Anticipation Timing Error as a Function of Mood Lability

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of mood lability on anticipation timing performance. The influence of gender and stimulus speed on timing error was also analysed. Spectral analysis was used to quantify frequency of mood change. The within-subjects standard deviation was calculated as a measure of intensity of mood change. Thirty-eight physical education students (18 men; M = 23.8 yrs, SD = 2.1 and 20 women; M = 20.4 yrs, SD = 1.6) participated in this study. Mood changes were measured along the Pleasantness and Energetic dimensions of the Affect Grid. Performance was assessed using the Bassin Anticipation Timer. It was hypothesized that: the fast mood changers would incur greater timing errors than the slow mood changers, men would perform with less error than women, and stimulus speed would have a significant influence on timing error. Mixed factorial ANOVAs with repeated measures on the last factor were utilized to compare mean timing error scores: constant error, absolute error, variable error, and total error, over two levels of frequency of mood change (fast / slow) and intensity of mood change (high/low) groups, two levels of gender (men/women) and four levels of stimulus speed (5/10/15/25 mph). Alpha was set at the .05 significance level for all statistical comparisons. Results showed that intensity of mood change had a significant influence on anticipation timing performance, frequency of mood change factor did not have a significant effect on timing error, men performed with less variability than women and stimulus speed had a significant influence on anticipation timing. The Profile of Mood States (POMS) results, showed that women scored lower on the negative mood states than men. Total mood disturbance for both men and women showed no significant relationship to the timing error scores.