Effects of interpersonal coordination on physiology, psychology and behavior of humans during exercise

2022 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 18K17907
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Early-Career Scientists
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Review Section: Basic Section 59030:Physical education, and physical and health education-related
• Research Institution: Kobe University (2021-2022); Ritsumeikan University (2018-2020)
• Principal Investigator: Okano Masahiro 神戸大学, 人間発達環境学研究科, 助教 (90809956)
• Project Period (FY): 2018-04-01 – 2023-03-31
• Keywords: 対人間協調 / 同期 / エクササイズ

Outline of Final Research Achievements

We conducted a study to test the hypothesis that, when exercising with others, the psychological and physiological states of the person change due to unconscious movement coordination. We conducted an experiment using a stepping exercise in which participants were asked to maintain a constant tempo without a metronome. The step tempo of the participants averagely slowed down when they exercised alone. In contrast, the tempo was more easily maintained when they performed the exercise in a pair while synchronizing their step timing. The results also suggested that, while heart rate did not change significantly between single and paired conditions, participants’ sense of exaltation was heightened in the paired condition. Furthermore, in order to detect step timing with high accuracy, we developed a soft foot switch system that can be attached to shoe insoles using commercially available materials.

Free Research Field

実験心理学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

一定のリズムを保っての動作を2人組で同期しながら行うと、意図せずテンポが速くなりやすいことが知られていたが、これまでは電子ドラムなどを使ったタッピング動作でしか検討されてきていなかった。本研究はこの効果を踏み台昇降運動という全身的な運動で検討し、加速までは至らなかったものの、遅くなることを防げるという効果が得られることを確認した。こうした効果を利用できるように運動環境を整えることで、運動強度が意図せず下がってしまうような不都合を回避することができる可能性がある。