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The effects of response-contingent monetary reinforcement and continuous background music on cycling were examined. Twenty-five college students rode a stationary exercise cycle to exhaustion or 45 min. Each participant cycled under each of 4 conditions. In the music condition the participant's favorite music was played. In the money condition, the participant earned $0.15 every 40 pedal rotations. Under the music plus money condition, participants earned money in the presence of background music. In the control condition neither music nor money were presented. The order of conditions was completely counterbalanced. The number of minutes riding the cycle and the rate of riding were significantly higher under the money and the money plus music conditions compared to the control and the music conditions. Music significantly increased the rate of cycling but did not affect cycling time. Music did not enhance the effects of money on cycling. Response-contingent money and playing background music can significantly increase a participant's workout effort, but the effect of contingent money is much more powerful than music.
Despite the positive relation between exercise and health, most people do not maintain an exercise program for an extended period of time (e.g., Dishman, 1984). Considerable research has focused on discovering variables that can increase the likelihood and intensity of exercising. Watching videos (e.g., Cohen, Chelland, Ball, & LeMura, 2002; Robergs, Bereket, & Knight, 1998) and listening to music (e.g., Karageorghis & Terry, 1997) can increase the intensity of exercise, as well as ratings of perceived exertion. Contracts between participants and experimenters can increase the attendance at exercise sessions (e.g., Epstein, Wing, Thompson, & Griffin, 1980; Wysocki, Hall, Iwata, & Riordan, 1979).
A very promising method for enhancing the intensity of exercise, that has received relatively little attention, is the presentation of response-contingent reinforcement. With response-contingent reinforcement, reinforcers are presented throughout the exercise session, and the rate of reinforcement may depend upon the participant's performance. For example, money may be presented to a person riding a stationary cycle after every 20 rotations of the pedals (Cohen et al., 2002). In this case, longer and faster cycling result in higher frequencies of reinforcement. This approach contrasts with behavioral contracts in which reinforcers are presented after 1 week or even after 6 months of exercising, and reinforcement...