Physical Exertion and Immediate Classroom Mental Performance among Elementary School Children

PERMISSION TO REPRODUCE THIS MATERIAL HAS BEEN ORANTEO BY C a . 1 (-1curck, TO THE EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES INFORMATION CENTER (ERIC) AND USERS OF THE ERIC SYSTEM" The two-fold purpose of this studi, was (1) to investigate the relationship between physical exertion and mental performance in elementary school children and (2) to determine if male or female mental performances are more affected by physical exertion. Second grade students (N=106) served as subjects and were administered six treatments of induced physical exertion during their regularly scheduled physical education classes. The sessions lasted as follows: pre-test (no exertion), twenty, thirty, forty, fifty-minutes, and final post-test (no exertion). Five minutes after the finish of each treatment, the subjects were administered a mathematical computation test. Results indicated that the only significant difference when comparing the pre-test (control) to the five post-test means was the fifty-minute treatment. The subje.cts achieved higher scores after fifty, minutes of physical exertion. Testing also rea) vealed no significant differences between male and female mean difference