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Background: The aim of this study was to examine the effect of applying synchronized music and appropriate music selection on motivation for exercise and achieving better results in individuals of different fitness levels. Methods: The study included a total of 20 female participants, who for certain analyses were divided into two groups with slightly different levels of aerobic fitness: students from the Faculty of Sport and Physical Education (n = 10, age 23.0 ± 2.8), and middle-aged adult women exercising recreationally (n = 10, age 38.3 ± 11.6). Cardiopulmonary exercise testing (CPET) was conducted using a treadmill and gas analysis equipment, and motivational music qualities were assessed using the BMRI-2 questionnaire. The procedure included an initial maximal CPET test, echocardiography, and spirometric tests, followed by an interview to select preferred music tracks. A second CPET test was then performed with the chosen motivational music. The Borg Rating of Perceived Exertion (RPE) scale was used in both tests. Results: The internal consistency of the questionnaire was confirmed with a Cronbach’s Alpha of 0.982. The synchronized motivational music significantly improved cardiopulmonary parameters such as peak oxygen consumption (peak VO2), oxygen consumption (VO2) at the second ventilatory threshold (VT2), peak heart rate (peak HR), test duration, and reduced perceived exertion (RPE) at the beginning of the test and at the intensity level corresponding to the VT2. Negligible differences were noted between students and recreational athletes, so it can be assumed that music had an equal impact on these two groups of subjects. Conclusions: The study concluded that synchronous motivational music significantly enhances cardiopulmonary performance and reduces perceived fatigue during physical exertion by serving as a key motivational element and facilitating more economical movement.

This study examined the impact of emotional context on effectiveness of TV commercials (TVCs). In two experiments, participants were exposed to either emotionally positive or emotionally negative stimuli before watching a TVC. The effectiveness of the TVC was measured by 4 indicators: Ad recall, attitude toward the ad (Aad), attitude toward the brand (Ab), and purchase intent (PI). Results of Experiment 1 revealed that participants who were pre-exposed to a positive emotional context had a more positive Aad, Ab and a higher PI, when compared to those who were pre-exposed to a negative emotional context. Experiment 2 demonstrated that pre-exposure to the positive emotional context was associated with more positive Ab and a higher PI, while preexposure to the negative emotional context led to more negative Aad. In both experiments there was no indication of the influence of the emotional context on Ad recall. However, data from Experiment 2 suggested that both positive and negative emotional contexts positively affected ad recognition, when compared to an emotionally neutral situation. In conclusion, our findings advocate the importance of emotional context in which TVCs are broadcasted to the general public, a fact that has been vastly neglected so far by media planners.

Studies indicate complexity of causes for occurence and expression of homophobia, and indicate gender differences in its expression. However, studies that would investigate the relationship of known sources of homophobia, like implicit attitudes, personality, and defense mechanisms, are not available. The aim of this study is to investigate predictive validity of different factors like intensity of sexual attraction towards opposite sex, implicit associations related to homosexuality, personality, use of defense mechanisms in men and women, and to examine a moderating role of gender in prediction of homophobia. Test of homophobia (H-25) was administered to a sample of 123 students. For assessment of the intensity of sexual attraction towards opposite sex we used Connotative Differential (CD-15), while for assessment of implicit attitudes the Implicit Association Test (IAT) was applied. Personality was measured with a short adjective scale for assessment of the Big Five, and defense mechanisms were assessed with the Defense Style Questionnaire (DSQ40). Results of hierarchical regression analysis suggest that use of immature and less frequent use of mature defence mechanisms have influence on expression of homophobia in both sexes. In addition, findings indicate that the motivational aspect of sexual attraction towards opposite sex and rigid personality lead to stonger homophobia in man in comparison to women. Results supportthe hypothesis that homophobia can have different sources and functions depending of the sex of the person.

U ovom radu predstavljena je konstrukcija i evaluacija Testa homofobije koji u sadržinskom smislu objedinjuje dosadašnja znanja i ideje o prirodi ovog fenomena. Test homofobije (H25) sastoji se od 25 stavki u formi tvrdnji kojima je pridružena petostepena skala Likertovog tipa. Na uzorku od 476 ispitanika proverene su psihometrijske karakteristike testa i njegova faktorska struktura. U celini test pokazuje dobre psihometrijske karakteristike (KMO = .99, α = .97). Faktorskom analizom ekstrahovana su dva visoko korelirana faktora, koja su interpretirana kao „homoseksualnost kao pretnja za društvo” i „homoseksualnost kao pretnja za mene”. Takođe, test je pokazao zadovoljavajuću konvergentnu validnost spram dve alternativne mere homofobije, kao i visoku predikciju diskriminatornih stavova prema osobama homoseksualne orijentacije. Dodatno, pokazano je da homofobija, merena konstruisanim instrumentom, ima veći broj socio-demografskih i personalnih korelata. Homofobiji su sklonije osobe muškog pola, religiozne osobe, osobe konzervativne političke orijentacije, zatim osobe koje imaju manje kontakta sa homoseksualnom populacijom, i osobe nižih skorova na dimeziji Otvorenosti, a viših na dimenziji Savesnosti. U celini, konstruisani instrument predstavlja pouzdanu i validnu meru heteroseksualnog stava prema homoseksualnoj populaciji, te predstavlja ekonomičan instrument pogodan za primenu, kako u istraživačke tako i u praktične svrhe.