Social facilitation in virtual reality-enhanced exercise: competitiveness moderates exercise effort of older adults

Abstract

This study examined the effect of virtual social facilitation and competitiveness on exercise effort in exergaming older adults. Fourteen exergaming older adults participated. Competitiveness was assessed prior to the start of exercise. Participants were trained to ride a “cybercycle;” a virtual reality-enhanced stationary bike with interactive competition. After establishing a cybercycling baseline, competitive avatars were introduced. Pedaling effort (watts) was assessed. Repeated measures ANOVA revealed a significant group (high vs low competitiveness) × time (pre- to post-avatar) interaction (F[1,12] = 13.1, P = 0.003). Virtual social facilitation increased exercise effort among more competitive exercisers. Exercise programs that match competitiveness may maximize exercise effort.

Keywords:

• exercise
• aging
• virtual reality
• competitiveness
• social facilitation
• exercise intensity

Acknowledgements

This study was funded by a grant from the Pioneer Portfolio of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, through the Health Games Research national program (#64449); and by faculty and student grants from Union and Skidmore Colleges. We acknowledge important technical assistance from: Bruce Winkler and Ivjot Kholi from RA Sports, LLC for use of their NetAthalon cycling software and sensor kits, and Mark Martens regarding our pilot study of the FitClub riding software from Pantometrics. We greatly appreciate the participation of the residents and essential facilitation of the site administrators from: Beltrone Living Center, Glen Eddy, High Pointe Apartments, Kingsway Village, Prestwick Chase, Schaffer Heights, Wesley Health Care (Embury Apartments and Woodlawn Commons), and Westview Apartments. This research could not have been possible without the dedication of many research assistants; in particular, we would like to acknowledge: Lyndsay De Matteo, Ariele Gartenberg, Veronica Hopkins, Eric Hultquist, Dinesh Kommareddy, Darlene Landry, Shi Feng Lin, Molly Merz, Naoko Okuma, Mariale Renna, Tracey Rocha, Michelle Russo, Nick Steward, Amanda Snyder, Sarah Westen, and Vadim Yerokhin. An earlier version of this data was presented at the 2010 Annual Meeting of the International Congress for Behavioral Medicine, in Washington, DC.

Disclosure

The authors report no conflicts of interest in this work.