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Activation in novice and expert parachutists while jumping
Author(s) -
Roth Walton T.,
Breivik Gunnar,
Jørgensen Per Erik,
Hofmann Stefan
Publication year - 1996
Publication title -
psychophysiology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.661
H-Index - 156
eISSN - 1469-8986
pISSN - 0048-5772
DOI - 10.1111/j.1469-8986.1996.tb02109.x
Subject(s) - jumping , heart rate , anxiety , psychology , sitting , jump , rating of perceived exertion , exertion , physical therapy , physical medicine and rehabilitation , blood pressure , medicine , physiology , psychiatry , physics , pathology , quantum mechanics
Abstract Heart and respiration rates were measured ambulatorily in 16 novice and 25 expert (>380 delayed free‐fall jumps) sports parachutists while making a static‐line jump. Self‐reported anxiety and heart rate peaked near the point of jumping in both groups rather than earlier in experts, as reported by Fenz, and Epstein (1967, Psychosomatic Medicine, 29, 33–51). While sitting in the airplane 1 min before exit, mean heart rate was 124 bpm in novices and 102 in experts and increased during jumping to 170 and 145, respectively. The almost identical rise in the two groups could be accounted for largely by physical exertion, replicated with jumps from a training model on the ground. Exercise testing at a different location showed that experts were more fit. Respiration rate was higher in the airplane than at baselines, especially for novices. In conclusion, out results are more compatible theoretically with extinction of anticipatory anxiety than with learned anxiety inhibition.