the psychophysiological profile and asymmetry of the outlying

THE PSYCHOPHYSIOLOGICAL PROFILE AND ASYMMETRY OF THE OUTLYING
TEMPERATURE OF SPORTSMEN OF COMPETITION
Pérez Córdoba, E. A., Estrada, C. O. & Álvarez, M. A.
Universidad de Sevilla. Departamento de Psicología Experimental. Sevilla. España
Introduction
Objectives
Diverse investigations mention that the changes in the temperature of the skin allow to infer about
emotional several states, for example that a threatening situation produces cold in the hands and
this associates to the tension or anxiety (Estrada, 2002; Karavidas, Tsai, Yucha, McGrady &
Lehrer, 2006; Yucha, Tsai, Calderón & Tian, 2005; Estrada & Pérez, 2008).
An asymmetry is also identified in the outlying temperature, that is to say, one of the hands ends
up having smaller temperature, it is generally the left hand (Rimm-Kaufman & Kagan, 1996).
Investigators as Guirado, et al. (1995) they mention that the Heart Frequency is used as measure
for the evaluation of the anxiety. The women can have bigger Heart Frequency in answer to
stress (Moya & Salvador, 2002; Estrada & Pérez, 2008).
In the interventions with Biofeedback, it is frequent the obtaining of Evaluation or Profile of
Psychophysiological Reactivity of the subject (Carrobles & Godoy, 1987; Labrador, Cruzado &
Múñoz, 1995; Pérez, 1997; Estrada, 2002).
•To determine the Psychophysiological Profile competition
sportsmen's.
•The different conditions of the Psychophysiological Profile has an
effect in the evaluation of the anxiety
•To determine if the asymmetry in the outlying temperature of the
right hand and left is an indicator of anxiety.
•The sex of the competition sportsmen presents differences in
Psychophysiological Profile
•The sport (singular or team) type presents differences in the
Psychophysiological Profile
Method
Subjects
Non probabilistic sample of 60 sportsmen of the city of Seville that were training
and competing regularly. With a 21,6 year-old age. Of the total of the sample
they were divided the half in team sports and the other half in singular, in turn in
men and women, that is to say they were 4 groups of 15 subjects each one. All
the participants had experience in competition that it went from the regional
championships to the national and international.
Equipment
•Digital thermometers of outlying temperature
•Pulsometro marks Polar RS 200
Procedures
The design of investigation of the mixed type with repeated measures (2 X 2 X 5). With 2 variables inter-subject: Sex and sport Type
1 variable intra-subject: 5 conditions of the Psychophysiological Profile (open eyes, closed eyes, memory of sport anxiety, spoken memory of anxiety and natural relaxation) with the
signs of outlying temperature of the left hand, right and heart pulse. Each one of the conditions had a duration of 2 minutes for their registration. For the statistical analysis of the data of
the investigation it was used the program SPSS 14.0 for Windows and as statistical proof it was employed the analysis of variance of repeated measures with the approach statistical
Greenhouse-geiser and α: 0,05.
Results
The results of the comparison of the different conditions of the profile shows the following thing:
90
89,5
89
88,5
88
87,5
1
4
7 10 13 16 19 22 25 28 31 34 37 40 43 46 49 52
TEMP HAND LEFT
TEMP HAND RIGHT
In the profile of temperature of the
left hand there are significant
differences F (4,224) = 14,581 p
= 0,000. In the profile of
temperature of the right hand
there are significant differences F
(4,224) = 26,127 p=0 ,000. In the
combination of the variable Sex
and Sport, the temperature of the
right hand of the men team is
lower than the other ones, and
this difference it is significant F
(1,56) = 12,938 p = 0,001. The
asymmetry of the temperature of
the left hand and right is
significant, being the left hand
that has the lower temperature.
Psychophysilogical Profile of Heart Pulse
76
Heart Frequency
Fahrenheit Grades (ºF)
Psichophysiological Profile of outlying temperature of
sportsmen
74
72
70
68
66
64
62
60
1
4
7 10 13 16 19 22 25 28 31 34 37 40 43 46 49 52
HEART PULSE
In the profile of the
heart pulse there are
significant differences F
(4,224) = 65,802 p =
0,000. In the heart
pulse in combination
with the variable Sex, it
shows that the women
present a bigger heart
frequency that the men
and this difference is
statistically significant F
(4,224) = 4,948 p =
0,003.
Discussions / Conclusions
With regard to the decrease of the outlying temperature of the hands left and right under the conditions of activation of the Psychophysiological Profile (condition of Sport Anxiety
Memory and Spoken Anxiety Memory) allows to observe a significant decrement. In the comparison of the outlying temperature of the left hand and right they were differences
statistically significant, that is to say an asymmetry of the outlying temperature exists.
In the results of the Psychophysiological Profile of Heart Pulse, the increase before the activation (condition of Sport Anxiety memory and Spoken Anxiety Memory) conditions is bigger
in comparison to the conditions of rest or base line. Being higher the pulse in the condition of Spoken Anxiety Memory. Also, in the heart pulse the variable sex showed an influence that
had significant differences, since the women they had a bigger heart frequency that the men.
In conclusion the Psychophysiological Profile is an useful tool and it can adapt to the evaluation of the anxiety in competi tion sportsmen, as measure alternative to other options or
evaluation instruments. It has allowed a psychophysiological description of sportsmen of competitive good level with two signs as the outlying temperature and the heart pulse.
References
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