The amount of effort people place into exercise sessions, as well as their attention, affect and perceptions are influenced by a range of psychophysiological factors that can influence subsequent participation and performance. Awareness of the duration or distance of an exercise session, attentional focus and the perception of time can contribute to pacing strategy, and perhaps play a role in the maintenance of an exercise or sport program; however, little is known about the relationship among these factors and no research has been conducted to examine the relationship between psychophysiological responses, time perception and pacing, especially when the duration of an event is unknown and subjects are allowed to self-pace.
The primary purpose of the SPEED (Self Paced Exercise and Endpoint Definition) study was to determine the effect of running with and without an unknown endpoint on psychophysiological variables, and to investigate the perception of time in runners. Subjects in the study consisted of 22 runners (11 men, 11 women) that consistently logged at least 10 miles per week of running in the previous six months. They were apparently healthy and “low risk” according to American College of Sports Medicine risk stratification guidelines. Subjects were asked to participate in two conditions: 1) a run with an unknown endpoint that was relative to each subject, calculated based on their running history; and 2) a run to the same distance with the knowledge of the endpoint. In both conditions the subjects were blind to speed, distance and elapsed time. At varying time points, rating of perceived exertion (RPE), affect, heart rate, attentional focus and time perception were assessed.
Results showed that subjects ran significantly faster when the endpoint was known (p < .01) but no differences were seen in psychophysiological variables between conditions (p > .05). A significant curvilinear increase in RPE was seen in both conditions (p < .001). For all subjects there was a feeling of time “slowing down” when they progressed through each run, while women consistently underestimated prospective time intervals compared to men. Additionally, cardiorespiratory fitness level was a significant predictor of attentional focus near the end of the run with a known endpoint.
The results from this study support the concept of teleoanticipation; metabolic resources were conserved during exercise when the endpoint was unknown. Despite running faster when the endpoint was known, no differences were seen in psychophysiological variables. Subjects with high levels of cardiorespiratory fitness used associative cognitive strategies during exercise when the endpoint was known. Additionally, significant differences in time estimations were seen between men and women; women in this study perceived time as moving by relatively slowly compared to the men. This contributes to what is known about sex differences in time perception.
","abstract_html":"<p>The amount of effort people place into exercise sessions, as well as their attention, affect and perceptions are influenced by a range of psychophysiological factors that can influence subsequent participation and performance. Awareness of the duration or distance of an exercise session, attentional focus and the perception of time can contribute to pacing strategy, and perhaps play a role in the maintenance of an exercise or sport program; however, little is known about the relationship among these factors and no research has been conducted to examine the relationship between psychophysiological responses, time perception and pacing, especially when the duration of an event is unknown and subjects are allowed to self-pace.</p> <p>The primary purpose of the SPEED (<b>S</b>elf <b>P</b>aced <b>E</b>xercise and <b>E</b>ndpoint <b>D</b>efinition) study was to determine the effect of running with and without an unknown endpoint on psychophysiological variables, and to investigate the perception of time in runners. Subjects in the study consisted of 22 runners (11 men, 11 women) that consistently logged at least 10 miles per week of running in the previous six months. They were apparently healthy and “low risk” according to American College of Sports Medicine risk stratification guidelines. Subjects were asked to participate in two conditions: 1) a run with an unknown endpoint that was relative to each subject, calculated based on their running history; and 2) a run to the same distance with the knowledge of the endpoint. In both conditions the subjects were blind to speed, distance and elapsed time. At varying time points, rating of perceived exertion (RPE), affect, heart rate, attentional focus and time perception were assessed.</p> <p>Results showed that subjects ran significantly faster when the endpoint was known (p < .01) but no differences were seen in psychophysiological variables between conditions (p > .05). A significant curvilinear increase in RPE was seen in both conditions (p < .001). For all subjects there was a feeling of time “slowing down” when they progressed through each run, while women consistently underestimated prospective time intervals compared to men. Additionally, cardiorespiratory fitness level was a significant predictor of attentional focus near the end of the run with a known endpoint.</p><p>The results from this study support the concept of teleoanticipation; metabolic resources were conserved during exercise when the endpoint was unknown. Despite running faster when the endpoint was known, no differences were seen in psychophysiological variables. Subjects with high levels of cardiorespiratory fitness used associative cognitive strategies during exercise when the endpoint was known. Additionally, significant differences in time estimations were seen between men and women; women in this study perceived time as moving by relatively slowly compared to the men. This contributes to what is known about sex differences in time perception.</p>","abstract_has_math":false,"creators":["Hanson, Nicholas Jon"],"institution":"The Ohio State University","degree_name":"Doctor of Philosophy","degree_level":"doctoral","degree_discipline":"EDU Physical Activity and Educational Services","degree_department":null,"school":null,"contributors":["Buckworth, Janet"],"advisors":[],"committee_chairs":[],"committee_members":[],"year":2013,"date_issued":"2013-07-24","date_published":"2013-07-24","updated_at":"2026-07-24T03:37:46Z","subjects":["Behavioral Sciences","Health","Health Sciences","Physiology","Psychobiology","teleoanticipation","self-pacing","unknown endpoint","time perception"],"languages":["English"],"rights":["unrestricted","This thesis or dissertation is protected by copyright: all rights reserved. It may not be copied or redistributed beyond the terms of applicable copyright laws."],"rights_urls":[],"identifier_entries":[]},"links":{"outbound_url":"http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1366198574","outbound_label":"Repository record","outbound_source":"dc:identifier"},"metadata_groups":[{"id":"people","label":"People","entries":[{"key":"dc:contributor","label":"Contributor","values":["Buckworth, Janet"]},{"key":"dc:creator","label":"Author","values":["Hanson, Nicholas Jon"]}]},{"id":"academic_context","label":"Academic Context","entries":[{"key":"dc:date","label":"Dc Date","values":["2013-07-24"]},{"key":"dc:publisher","label":"Institution","values":["The Ohio State University / OhioLINK"]},{"key":"dc:type","label":"Dc Type","values":["Electronic Thesis or Dissertation"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_discipline","label":"Discipline","values":["EDU Physical Activity and Educational Services"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_level","label":"Degree Level","values":["doctoral"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_name","label":"Degree Name","values":["Doctor of Philosophy"]},{"key":"thesis:institution_name","label":"Thesis Institution Name","values":["The Ohio State University"]}]},{"id":"subjects_keywords","label":"Subjects and Keywords","entries":[{"key":"dc:subject","label":"Dc Subject","values":["Behavioral Sciences","Health","Health Sciences","Physiology","Psychobiology","teleoanticipation","self-pacing","unknown endpoint","time perception"]}]},{"id":"language_rights","label":"Language and Rights","entries":[{"key":"dc:language","label":"Dc Language","values":["English"]},{"key":"dc:rights","label":"Dc Rights","values":["unrestricted","This thesis or dissertation is protected by copyright: all rights reserved. It may not be copied or redistributed beyond the terms of applicable copyright laws."]}]},{"id":"identifiers","label":"Identifiers","entries":[{"key":"dc:identifier","label":"Identifier","values":["http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1366198574"]}]},{"id":"additional","label":"Additional Metadata","entries":[{"key":"dc:description","label":"Description","values":["The amount of effort people place into exercise sessions, as well as their attention, affect and perceptions are influenced by a range of psychophysiological factors that can influence subsequent participation and performance. Awareness of the duration or distance of an exercise session, attentional focus and the perception of time can contribute to pacing strategy, and perhaps play a role in the maintenance of an exercise or sport program; however, little is known about the relationship among these factors and no research has been conducted to examine the relationship between psychophysiological responses, time perception and pacing, especially when the duration of an event is unknown and subjects are allowed to self-pace.
The primary purpose of the SPEED (Self Paced Exercise and Endpoint Definition) study was to determine the effect of running with and without an unknown endpoint on psychophysiological variables, and to investigate the perception of time in runners. Subjects in the study consisted of 22 runners (11 men, 11 women) that consistently logged at least 10 miles per week of running in the previous six months. They were apparently healthy and “low risk” according to American College of Sports Medicine risk stratification guidelines. Subjects were asked to participate in two conditions: 1) a run with an unknown endpoint that was relative to each subject, calculated based on their running history; and 2) a run to the same distance with the knowledge of the endpoint. In both conditions the subjects were blind to speed, distance and elapsed time. At varying time points, rating of perceived exertion (RPE), affect, heart rate, attentional focus and time perception were assessed.
Results showed that subjects ran significantly faster when the endpoint was known (p < .01) but no differences were seen in psychophysiological variables between conditions (p > .05). A significant curvilinear increase in RPE was seen in both conditions (p < .001). For all subjects there was a feeling of time “slowing down” when they progressed through each run, while women consistently underestimated prospective time intervals compared to men. Additionally, cardiorespiratory fitness level was a significant predictor of attentional focus near the end of the run with a known endpoint.
The results from this study support the concept of teleoanticipation; metabolic resources were conserved during exercise when the endpoint was unknown. Despite running faster when the endpoint was known, no differences were seen in psychophysiological variables. Subjects with high levels of cardiorespiratory fitness used associative cognitive strategies during exercise when the endpoint was known. Additionally, significant differences in time estimations were seen between men and women; women in this study perceived time as moving by relatively slowly compared to the men. This contributes to what is known about sex differences in time perception.
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The primary purpose of the SPEED (Self Paced Exercise and Endpoint Definition) study was to determine the effect of running with and without an unknown endpoint on psychophysiological variables, and to investigate the perception of time in runners. Subjects in the study consisted of 22 runners (11 men, 11 women) that consistently logged at least 10 miles per week of running in the previous six months. They were apparently healthy and “low risk” according to American College of Sports Medicine risk stratification guidelines. Subjects were asked to participate in two conditions: 1) a run with an unknown endpoint that was relative to each subject, calculated based on their running history; and 2) a run to the same distance with the knowledge of the endpoint. In both conditions the subjects were blind to speed, distance and elapsed time. At varying time points, rating of perceived exertion (RPE), affect, heart rate, attentional focus and time perception were assessed.
Results showed that subjects ran significantly faster when the endpoint was known (p < .01) but no differences were seen in psychophysiological variables between conditions (p > .05). A significant curvilinear increase in RPE was seen in both conditions (p < .001). For all subjects there was a feeling of time “slowing down” when they progressed through each run, while women consistently underestimated prospective time intervals compared to men. Additionally, cardiorespiratory fitness level was a significant predictor of attentional focus near the end of the run with a known endpoint.
The results from this study support the concept of teleoanticipation; metabolic resources were conserved during exercise when the endpoint was unknown. Despite running faster when the endpoint was known, no differences were seen in psychophysiological variables. Subjects with high levels of cardiorespiratory fitness used associative cognitive strategies during exercise when the endpoint was known. Additionally, significant differences in time estimations were seen between men and women; women in this study perceived time as moving by relatively slowly compared to the men. This contributes to what is known about sex differences in time perception.
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