The Effect Of Aerobic Exercise On Short Term Memory
School Name
Heathwood Hall Episcopal School
Grade Level
10th Grade
Presentation Topic
Physiology and Health
Presentation Type
Non-Mentored
Oral Presentation Award
1st Place
Abstract
The purpose of this experiment was to measure the effect that aerobic exercise had on memory. The procedure was a fairly simple one. The subjects would first perform a baseline memory test, then complete 200 meters on the track at four increasing speeds. After each run, subjects would take the same online test. The results of the experiment were not statistically significant. While there was an average increase in the subjects’ score after each trial compared to the baseline, the subjects’ scores did not increase compared to the trial before them in every case. The varying scores were simply due to the subjects’ natural variation in memory. The aerobic exercise did not seem to change the subjects’ respective scores. It is assumed that the hippocampus was not given a long enough time to expand to significantly increase the subjects’ memory. Further testing where either the time interval after the run was completed but before the subject took the test was longer would be beneficial in seeing if a longer wait time would cause greater and more consistent memory growth. The results did not support the hypothesis that if the intensity of the exercise increased, then the subject’s memory would also increase.
Recommended Citation
King, Jaelen, "The Effect Of Aerobic Exercise On Short Term Memory" (2016). South Carolina Junior Academy of Science. 228.
https://scholarexchange.furman.edu/scjas/2016/all/228
Location
Owens G01
Start Date
4-16-2016 8:30 AM
The Effect Of Aerobic Exercise On Short Term Memory
Owens G01
The purpose of this experiment was to measure the effect that aerobic exercise had on memory. The procedure was a fairly simple one. The subjects would first perform a baseline memory test, then complete 200 meters on the track at four increasing speeds. After each run, subjects would take the same online test. The results of the experiment were not statistically significant. While there was an average increase in the subjects’ score after each trial compared to the baseline, the subjects’ scores did not increase compared to the trial before them in every case. The varying scores were simply due to the subjects’ natural variation in memory. The aerobic exercise did not seem to change the subjects’ respective scores. It is assumed that the hippocampus was not given a long enough time to expand to significantly increase the subjects’ memory. Further testing where either the time interval after the run was completed but before the subject took the test was longer would be beneficial in seeing if a longer wait time would cause greater and more consistent memory growth. The results did not support the hypothesis that if the intensity of the exercise increased, then the subject’s memory would also increase.
