Browsing by Author "Gregory Appelbaum, L"

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    Sensorimotor Learning in a Computerized Athletic Training Battery.
    (J Mot Behav, 2016-09) Krasich, Kristina; Ramger, Ben; Holton, Laura; Wang, Lingling; Mitroff, Stephen R; Gregory Appelbaum, L
    Sensorimotor abilities are crucial for performance in athletic, military, and other occupational activities, and there is great interest in understanding learning in these skills. Here, behavioral performance was measured over three days as twenty-seven participants practiced multiple sessions on the Nike SPARQ Sensory Station (Nike, Inc., Beaverton, Oregon), a computerized visual and motor assessment battery. Wrist-worn actigraphy was recorded to monitor sleep-wake cycles. Significant learning was observed in tasks with high visuomotor control demands but not in tasks of visual sensitivity. Learning was primarily linear, with up to 60% improvement, but did not relate to sleep quality in this normal-sleeping population. These results demonstrate differences in the rate and capacity for learning across perceptual and motor domains, indicating potential targets for sensorimotor training interventions.
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    What is the identity of a sports spectator?
    (Personality and Individual Differences, 2012-02-01) Gregory Appelbaum, L; Cain, MS; Darling, EF; Stanton, SJ; Nguyen, MT; Mitroff, SR
    Despite the prominence of sports in contemporary society, little is known about the identity and personality traits of sports spectators. With a sample of 293 individuals, we examine four broad categories of factors that may explain variability in the reported amount of time spent watching sports. Using individual difference regression techniques, we explore the relationship between sports spectating and physiological measures (e.g., testosterone and cortisol), clinical self-report scales (ADHD and autism), personality traits (e.g., NEO "Big Five"), and pastime activities (e.g., video game playing). Our results indicate that individuals who report higher levels of sports spectating tend to have higher levels of extraversion, and in particular excitement seeking and gregariousness. These individuals also engage more in complementary pastime activities, including participating in sports and exercise activities, watching TV/movies, and playing video games. Notably, no differences were observed in the clinical self-report scales, indicating no differences in reported symptoms of ADHD or autism for spectators and non-spectators. Likewise, no relationship was seen between baseline concentrations of testosterone or cortisol and sports spectating in our sample. These results provide an assessment of the descriptive personality dimensions of frequent sports spectators and provide a basic taxonomy of how these traits are expressed across the population. © 2011 Elsevier Ltd.