The Effects of Augmented Levels of Stress on Reaction Time in the Peripheral Visual Field

Abstract

Eleven physically conditioned (CS) and 12 unconditioned (US) college women were tested perimetrically while being exposed to augmented levels of stress (ALS) on a bicycle ergometer; conditioning levels were determined by recovery rates of Ss. The Ss performed two tasks while riding; (a) keeping a central light lit, and (b) extinguishing peripheral lights when they were detected. All Ss reacted to a 12-min program of peripheral lights during three sessions: (a) one baseline trial in which Ss were not riding but reacting to the program, and (b) riding trials (RID) in which the Ss pedaled and reacted to the program. During RIDs the Ss pedaled a workload that was automatically altered to maintain a HR of 160 bpm. The data were organized into two groups: (a) reaction time data, and (b) missed light data (MLD). The RT data were analyzed through an ANOVA. It was concluded that: peripheral RT was not significantly affected by ALS; USs were affected more negatively than CSs; and there was not uniform narrowing of the peripheral visual field as expected in the hypothesis. Analyses of MLD resulted in a difference between sides, more lights were missed on the left than on the right: and again the USs were affected more negatively.