The effects of Virtual Nature Exposure on Cognitive Fatigue Recovery and subsequent push-up performance

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Kadir Ergene, Blair Aitken, Todd Pickering, Luke Champion and Clare Macmahon

Department of Sport, Exercise and Nutrition Sciences, La Trobe University, Australia

Citation

Ergene, K., Aitken, B., Pickering, T., Champion, L., Macmahon, C. (2023). The effects of Virtual Nature Exposure on Cognitive Fatigue Recovery and subsequent push-up performance. International Journal of Sport Psychology, 54(6), 483-497. doi:10.7352/IJSP.2023.54.483

Abstract

Much research has examined the negative impacts of cognitive fatigue (CF) on subsequent physical performance, yet little research has explored potential interventions, such as virtual nature exposure (VNE), to disrupt these impacts and provide recovery effects. Fourteen healthy adults (78% male; aged 28±8.1 years) completed two online sessions, one week apart. Participants performed a Time-load Dual-back (TloadDback) for eight minutes before watching either a nature (intervention) or urban video (control). They then completed as many consecutive push-ups as possible and rated their perceived exertion (RPE). Participants reported more CF following the TloadDback, where this CF declined following the nature video but not the urban video. There was no difference in push-up performance or RPE between conditions. We showed that the TloadDback increased CF ratings, and CF recovery was greater following VNE. While this recovery did not translate into better push-up performance or lower RPE, it shows promise for continued investigation.

Keywords: Mental fatigue; executive function; physical performance, enduran- ce, Sport psychology

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