Experimental investigation examining the effects of acute exercise on implicit memory function

Authors

Paul D. Loprinzi, University of Mississippi
Morgan Gilbert, University of Mississippi
Gina Robinson, University of Mississippi
Briahna Dickerson, University of Mississippi

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

11-1-2019

Abstract

© 2019, PsychOpen. All rights reserved. Emerging work suggests that acute exercise can enhance explicit memory function. Minimal research, however, has examined whether acute exercise is associated with implicit memory, which was the purpose of this study. Three separate experimental studies were computed (N = 120; Mean age = 21). In Experiment 1, participants were randomly assigned to either a moderate-intensity bout of acute exercise (15-minute) or engaged in a seated control task (15-minute), followed by the completion of a word-fragmentation implicit memory task. Experiment 2 replicated Experiment 1, but instead employed a higher-intensity exercise protocol. For Experiment 3, participants were randomly assigned to either a moderate-intensity bout of acute exercise (15-minute) or engaged in a seated control task (15-minute), followed by the completion of a real world, 3-dimensional implicit memory task. For Experiment 1, the exercise and control groups, respectively, had an implicit memory score of 7.0 (0.5) and 7.5 (0.6) (t(38) = 0.67, p = .51). For Experiment 2, the exercise and control groups, respectively, had an implicit memory score of 6.9 (1.9) and 7.8 (2.4) (t(38) = 1.27, p = .21). These findings suggest that exercise, and the intensity of exercise, does not alter implicit memory from a word fragmentation task. For Experiment 3, the exercise and control groups, respectively, had a discrimination implicit memory index score of 0.48 (0.18) and 0.29 (0.32) (t(38) = 2.16, p = .03). In conclusion, acute exercise does not influence a commonly used laboratory-based assessment of implicit memory but may enhance real world-related implicit memory function.

Relational Format

journal article

Recommended Citation

Loprinzi, P. D., Gilbert, M., Robinson, G., & Dickerson, B. (2019). Experimental Investigation Examining the Effects of Acute Exercise on Implicit Memory Function. Europe’s Journal of Psychology, 15(4), 700–716. https://doi.org/10.5964/ejop.v15i4.1837

DOI

10.5964/ejop.v15i4.1837

Accessibility Status

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