A two-dimensional view of arousal was operationalized by controlling gradient and intensity of exercise-induced arousal in a 2 × 2 factorial design with 80 male undergraduates. Significant decrement in cognitive performance on a visual-search task occurred at a moderate arousal intensity in the steep-gradient arousal conditions. The rate at which arousal increased, not intensity of arousal, led to decrement in performance. This successful replication also eliminated the alternative explanation that increased movement and exertion caused decrement in performance. Analysis indicated no significant correlations between participants' affect and performance.
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