Motor Behavior
Year:2016 | Volume:8 | Issue:25 |Papers Count:10

The purpose of this study was to compare the effect of two methods of practice for developing motor flexibility in basketball free throw. For this purpose, 12 students of Ferdowsi University of Mashhad were selected and randomly divided into two groups (constant and variable). After a pre-test, participants practiced the aforementioned skill.At each trial, the variable group would randomly throw the ball over an obstacle with different height, but the obstacle height was fixed for constant group. After seven consecutive days of practice, participants performed two transfer tests that one of them was similar to the conditions of constant group and the other one was similar to the conditions of variable group. Also, these tests were repeated after a week. The results showed that participants’ performance had a significance improvement during acquisition period. But the results did not show a significant difference between groups in immediate and late transfer tests. It seems that practice with different kinds of a skill does not benefit the development of flexibility in movement.

The purpose of the present study was to compare the effectiveness of aerobic versus Pilates training on cognitive function of elderly females. A total of 54 elderly females were randomly divided into aerobic (mean age=67.78 ± 4.85 years), Pilates (mean age=66.50 ± 5.49 years) and control (mean age=68.58 ± 6.27 years) groups. The experimental groups exercised for 12 weeks, three sessions per week, 60 minutes per session. The participants of the control group were required not to participate in any organized physical activity and just were asked to do their normal and regular daily activities. To assess cognitive function, we used Wisconsin Card Sorting Test (WCST).We performed one-way ANOVA for data analysis using SPSS software version 16.Results showed that both Pilates and aerobic training resulted in improved preservative errors (a cognitive item which forms concepts and helps to create cognitive flexibility) of elderly females (P<0.001), but it was found that the Pilates training was more helpful for improving preservative errors of elderly females than aerobic training (P<0.05). No significant difference was found among groups in the cognitive item categories achievement (P=0.052). It seems that the repetitive mental concentration, as it is the nature of Pilates, could account for the superiority of the Pilates over aerobics in improving cognitive function.

The main aim of this study was to determine the effect of dual-task, single-task, and combined-task trainingon older adults’ gait, with or without the experience of falling.For this purpose, we recruited 120 volunteers in Babol in the 60–80 age range. The participants were randomly divided into different groups, including: two control groups, two experimental groups assigned with single task, two experimental groups assigned with dual task, and two groups assigned with combined task. To evaluate the quality of gait in older adults, we applied the ‘Timed up and go test (TUG).’ After pre-examining the participants according to the task their groups were assigned, they participated in single-task, dual-task, and combined-task exercises. After about two months, the subjects participated in TUG again. All groups were assessed in both single-task and dual-task conditions. The results of mixed ANOVA test showed that the effect of intervention, and the interactive effect of intervention and group under both test conditions were meaningful, but the post-test difference between these two conditions was not significant. Probably, the increase in cognitive and physical ability is the key reason for a better quality of gait.

The purpose of this study was to determine validity and reliability of the Persian shortened version of the Falls Efficacy Scale-International (FES-I) in people with multiple sclerosis. In this regard, and to confirm the construct validity of the Persian shortened version of FES-I, 170 (95 male and 75 female) people with multiple sclerosis were recruited by convenience sampling and completed the Persian shortened version of FES-I. First, the face validity and translation accuracy of the Persian version of the questionnaire were confirmed through translation-back translation method. Then, confirmatory factor analysis based on structural equations was used for validation of the structure of questionnaire, Cronbach’s alpha coefficient was used for internal consistency of questionnaire, and intra-class correlation coefficient under test-retest method was used to study temporal reliability of items, and percentile points were used for normalization. Fit indices (RMSEA=0.067, CFI=1.00, TLI=0.99), internal consistency (0.94) and temporal reliability (0.83), all are indicative of good validity and reliability of the Persian shortened version of FES-I. Therefore, the Persian shortened version of FES-I can be characterized as an applicable tool to study and evaluate the fear of falling of Iranian people with multiple sclerosis.

The purpose of this study was to compare the effect of different types of second stimulus (simple, discrimination, choice) at different time intervals on the first stimulus reaction time in the psychological refractory period paradigm. Thirty-six female students, aged 18–24 (mean=21) years, were randomly assigned to three experimental groups of 12 each: simple, discrimination and choice. For each group, there were five measurement phases based on the time interval between two stimuli (50, 100, 200, 400, and 1000 ms).Data was analyzed with repeated measures and mixed factorial analysis of variance including factors of time intervals and groups. Results showed that in the first stimulus reaction time, the main effect of group (F2,33=15.40, P=0.001), the main effect of different time interval (F3,93=16.79, P=0.001), and the interaction between group and time interval (F5,93=2.42, P=0.03) was significant. In the second stimuli reaction time, the main effect of group (F2,33=12.04, P=0.001) was significant; the main effect of different time interval (F3,100=2.57, P=0.05) and the interaction between group and time interval (F3,100=1.63, P=0.05) was not significant. Findings showed that the second stimulus type and the interval between two stimuli significantly affect the second stimulus reaction time delay as well as the first stimulus reaction time.

The purpose of the present research was to investigate the effect of spectator-induced arousal on depth perception and spatial memory in female student athletes. The population of the present study included all female students of physical education faculty of Tehran University. Thirty university students (Mean age=20.47 ± 1.38 y) volunteered to participate in the experiment. The method of the present study was semi experimental.First, depth perception (Pulsimeter, Electric Depth Perception Tester) and spatial memory (linear movement apparatus) were evaluated; then, they were divided randomly into two groups, including a control group without spectator presence (n=15) and an experimental group with spectator presence (15 people). The heart rate was used for measurement of arousal. The post-test was done for all participants after intervention.The results of covariance analysis in depth perception showed that spectator-induced arousal had significant effect on DP (P=0.001). In conclusion, the results indicated that high motivation (spectator presence) negatively affects DP, resulting in overestimation.Covariance analysis in spatial memory showed that although motivational climate (spectator) increased errors of spatial memory, there was no significant difference between spectator-induced arousal and spatial memory in the experimental and control groups (P=0.1). Thus, given the compromising effect of increased arousal level on depth perception, athletes are encouraged to use effective strategies for appropriate control of arousal levels.

The purpose of present study was to investigate the effect of a course of basketball training program on ADHD children's sustained attention. Nineteen ADHD children, aged 9–12 years, were selected from a clinical center in Tabriz by available sampling and were randomly divided to two groups (10 individuals for experimental group and 9 individuals for control group). Experimental group was under basketball training for 12 sessions, but the control group didn’t receive any intervention. Participants were assessment by Conners’ continuous performance testbefore and after of intervention.Covariate Analysis was used to analyze the data. The results showed that basketball training can decrease commission error and increase correct response on non-goal stimuli; but in omission error, correct response on goal stimuli, and reaction time there was no significant difference between experimental group and control group. Results suggest that basketball training mayimprove some of ADHD children’s cognitive disorders in long time.

The purpose of the following research was to compare the training effects on in-phase and anti-phase coordinated movements with arms and legs. Twelve female students of the Farhangian University of Isfahan (aged 22 ± 5 y) were randomly selected without any background in rhythmic sports and underwent a six-month training under supervision of a hip-hop instructor to learn and practice hip hop along with the specific tasks of the research. The participants reported to lab at first, third, and sixth months, each considered as a level of skill. Using motion analyzer, performance of four chosen exercises of in-phase and anti-phase were filmed by seven cameras. All the data were processed by programming, using MATLAB and the variable error of the participants were calculated. Afterwards, ANOVA with repeated measures was used for data analysis at significance level of P=0.05. The results indicated significant difference in variable error of performance between different levels of skills, with coordinated moves at each level being executed more firmly compared with lower levels. Study of interactive effect of the pattern, levels, and limbs showed that the variable error of anti-phase movement was more significant than that of in-phase movement in each level and both limbs.Overall, the results proved that training improves the in-phase and anti-phase movement model performance in hands and legs at the same level.

The purpose of the present study was to determine the effects of physical and observational practices on electromyography features of active muscles in high badminton serve. Thirty non-athletic female students (aged 18–24 years) were randomly assigned to three physical, observational, and combined training groups after pre-test.Surface electromyography was done for biceps, triceps and middle part of the deltoid, during the pre-test badminton high serve. All participants underwent an electromyography assessment after 4 sessions of practice. A mixed analysis of variance was used to analyze data. There was significant decrease between pre- and post-test in activity time, mean, and peak normalized activity of biceps and deltoid muscles. From a neurophysiological point of view, observation will activate a mirror mechanism that leads to facilitation of movement for imitating act.