Does being watched influence how you exercise?

RW mag wants to hear your thoughts...

When a woman started watching male study subjects on the treadmill, they reported a significant drop in RPE (rate of perceived exertion). The opposite was true when a man turned his gaze on them: male watchers made male runners feel they were working harder than they actually were.

Why so? The researchers have no idea - have you got a theory?

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Comments

  • WilkieWilkie ✭✭✭

    My thoughts are...

     What practical use is this research supposed to be?  

  • I don't know about that but when I'm running and feel exhausted I may stop to take a walk, but if there are pedestrians about I know I'll not stop, a little pride I gues, and maybe I take more notice of what others think than I'd like to believe.

  • Wilkie wrote (see)

    My thoughts are...

     What practical use is this research supposed to be?  

    Bunch of male researchers watching scantily clad women get all hot and sweaty ?

    Where do you get a job like that ?

  • It's genius Dave !

    Can I join your team please ?
  • Katie RW wrote (see)

    RW mag wants to hear your thoughts...

    When a woman started watching male study subjects on the treadmill, they reported a significant drop in RPE (rate of perceived exertion). The opposite was true when a man turned his gaze on them: male watchers made male runners feel they were working harder than they actually were.

    Why so? The researchers have no idea - have you got a theory?

     

    If the greater/lesser effort is only perceived rather than actual then it doesn't mean a bliddy thing does it? It's like me thinking, "my hair looks nice today" or "my hair looks horrible today" - it's just a thought, nothing more.

     

  • NykieNykie ✭✭✭

    And sorry to disappoint you guys, but there was no mention of men watching scantily-clad women exercise. Just a woman watching men and a man watching men  image

  • It's the thought that counts so thank you for 10 minutes of enjoyable daydreaming Dave

  • PhilPubPhilPub ✭✭✭
    Katie RW wrote (see)

    - have you got a theory?


    Shouldn't we start with a hypothesis?  image

  •  What about a control and placebo group?

    Are you sure there are loads of woman watching me run, I can't see them?

    Yes and there all very impressed and want to meet you afterwards, unless you're to tired.

    No no, not at all this is..puff puff.. easy.

  • Stevie  GStevie G ✭✭✭✭

    being watched certainly makes you up your game.

    Anyone who has ever done a race where miles are on exposed lanes with noone around, and then comes up to a place with supporters knows that!

    gently ease up to high speed...then back down when out of sight image

  • Brian61Brian61 ✭✭✭

    The bloke will try and look as cool as he can.

    Bliddy obvious

  • Katie RW wrote (see)

    RW mag wants to hear your thoughts...

    Why so? The researchers have no idea - have you got a theory?

    This reminds me of that Mitchell & Webb sketch parodying TV shows that invite viewers to comment. "You probably don't know anything about this subject, but I'll bet you reckon something. Why not send us your reckons?"

  • Eggyh73Eggyh73 ✭✭✭
    Katie RW wrote (see)

    Why so? The researchers have no idea - have you got a theory?

     

    The women took their mind off the fact that they where exercising, or in other words a good ogle of the ladies distracted them. Most likely thinking "oh nice legs on her" etc rather than having their mind on their running.

    Second instance basic male competitiveness. They want to be seen as faster/stronger than the guys watching. This means they will be focusing far more on their running.

  • I certainly try to run with better posture or faster or both when I notice another runner coming towards me, same as if I see a photographer during a race, but in that case it's usually too late.

     

     

  • "They" are always watching me. image

  • When I am getting physical and a women is watching me the blood seems to flow more and my performance becomes more vigorous. If I was being watched by another man I think my performance would flop, especially if he had a bigger performance in him.

  • how fast you run/how much you lift is directly proportional to attractivness of the person around you X by the probability of eye of the tiger being on the radio. 

  • DeanR7DeanR7 ✭✭✭

    women watching men excerise - lower perceived exertion - the men are trying to convince the ladies that this isnt hard work and i can do this easily

    men watching men exercise - increased perceived exertion - the men are trying to convince the watching men that what i am doing is incredibly difficult.

    so men want to impress women by how easy they find it and keep men at arms length by showing difficult it is. 

  • MuttleyMuttley ✭✭✭
    fros t. the mouse wrote (see)

    "They" are always watching me. image

    But they're talking to me ...

  • Marc.S wrote (see)

    how fast you run/how much you lift is directly proportional to attractivness of the person around you X by the probability of eye of the tiger being on the radio. 

    absolutely brilliant !!

  • I would be interested in knowing the actual rate of effort (e.g. pace / distance run) rather than the perceived rate of effort. If the actual rate of effort is constant, it leads to certain conclusions; if the actual rate of effort changes, it leads to others.

     

    It would also be interesting to know what happens with female subjects being observed (and not just for Phil's reasons).

  • Dan Ellingworth wrote

     

    It would also be interesting to know what happens with female subjects being observed (and not just for Phil's reasons).

    I wouldnt change anything if being watched my another female but would slow down ...put less effort in if being watched by a man...unless I had a baggy tee shirt and really good sports bra on.image

  • If i see another runner when i am feeling tired, i am inspired to keep on going, since i realise i am not the only doing this bloody mad thing called running, but really my pace never changes. I am on my own mission in my own little world. The outside world has no interest for me, when i am in the zone.

  • Have to admit, being fiercely competitive, working out in the gym or in a class I always work harder than I probably would on my own, and when out running I will always push on up a hill if there are any spectators even if I slow down when out of sight - sad, aren't I? And I've always got a sprint in me at the finish, it isn't only the men!

  • dean richardson 7 wrote (see)

    women watching men excerise - lower perceived exertion - the men are trying to convince the ladies that this isnt hard work and i can do this easily

    men watching men exercise - increased perceived exertion - the men are trying to convince the watching men that what i am doing is incredibly difficult.

    so men want to impress women by how easy they find it and keep men at arms length by showing difficult it is. 

    Agree with this.

    Us men are trying to prove to you lasses that we're supremely fit and are a better specimen than any other men in the vicinity and therefore it's US that they should be considering 1st when they are planning on who they wish to practice making babies with.

    Unless your that way inclined, the opposite is true of when other men (especially the long haired, lycra wearing, fake tanned ones) are watching at us. And possibly winking.

    *WINKING. WIN, WINKING. GOT THAT? WINking.

  • What is the SI unit of "perceived" exertion?

  • If it is only perceived, does it actually exist?

  • SuperCaz wrote (see)

    If it is only perceived, does it actually exist?

    Exactly. That's why my argument was that it was a silly question in the first place. If it's only perceived then nothing's actually happening. The bloke on the treadmill might just as well be pretending he looks like George Clooney!

  • This is getting borderline philosophical. Empiricists would argue that only things that can be perceived exist. Realists, though, would argue that perceptions are based on real existing phenomena, but that the perceptions might be distorted. I would argue that there are two things going on here: real effort, and perceptions of that effort. Given that both can be measured, why has the research only looked at perceived effort?

  • I'm sitting in my lounge typing on here, but I perceive that I'm putting a lot of effort into it.  Will I lose weight and get fitter?

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