The Borg Scale Validation for a Consumer Product - Automobile Polishes

Abstract

The Borg scale which is purported to correlate subjectively perceived heart rate with objective physiological workload was tested for its predictive utility by subjects using 5 different car wax formulations. Subjects applied and removed the waxes from a high gloss painted panel. The amount of effort and time expended with each wax were determined using a force platform and timing device. Subjects also gave a Borg scale numerical rating as they used each wax. The reported high correlation between Borg scale ratings and exercises using a bicycle ergometer, weight lifting, etc. suggested that it might be a reliable predictor of workload effort or time in such common tasks as car waxing.

Results indicate that the ability of the Borg values to predict either amount of time taken or effort expended was moderate (r =.58) on average, with a relatively high correlation between time and effort (r = .61). The rank orders of averages for Borg values and work effort, however, agreed well across the five waxes. Additionally, results clearly indicated superior performance (actual and perceived effort) of a newly formulated wax.