Research project
Music is widely used in various forms of exercise and athletic training, and relatively strong effects of music upon athletic performance are documented. The mechanisms underlying such effects are poorly understood, however, and here, we examine in detail whether (1) music functions as a motivator, so as to lure participants to make a greater effort,(2) that music acts as a distractor that decreases the influence of stress caused by fatigue, or (3) if it actually has ergogenic effects, that is, changes physical parameters directly to increase performance.
Centrum för Idrottsforskning, 2011: SEK 200,000
Music is widely used in various forms of exercise and athletic training, and relatively strong effects of music upon athletic performance are documented. It has been reported to increase task-specific performance, increase heart rate and oxygen uptake during exercise, and to decrease pain and fatigue, for example. The mechanisms underlying such effects are poorly understood, however, partly because previous research has failed to disentangle possible components of music in this regard. It has been proposed (1) that music functions as a motivator, so as to lure participants to make a greater effort (Karageorghis, Jones, & Stuart, 2008). Another conjecture is (2) that music functions as a distractor that decreases the influence of stress caused by fatigue (Yamashita, Twai, Aktmoto, Sugawara, & Kono, 2006), a notion supported by findings of changes in levels of lactate, norepinephrine, and perceived effort (Szmedra & Bacharach, 1998). Another apparent function of rhythmic music is (3) to act as a pacemaker for rhythmic activities, such as exercise-to-music, running, and spinning
