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HESS Research

 

Biomechanics

Ongoing research in the Biomechanics Lab generally focuses on sports performance and the mechanics of human impact and injury. Current faculty and graduate student projects relate to:

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The Effects of Aging on Skeletal Muscle

This research seeks to measure changes in the extracellular matrix of aging skeletal muscle.  Furthermore we will determine what effect these changes have on the mechanotransduction of the muscle cells.

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Clinical Exercise Physiology

Physiological Stress Response

A group of researchers from the Department of HESS, Animal Sciences on the TTU campus and Pharmacology and Neuroscience  on the TTUHSC campus are  interested in assessing the change in the physiological stress response following a cognitive based exercise program. The overarching hypothesis for their funded study is that people can learn how to cope more effectively with stressors in their life through  a mindfulness based exercise program (MBEP) and that there will be changes in  subjective measures of stress vulnerability as well as objective measures of stress vulnerability following an 8 week MBEP intervention program.

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Exercise Physiology

Exercise and Oxidative Stress

Free radicals (oxidative stress) have received much interest as to their implications in health and disease. Also, many commercial companies are pushing the importance of antioxidants in their products. We are currently conducting several experiments to investigate the oxidative response to exercise, the effects of oxidative stress on exercise performance, and the effectiveness of antioxidants (particularly green tea extract) in fighting oxidative stress.

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Exercise & Sport Psychology

Sport Injury Recovery

Psychology of sport injury recovery and applications of self-determination theory in sport and exercise setttings.

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Self-Presentational Concerns

The effects of self-presentational concerns on individuals' sport and exercise involvement.

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Achievement Goal Theory Outcomes

This focuses on studying achievement goal theory as well as personality dispositions to better understand achievement outcomes such as emotions, behaviors, and thoughts in sport and exercise contexts. By having a better understanding of these outcomes, the goal is to improve the sport and exercise experience of individuals of all ages.

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Motor Behavior

Motor Development

Motor development is especially concerned with changes in movement (motor behavior) across the lifespan and the processes that underlie these most important milestones. At the HESS our emphasis is on the acquisition of fundamental motor patterns of both typically developing children and those who are at-risk of delay.

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Motor Skill Competence and Physical Activity

This research examines the dynamic relationship between motor skill competence and physical activity.

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Motor Control

Theoretical research interests include the role of attentional capacity and information processes in motor learning and movement production.

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Motor Learning

Factors that influence learning such as, instructional cues, modeling and transfer of learning.

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Sport Management

Consumer Shopping Behavior

Exploring and comparing consumers’ shopping habits, interests, and characteristics between and among different countries in relation to athletic apparel. As sport apparel companies become more globalized, there is an increased focus on international marketing. This study will, therefore, provide valuable information to sporting goods companies in selecting precise international target markets.

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Sport Facility Management

Studying the satisfaction of physically disabled consumers in sport facilities.

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Legal Issues in Sport & Recreation

Examines legal issues in sport and recreation including:

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Strength & Conditioning

Examines the strength and conditioning aspects of baseball pitching and the effects of strength and conditioning programs.

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Teaching Physical Education and Sport

Pedagogy

Effects of varying levels of physical activity on children (specifically those that are at-risk for being overweight).

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Sport Sociology

Sport sociology research examines the relationship between sport patterns and cultural and social patterns and practices.  Popular variables of interest are age, gender, socioeconomic status and ethnicity.

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Assessing Pre-Service Teachers Content Knowledge Via a Service Learning Environment

Service Learning is a unique curriculum that allows students to learn through experience. This experiential setting provides unique research opportunities regarding the cognitive and affective changes that occur in pre-service teachers.

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Children’s Commitment to Physical Activity

This research project is currently being conducted as part of a Fun & Fit program for overweight, lower socio-economic children. Specifically, this project will examine the impact of the program on children’s sense of enjoyment and commitment to physical activity.

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Measuring Behaviors and Attitudes in the N.A.S.P.E.

To date, no comprehensive assessment measure of the National Standards for Physical Education (N.A.S.P.E.) has been developed. The purpose of this line of research is to establish an instrument that will help with the assessment of the affective components inherent in the standards, namely the behaviors and attitudes of students enrolled in physical education in the public school.

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