stroop task or a difficult (incongruent) Stroop task that required self-control. Participants were then required to remain in a physically demanding posture (i.e., a ‘wall-sit’) until voluntary exhaustion and their perception of pain was recorded during the task.
Results:
When participants completed the difficult Stroop task, they quit the wall-sit sooner. This decrement in performance was explained by greater perceptions of pain at the beginning of the wall-sit.
Conclusions:
Perceptions of pain may, therefore, be an important attentional mechanism explaining why self-control use interferes with subsequent persistence during physically effortful tasks.

Item Type:

Journal article

Publication Title:

Psychology of Sport and Exercise

Creators:

Boat, R. and Taylor, I.M.

Publisher:

Elsevier

Date:

November 2017

Volume:

ISSN: