Steven Petruzzello
Associate Professor
Kinesiology and Community Health
An underlying assumption of exercise and sport psychology is that physical activity, broadly defined, has psychological antecedents,
consequences, or both. In his Exercise Psychophysiology Lab, Steven Petruzzello examines the role of low-to-moderate and vigorous exercise
and physical activity performed in extreme environments on a variety of psychological outcomes. Across a continuum ranging from such ow-to-moderate
activities as walking, cycling, and running, to vigorous activities such as competitive swimming and running, his research aims toward a more
complete understanding of the psychophysiological impact on the individual. He has focused not only on the pre- to post-exercise changes that
occur, but also the in-task changes. Ultimately, he hopes to develop a better understanding of how exercise makes people feel in order to enhance
adherence to physical activity.
Dr. Petruzzello's research is driven by his desire to answer the following questions: How does exercise influence how people feel during and after
they have exercised? For example, do they feel exhilaration, distress, fatigue, or boredom? How do individuals differ in their preference for and
tolerance of different levels of exercise intensity, and does that preference or tolerance influence how they feel? How do these factors influence
the enjoyment of exercise and the motivation to stay in an exercise program? How are such cognitive functions as decision-making ability impacted by
exercise in extreme conditions such as firefighting?
The overarching and most important goal of Dr. Petruzzello's research is to determine the psychophysiological mechanisms underlying the effects of
exercise on affective and cognitive changes.