The present investigation attempted to determine whether imagery combined with relaxation (VMBR) facmlitated karate performance more effectively than either imagery or relaxation alone. Each subject (N=30) was randomly assigned to either a VMBR, relaxation, imagery or placebo control condition. Trait anxiety tests were administered at the beginning and the end of the six week test period. Performance tests were administered at the final class period along with precompetitive state anxiety. Trait anxiety results indicated a reduction in trait anxiety for all groups. State anxiety results indicated that the VIYBR and relaxation groups exhibited less state anxiety than the imagery and control groups. Performance results produced a main effect only for sparring with the VMBR group exhibiting better performance than all other groups.

This study investigated the self-concepts of five, six, and seven year old children after participation in organized and nonorganized play programs. The subjects were sixty boys and girls participating in Little League Tee-Ball programs and sixty boys and girls participating in the City Playground Program in the Fort Worth, Texas, area during the 1979 spring and summer season. The instrument used to measure self-concept was the Purdue Self-Concept Scale, Results indicated that the type of organization has little effect upon the self-concept of the children in this study.

This study investigated the psychobiological and pacing characteristics of the 1.5 mile run. Sixty-six males (18-27 years) performed the run, and were monitored for ratings of perceived exertion, heart rate and split times. The perceived exertion values increased in a near-linear fashion inconsistent with other measures, and thus are not considered a supportable indicator of physiological performance during the run. Pace was characterized by an initial sprint that slowed to a near-steady pace and concluded with a final sprint. The initial and final sprints were most highly related to the variance of performance time. Initially, heart rate accelerated greatly. This acceleration slowed, ending in near-maximum heart rates. The data suggested that performance may rely heavily upon anaerobic mechanisms, and that variance in previously reported correlational analyses of VO2max and 1.5 mile run performance times may be somewhat due to anaerobic mechanisms.