Effects of motivational music on work output and affective responses during submaximal exercise at a standardized perceived intensity

This study aimed to determine the effects of motivational music on the objective work output of individuals exercising at a standardized subjective perceived intensity. Furthermore, it was also an aim of this investigation to determine whether music had any influence on in-exercise affective states. Specifically, 18 participants (eight males and ten females) were subject to three 12-minute exercise trials in conditions of no music, oudeterous music, and motivational music (as identified by rating procedures of the Brunei Music Rating Inventory; Karageorghis, Terry & Lane, 1999). In all trials, participants were required to work at a standardized Rate of Perceived Exertion (Borg, 1971) of '13.' Subsequent inter-trial differences in objective work output were recorded in terms of the distance traveled by participants in each 12-minute trial. Specifically, results indicated that at a standardized subjective intensity, participants cycled significantly further when exposed to motivational music as opposed to no music. Additionally, this increase in objective workload appeared to be at no cost to in-exercise affective states with motivational music eliciting significantly higher levels of positive affect than no music.