Abstract

Players often observe games of the opponents before competing and may compare the own skill levels with the opponents’ skills (degree of task difficulty). However, even though they have the image of the opponents’ skills, players often cause confusion during the actual game. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the psychophysiological relationship between a task difficulty and a cardiovascular response from the point of an observation and a practice. In relation to the active coping approach to cardiovascular adjustments, motivational intensity has been operationalized by means of β-adrenaline influenced cardiovascular indices: particularly, increased systolic and diastolic blood pressure and increased HR with the level of task difficulty. Low cardiovascular reactivity is observed for tasks that are easy or impossible. High cardiovascular reactivity is observed in conditions of high difficulty or importance of success. In this study, Japanese university table tennis players (4 men and 7 women) were employed as the subjects. Experimental tasks were to evaluate the task difficulties and the prospect of success in the 5-ways of throwing a ball. And two conditions were set from the point of the observer and player. Psychological indices were measured a subjective task difficulty, a prospect of success, a motivational level, an arousal level, a hedonic tone, and the emotional states (excitement, anxiety, relaxation, boredom) by marking a 120-mm line visual analogue scales. Physiological indices were measured a systolic and a diastolic blood pressure and IBI by means of a continuous non-invasive blood pressure monitor. Spearman's correlation analyses were employed to examine the relationship between psychological and physiological indices. As a result, in both of the observational condition and the practical condition, the increase in blood pressure with increasing level of arousal, decrease in blood pressure with increasing level of unpleasant tendency was observed.