1. Andy Lane School of Sport, Performing Arts and Leisure
Physiological correlates of emotion self-regulation during prolonged cycling performance
Andy Lane
School of Sport, Performing Arts and Leisure
Emotion Regulation in Others and Self (EROS) Research Network

2. A Collaborative Research Network
Emotional Regulation
of Others and the Self (EROS)
ESRC Programme Grant
Peter Totterdell
Warren Mansell
Brian Parkinson
David Holman
Pasco Fearon
Thomas Webb
Tom Farrow
Andy Lane
Paschal Shearan
A Collaborative Research Network
Clinical – Developmental – Neuroscience
Work – Social – Health - Sports

3. Introduction
Goal-pursuit activities such as athletic competition is associated with intense emotions (Terry & Lane, 2000)

4. Introduction
Prolonged intense emotions associated perceived exertion (Crewe et al., 2008)
Athletes competing in prolonged endurance events experience intense emotions (Lane et al., 2005; Linderman et al., 2003).

5. Both athletes report fatigue, but one athlete is fatigued and happy and the other is fatigued with unpleasant emotions such as anger
Figure 2 is a graph of a female explorer completing an expedition to the South Pole.
Vigour and fatigue fluctuate during repeated bouts of hard exercise; endurance athletes should expect to feel intense fatigue and learn strategies to cope.

6. Emotions and emotion regulation
If emotions experienced in sport influence the goal attainment, then strategies to manage emotions during competition become important (Terry, 1995).

7. Emotion regulation is effortful
Regulating emotions is effortful (Baumeister & Muraven, 2000)
Regulating emotions effects physiological substrates required for physical and mental performance such as glucose depletion and heart rate variability (Gailliot et al., 2007).

8. Resource depletion and regulation
Using self-control lowers blood glucose (Gailliot et al., 2007)
106
Glucose
(mg/dL)
104
102
100
Depletion did not increase urge; depletion undermined restraint/self-control
Control Attention
Watch Normally

9. Hypothetical relationship between resource depletion, exercise and regulation
Use of
resources
Emotion regulation strategies add to resource depletion
Time to exhaustion

10. Key point
However, if emotion regulation is an effortful process (Muraven & Baumeister, 2000), then it uses the same physiological resources that are required for performance.

11. Two athletes working at the same intensity
Use of
resources
Individuals who regulate emotion use physiological resources to a greater extent
Time to exhaustion

12. Purpose
In this study, we hypothesized that cyclists who experience unpleasant mood states during performance would concurrently experience a depletion of physiological resources due to unsuccessful regulatory efforts.

13. Method Participants Well-trained cyclists (N= 28)
Age range 18 – 35 years
Weekly training hours; M = 14.23, SD =1.23 hours
VO2 Max. M = 65.6 (SD = 7 ml/kg/min.)
Threshold wattage (SD = 28.3 watts)

14. Exercise intensity and regulation strategies
When performing intense exercise, physiological cues pre-emanate;
If athletes wish to use distraction as a self-regulating strategy, then they will need to reduce speed (Rejeski, 1981)
Concentration on the task has been found to be an effective method of managing fatigue during intense exercise (Lane et al., 2007; Stevinson & Biddle, 1998).

15. Within cycling emotions
Emotion was assessed using the Brunel Mood Rating Scale (Terry et al., 1999, Terry, Lane, & Fogarty, in press).
The Brunel Mood Rating Scale assesses Anger, Confusion, Depression, Fatigue, Tension and Vigour
Terry et al. (1999, 2003) reported a rigorous validation procedure for use in sport.
Confirmatory factor analysis
Criterion validity
A ‘right now’ response timeframe was used.

16. Method
Performance
Participants completed a 100-mile cycle performance in laboratory conditions at an speed equivalent to lactate threshold.
Lactate threshold was determined a week earlier using an incremental cycling test.
A stationary cycle ergometer rig (Kingcycle, High Wycombe, UK) was used.

17. Results
Mood data indicated significant changes over time, with 14 cases reporting increases in unpleasant mood characterised by increased anger, depression, tension and fatigue.

18. Results
ANOVA to assess the effect of unpleasant mood on changes in physiological variables indicated a significant interaction effect for changes in ventilation rate:
F 6,21=3.09,P =.03, Partial Eta2=.47

19. By contrast, among individuals reporting positive mood, ventilation rates were lower during exercise and increased sharply before exhaustion.
Unpleasant mood was associated with a significant increase in ventilation rate during the middle and later stages and reduction shortly before volatile exhaustion, suggesting that earlier emotion-regulation efforts were costly.

21. Discussion
Findings suggest athletes regulate their mood through increasing effort, depleting physiological substrates needed for goal attainment.
Athletes who maintained positive mood states during performance were able to increase efforts to achieve performance goals.

22. Implications
Regulating emotions during intense exercise appears effortful, which contributes to further resource depletion (Gaillot et al., 2007).
Interventions to regulate emotions should consider non-conscious strategies such as if-then plans.

23. Conclusions
Findings offer preliminary support for the notion that emotion regulation during exercise is effortful
Future research is needed to investigate this effect with stricter experimental control.