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Psychobiology of Perceived Effort During Physical Tasks

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Handbook of Biobehavioral Approaches to Self-Regulation

Abstract

Perception of effort is the conscious sensation of the effort exerted during a physical task, and it is one of the subjective experiences that accompany voluntary actions. Perception of effort has an important role in the self-regulation of behavior. In physical tasks requiring endurance, perception of effort is one of the main determinants of pacing and performance and it is one of the barriers that prevent sedentary individuals from adopting an active lifestyle. Furthermore, high perception of effort is one of the main features of the disabling fatigue affecting patients with cancer and other medical conditions. The afferent feedback model postulates that perception of effort arises from sensory signals produced by peripheral receptors (e.g., group III–IV afferents). According to the corollary discharge model, perception of effort arises from corollary discharges of the central motor command to the working muscles (including the respiratory muscles). Current electrophysiological evidence, showing that motor-related brain activity correlates with perception of effort, corroborates the corollary discharge model of perception of effort. Preliminary evidence from neuroimaging studies suggests that the cingulate and insular cortices, and possibly the thalamus and precuneus, are brain areas that might be involved in perception of effort. Future research should focus on targets for interventions aimed at reducing perception of effort. Such interventions might benefit athletes involved in endurance performance, patients suffering from fatigue, and sedentary individuals wishing to adopt a more active lifestyle.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Philips Research, High Tech Campus 34, 5656, AE, Eindhoven, The Netherlands

    Helma M. de Morree PhD

  2. Endurance Research Group, School of Sport and Exercise Sciences, University of Kent, Chatham Maritime, Kent, ME4 4AG, UK

    Samuele M. Marcora PhD

Authors
  1. Helma M. de Morree PhD
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  2. Samuele M. Marcora PhD
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Correspondence to Helma M. de Morree PhD .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Geneva Motivation Lab, FPSE Department of Psychology, University of Geneva, Geneva, Geneve, Switzerland

    Guido H.E. Gendolla

  2. Department of Clinical Psychology, VU University Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands

    Mattie Tops

  3. Department of Clinical Psychology, VU University Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands

    Sander L. Koole

Conclusion

Conclusion

Despite the long history of research on the sense of effort and the widespread application of RPE in exercise and sport settings, we have only recently begun to understand the psychobiology of perception of effort , based on neurophysiological evidence from EEG and neuroimaging studies . Further research in this area should focus on possible targets for interventions aimed at reducing perception of effort. These might benefit endurance athletes, patients with CFS, and other patient populations suffering from fatigue (such as cancer patients). Moreover, interventions that reduce perception of effort might affect self-regulation of physical activity behavior and could lead to increased physical activity and improved health in sedentary individuals.

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de Morree, H., Marcora, S. (2015). Psychobiology of Perceived Effort During Physical Tasks. In: Gendolla, G., Tops, M., Koole, S. (eds) Handbook of Biobehavioral Approaches to Self-Regulation. Springer, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4939-1236-0_17

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