Effect of music and dialogue on perception of exertion, enjoyment, and metabolic response during exercise

The situational context in which exercise is performed can change perception of exertion (RPE), enjoyment and exercise adherence. This study evaluated the impact of two auditory conditions, music (M) and dialog (D), on RPE and enjoyment during exercise. Twenty subjects (10 males, 10 females; age = 23.4 + 2.4) performed 20 minutes of treadmill running with both an M and D condition administered in a randomized, counterbalanced format. RPE was collected every 5 minutes using a 10-point OMNI scale and enjoyment was assessed using a modified 10-point Likert scale. A paired sample t-test showed that RPE was significantly lower and enjoyment was greater during the M condition (p < 0.05) in comparison to the D condition, indicating that music altered factors that' influence the situational context during exercise in a different way than dialog. This finding may assist In developing both individual and public environment strategies for promoting exercise adherence.