Effects of acute physical activity on executive functions: The role of cognitive engagement and social interaction

This study examined the acute effects of physical activities with different levels of cognitive engagement and social interaction on inhibitory control in young adults. A total of 119 college students participated in this study. Using a mixed experimental design, sections of an undergraduate course were randomly assigned to one of four experimental conditions. Each condition consisted of 30-min activities varying in cognitive engagement (high or low) and social interaction (high or low). Physical activity intensity, cognitive engagement, and social interaction were assessed as manipulation checks. Inhibitory control was measured before and immediately after each condition using the Eriksen Flanker Task. Analyses were conducted to examine the effects of time, congruency, cognitive engagement, social interaction, and their interactions on inhibitory control performance. Results showed that high social interaction within a low cognitive engagement condition led to the greatest improvements in reaction time, indicating that this configuration is more effective for acutely enhancing inhibitory control in college students. Future research should focus on the quality of social interaction (e.g., positive or negative) to explore how physical activities can maximize benefits for executive functions in different populations.