| This
study examined the relationship between physical activity and cognitive
function in younger adults. It was hypothesized that there would be
a relationship between the exercise rates of adults (aged 19-30) and
working memory capacity. Participants were 42 male and female college
students who were divided into groups based on self-reported physical
activity level. The participants in one group (n = 23) met the physical
activity requirements specified by the Center for Disease Control
and Prevention (CDC), and participants in the other group (n = 19)
did not, and therefore acted as the control. A reading span task was
used to assess the participant's working memory capacity. Analysis
of variance results demonstrated that exercise was associated with
enhanced memory (F = 9.06, p = 0.005, η = 0.21). Differences
in working memory capacity as a function of gender and department
were not statistically significant, nor were any interactions between
these variables. This finding lends support to the hypothesis that
exercise is related to working memory capacity in younger adults.
KEY
WORDS: Physical activity, cognitive function, recall.
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