exercise science midterm

Exercise (according to Mosby)

any physical activity for the purpose of conditioning the body, improving health, maintaining fitness or as a means of therapy.

Science (according to Mosby)

systematic attempt to explain observed phenomena + knowledge gained through these efforts

exercise science

study of how and why the human body responds to physical activity

what might an anatomist study about walking?

the muscles involved in walking

what might a physiologist study about walking?

how systems respond to the stress of walking

what might a biomechanist study about walking ?

apply physic laws to examine efficiency of each stride

different perspectives of exercise science

anatomist, physiological and biomechanics

early measurement of physical fitness

imvolved assessing muscular strength, posture, speed, power, agility, and muscular endurance

primary areas of inquiry that exercise scientists focus on

• health related aspects of physical activity: prevention and managing diseases

• sports performance: enhance athletic performances

examples of health-related aspects of PA studied:

• CHD and some forms of cancer

• study: replacing 30 minutes of sedentary time with 30 minutes of light activity results in a 14% reduced risk of mortality

examples of sports performance in exercise science research

• growth and development of young athletes

• nutritional needs of adult athletes

what is a major challenge in developing scientific bases for exercise science related to sports & exercise?

knowing what falls within the realm of sports & exercise; ex: the same exercise of a distance runner wouldn’t help a weightlifter.

preferable approach for each conceivable activity?

develop scientifically based principles that can be applied to any given type of activity; no “cookbook”

what is the underlying philosophy of the undergraduate exercise science curriculum regarding the knowledge base students should acquire?

provide all students with a core foundation in basic sciences and exercise principles through an integrated approach, while also emphasizing the development of specialized knowledge and skills for their specific interests

Some other ways undergraduate students should develop skills and knowledge in their specialized areas of interest? (besides core courses)

elective courses, practicum experiences, volunteer noncredit activities, work experiences and/or special training from professional certification programs

what were the american society of exercise physiologists (ASEP) and the NSCA’s roles in proposing more specialized curricula?

• ASEP proposed specialized curricula for training undergraduate exercise physiologists

• NSCA proposed more specialized curricula for preparing strength and conditioning professionals.

3 potential career or employment options for students in exercise science?

• dietician

• athletic trainer

• physical therapist

Settings where exercise science graduates may find employment?

• corporate or agency fitness

• personal training

• private consulting

Some selected professional certifications

• ACSM certified personal trainer

• medical exercise specialist certification

• certified sports nutrition

why might obtaining professional certifications be beneficial for exercise science graduates?

increases likelihood of success in job market

future paths/profesional schools that exercise science degrees often serve as a foundation for?

• physical therapy

• nursing schools

• optometry

• occupational therapist

emergence of exercise science?

development occurring in the mid-to-late 1960s; factors contributing to emergence: need for science-based principles of exercise; need to correct myths regarding exercise; need for methodology for training athletes; need for methodology for developing optimal health and fitness.

to promote a healthy lifestyle, exercise scientists must be knowledgeable about what key factors?

• health-related aspects of physical activity

• disease prevention and treatment through exercise

• exercise’s effect on the immune system

• link between PA and diseases like CHD and some cancers

history of the belief that exercise slowed an athlete and restricted range of motion

atheletic coaches in the 1930s and 1940s forbid their athletes from lifting weights; in the 1950's scientific research reversed their thinking

what are primary references and what information do they typically represent?

research articles; first hand results; most current info; single study

disadvantage of primary references?

hard to make conclusions based on one study

secondary references & their main purpose

summarizes results; get “big picture”; out of date; second hand interpretation

examples of secondary literature

• review articles

• academic books

• textbooks

two types of peer-reviewed journals

Primary and secondary

peer-review process (purpose + what is it)

ensure quality and credibility; high level of credibility

• reviews by external experts

• evaluation & feedback

• editorial decides the fate

• authors revise and can resubmit

• further review or final decision

• takes 1-6 months

examples of non-peer-reviewed scientific literature

• bodybuilder.com

• NYtimes

• social media

• Men’s fitness

benefits of non-peer-reviewed sources

• can increase awareness

• researchers can test hypotheses

sections found in a primary research article (peer-reviewed)

• abstract

• introduction

• methods

• results

• discussion

• conclusion

• references

purpose of the abstract/ what information does it contain?

brief overview of study’s purpose; methods used to collect data and analyze it, study’s results, and conclusions drawn from it

primary functions of the introduction section in a research article?

• introduce reader to important topics

• purpose of study

• mention hypotheses regarding study’s outcome

  background info: justification for doing the study

detailed information provided in methods section/ why is it important?

• characteristics of participants, type of equipment and test performed, experimental design, independent and dependent variables.

• important for ppl who want to replicate the study or do something similar

what type of information is presented in the results section?

all statistical analyses performed in one study

why is the results section so comprehensive?

for readers who are interested in things non directly related to research question and for review articles

what is the main purpose of the discussion section?

to discuss how the study fits within the purpose; interpreting results and outcome of research; reference other studies

what information is typically found in the conclusions section?

summary of most important findings and if they support the hypothesis

What is the references section and how can it be helpful to readers?

it’s information to locate cited work; readers can find cited sources

primary purpose of textbooks in exercise science?

educate students and summarizes literature of various topics

major advantage of using textbooks as a literature source?

it’s organized and written for teaching purposes

how are professional books described in terms of their content and usefulness?

summary from previous studies; facilitates development for future studies

what are review articles and who typically writes them?

they’re comprehensive; written by experts in the field; more focused than specialized books

primary types of review articles in exercise science?

• narrative

• meta-analysis

narrative review and it’s purpose?

summarizes most studies in an area; purpose: discuss studies’ results collectively so conclusions can be drawn

how does a meta-analytic review differ from a narrative review?

it uses statistical procedures to combine results from several studies addressing similar research questions; standardized measure of effect; greater weight of evidence

examples of peer-reviewed scientific journals in exercise science?

• journal of medicine

• journal of athletic training

• journal of sport and exercise psychology

Why is PubMed considered a common searched database for scientific articles?

it’s free, comprehensive, and updated frequently

search strategies for conducting online literature searches?

• google scholar

• educational resources information center

difference between a “keyword search” and an “author search” ?

• keyword is more common, uses words that are in the title

• author search is more narrowed, use author’s last name and first two initials.

measurement

assigning a symbol on individuals or objects to find a specific attribute each possesses

evaluation

statement that involves judgement

crucial role of accurate measurement in exercise science?

makes research and examination possible

Validity

The degree of truthfulness in a measurement, indicating whether a measurement accurately reflects the attribute it is intended to measure.

why is validity crucial for a measurement specialist in exercise science?

it ensures that the measurements taken truly reflect the characteristics they are intended to assess. Without valid measurements, any research or evaluation conducted would be meaningless, as the data would not accurately represent the variables of interest.

Reliability

The consistency or repeatability of a measurement, referring to the objectivity of the measurement and the individual administering it.

objectivity

subset of reliability that refers to the consistency of a measurement across different test administrators

why is objectivity crucial for a measurement specialist in exercise science?

it minimizes errors and ensures that test scores are not unduly influenced by who is administering or scoring the test

why is reliability crucial for a measurement specialist in exercise science?

crucial for a measurement specialist in exercise science because it ensures that the measurements taken are consistent and repeatable under the same conditions.

Nominal Measurement

Non-numerical measures labeled by name/category, providing only minimal information; No specific order or value; ex: jersey #s but we can’t say player #1 is better than #2; genders

Ordinal Measurement

Measures that ranks people or objects. ex: ranking 3-point percentage; educational levels

Interval Measurement

Measures characterized by equal intervals between values, with zero not indicating the absence of a quantity. ex: temperature in celsius or fahrenheit

Ratio Measurement

Measures with an absolute zero point, allowing for statements of comparison such as '10 pounds is twice as much as 5 pounds'.

Cognitive Domain

Refers to knowledge and mental achievement, and includes activities aimed at assessing or developing these aspects. ex: examinations

requirements for developing an affective written test in exercise science?

1) know the proper techniques for written test construction

2) have knowledge about subject area

3) be skilled at written expression

4) be aware of level of knowledge by those taking the test

5) be patient, trial and error

mastery test

measures of examinees has the level of understanding to achieve a prescribed standard

achievement test

discriminates examinees based on their various levels of understanding

purpose of table of specification in the context of planning a written test?

it is a blueprint for the written test; includes learning objectives

practical concerns related to administering a written test in exercise science settings?

security, examinee test anxiety, prevention of cheating, test distribution

primary goals when analyzing a written test?

making sure is has reliability and validity; making sure it accesses what it’s intended to

ongoing research issues related to the assessment of physical fitness in various populations?

• children through older adults

• males vs females

• individuals w/ physical disabilities

Psychomotor Domain

Involves physiological and physical performance activities; Physical and motor skill; focus in exercise science

Affective Domain

Relates to attitudes and perceptions. (think of how perceptions and attitudes are things that can affect you)

Mid 20th Century Advances in Measurement

The mid 20th century saw advances in mathematics and statistics, alongside World War II, which emphasized the necessity of measuring physical fitness for military readiness and training.

methods of measuring reliability

• Test-retest: Administering the same test to the same participants twice to assess the stability of scores over time.

• Equivalence: Comparing scores from two "equivalent" but not identical measurements of the same characteristic.

• Split-halves: Comparing scores from one half of a measuring instrument with the other half (e.g., odd vs. even numbered items).

• Intraclass: Used when more than two trials of a test are available, reflecting consistency across multiple trials.

These methods ultimately yield a correlation coefficient that expresses the consistency of the measurement.

purposes of measurement

• For Classification: To group individuals based on their level of an attribute, which can help in instruction or research. This can also involve creating norms.

• For Motivation: To encourage interest and goal setting by comparing an individual's performance against standards or norms.

• For Achievement Assessment: To evaluate progress and final attainment of goals in training or instruction using formative and summative evaluation.

• For Forecasting Potential and Prediction: To predict an individual's future success or risk based on current measurements.

• For Research: Fundamental for conducting any scientific investigation in exercise science.

classification

the process of grouping individuals into distinct categories based on the extent to which they possess a specific attribute; This can be used to facilitate instruction (e.g., ability grouping) or to assign participants to different groups in research.

motivation

using comparison of achievement with norms or standards to stimulate interest and potentially foster goal-setting behaviors.

program evaluation

assessing the success of a program in achieving its objectives; This might involve comparing participants' fitness test results to norms or measuring client satisfaction in fitness programs.

important aspect to assess when analyzing a written test?

An important aspect to assess when analyzing a written test is its reliability and validity as a measuring instrument.

examples of physical fitness tests commonly used in exercise science?

• endurance training

• body fat calculations (underwater)

how do exercise scientists approach measurement in the affective domain?

by focusing on assessing attitudes, states, and traits, particularly as they relate to physical performance and participation; This includes characteristics like anxiety and motivation.

taxonomy

a classification system that organizes elements within a specific domain into a hierarchical structure, often implying that earlier levels are foundational for achieving later levels.

anatomy

study of body parts and their relationship w/ each other

why is studying anatomy important in exercise science?

it is fundamental to understand how the body moves and functions during physical activity

major subspecialties of anatomy

• gross anatomy

• histology

• comparative anatomy

• embryology

• developmental anatomy

• pathological anatomy

gross anatomy

study of body structures that can be viewed w/o a microscope

histology

microscopic study of the anatomy of tissues and their cellular levels

comparative anatomy

comparison of anatomical structures of different animals

embryology

study of anatomical changes in tissues from conception to birth

developmental anatomy

studying embryology as well as developmental changes from birth to death; used in exercise science when studying the effect of exercise on growth and development

pathological anatomy

study of anatomical changes occurring in tissues as a result of diseases

ways to study anatomy

• systematic approach

• regional approach

systematic approach

each systems of the body are studied independently

regional approach

everything about a single region is studied

primary method or source of anatomical knowledge during the prescientific period?

anatomy was learned for survival; butchering of animals and animals; they had practical knowledge of anatomy

Scientific period

Began with the Greeks around 500 BCE, marking a shift in anatomical study in Western thought. This period moved beyond basic survival knowledge towards more formalized inquiry into the structure of the human body.

Most influential figure (Scientific Period, anatomy)?

Herophilus (Father of Anatomy). Dissected up to 600 human bodies, leading to key discoveries like motor and sensory nerve distinction, descriptions of the cerebrum and cerebellum, and the understanding that intelligence resides in the brain.