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Degree

Master of Arts, Miami University, Psychology, 2007.

Abstract

The general goal of this research was to describe how people maintain postural coordination under various constraints such as stress. In particular, the goal is to see how postural coordination changes when different types of stressors are employed. To accomplish this goal, participants were asked to balance on a beam while being exposed to a stressor. Both a cognitive stressor and a perceptual stressor were used. There were three levels of stress for each stress type. It was predicted that variability and range of postural motion would be constrained as stress levels increased and velocity of postural motion would increase with increased stress level. It was also predicted that participants would exhibit more random postural motion with increased stress levels. While many of the analyses failed to reveal significant differences among conditions, the results suggest a constraining of postural motion with higher stress levels. Results also showed a complex relationship between stress and performance for postural motion.

Keywords

Posture; Postural Control; Stress; Motor Control; Fractal Analysis; Behavior

Advisor

L. James Smart

Document number: miami1186157995
Permalink: http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=miami1186157995

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