16. Ulusal Sinirbilim Kongresi, İstanbul, Türkiye, 20 - 23 Mayıs 2018, cilt.12, ss.76-77
Objective: Exercise dependence is a condition that physical
activity becomes an excessive and compulsive behavior having
cognitive, behavioral and physical symptoms. In literature, there
are many studies found attentional bias in many dependencies
such as alcohol, cigarette, gambling. This study aims to measure
attentional bias in exercise dependence.
Methods: 48 male participants were grouped in three based on
Exercise Dependence Scale; risk for exercise dependence, nondependent-
symptomatic and nondependent-asymptomatic.
Participants who are doing fitness in gyms were included.
Computerized addiction-stroop task is used to measure attentional
bias. A pilot study was conducted to determine fitness
related words used in the task. Words were blocked and appearing
randomly. Participants were informed about the task and
asked them to press the appropriate button as fast and accurate
as possible according to the word’s color and ignore the world
itself. Participants’ reaction times and errors were recorded.
Participants received Social Physique Anxiety Scale and participants
who have high social physique anxiety were excluded from
the analysis.
Results: Analysis were conducted with 43 participants. Two
separate 3 (group) × 2 (word type; fitness, neutral) mixed
ANOVA was conducted both for reaction time and errors.
There was no significant interaction between group and word
type both for reaction time (p=.350) and errors (p=.831). There
is a significant main effect of word type on reaction time (.002).
Participants respond slower to fitness related words (M=843ms,
SD=141) than neutral words (M=814ms, SD=137).
Conclusion: As different from expected, there is no significant
reaction time and error difference on fitness related words
among risk for dependence group compared to other groups.
However, all participants have significantly longer reaction times
to fitness related words compared to neutral words. There is no
attentional bias found in exercise dependents compared to other
groups. However results indicated that all men have an attentional
bias towards fitness related words.
Keywords: Addiction stroop, attentional bias, exercise dependence