The influence of subject effort on measurement variability in low-stakes tests of endurance performance

Author

Noah Wilfong, James Madison UniversityFollow

Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 4.0 License.

ORCID

https://orcid.org/0009-0001-6118-1015

Date of Graduation

5-8-2024

Semester of Graduation

Spring

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Science (MS)

Department

Department of Kinesiology

Advisor(s)

Michael Saunders

Sara J. Finney

Nicholas D. Luden

Abstract

Purpose: This study examined the effects of self-reported effort ratings on time trial performance variability in cyclists. Methods: Seven cyclists completed a preliminary trial and 3 identical exercise trials. Exercise trials consisted of 15 min of constant load cycling (5 min at 50% W_max, 10 min at 70% W_max), followed immediately by a 20-km self-paced time trial (TT). Performance was assessed as the time to complete the 20-km TT. Immediately following the exercise trial, participants completed two self-reported measures of expended effort (i.e., Student Opinion Subscale and Effort Thermometer scale) to ascertain their perceived effort during the TT. Subjects also completed a Conscientiousness questionnaire during their preliminary trial and a Rating of Effort Given by Others (other participants in time trials) following their final exercise trial. For statistical analyses, subjects were divided into either a higher effort group (HEG) or lower effort group (LEG) based on their effort ratings during the TT. Independent t-tests were used to assess potential differences in TT performance variability between HEG and LEG groups, with an alpha-level for statistical significance at p < 0.05. Results: No differences in TT performance were observed between trials 1, 2 and 3 (38.3 ± 4.0 min; 37.6 ± 2.4 min; 37.6 ± 3.0 min, respectively; p > 0.05). Between-trial variability (CV) in TT time were numerically lower between trials 2-3 (2.1 ± 1.6%) versus trials 1-2 (3.3 ± 1.5%), though the difference was not statistically significant (p > 0.05). Individual effort ratings on both the Effort Thermometer (9.0 ± 0.9; 1-10 point scale) and the SOS (22 ± 2.4; 5-25 point scale) were generally high across all subjects and trials. There was no systematic evidence that those who reported higher effort (or more consistent effort between trials) had a lower CV in performance between trials. Similarly, scores from the Conscientiousness questionnaire and the Rating of Effort Given by Others questionnaire were not associated with TT performance variability. Conclusion: Self-reported effort ratings were not associated with between-trial variability in TT performance. This may be due to the generally high (and consistent) ratings of effort reported by those who volunteer for laboratory-based exercise studies.

Recommended Citation

Wilfong, Noah, "The influence of subject effort on measurement variability in low-stakes tests of endurance performance" (2024). Masters Theses, 2020-current. 255.
https://commons.lib.jmu.edu/masters202029/255