Related Experiment Video
Updated: May 27, 2026
08:17
Reducing State Anxiety Using Working Memory Maintenance
Published on: July 19, 2017
Effects of anxiety on running with and without an aiming task
Nicky Nibbeling1, Hein A M Daanen, Rens M Gerritsma
1Research Institute MOVE, Faculty of Human Movement Sciences, VU University Amsterdam, Netherlands. n.nibbeling@vu.nl
Journal of Sports Sciences
|November 24, 2011
Summary
State anxiety negatively impacts running and dart throwing performance. Elevated anxiety shifts attention away from tasks, impairs gait, and reduces overall efficiency and accuracy.
Area of Science:
- Sports Science
- Psychology
- Human Movement
Background:
- State anxiety is known to affect aiming tasks.
- Limited research exists on anxiety's impact on combined running and aiming tasks.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the effects of state anxiety on running and dart throwing performance.
- To examine attentional control during combined aerobic and aiming tasks under varying anxiety levels.
Main Methods:
- Participants ran on a treadmill at preferred speed under low and high anxiety conditions.
- Dart throwing was performed during the final minutes of running.
- Gait patterns, oxygen uptake, and dart throwing performance were measured.
Main Results:
- Anxiety led to attention shifting away from task execution.
- Gait became more conservative, and oxygen uptake increased with anxiety.
- Dart throwing performance and efficiency decreased under high anxiety.
Conclusions:
- State anxiety negatively affects both aiming and aerobic tasks.
- Combined running, aiming, and anxiety create attentional conflicts, leading to reduced performance.
- Findings support attentional control theory in complex motor tasks.
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Individuals with anxiety often experience a range of physical and emotional symptoms, including sweating, trembling, tachycardia, and disturbances in sleep patterns. These symptoms vary in intensity and frequency but are generally disruptive and distressing.
01:30Generalized Anxiety Disorder
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01:26Anxiolytic Drugs: Overview
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1. Benzodiazepines:
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1. Benzodiazepines:
Benzodiazepines bind to the GABA-A receptor in the brain, enhancing GABA's interaction. This action reduces neurotransmission, effectively blocking anxiety-associated limbic circuitry.
01:28Social Anxiety Disorder
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01:22Behavior Therapy
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