The present study examined the relationship between aerobic exercise participation and physiological stress responsivity to psychosocial stressors. Male subjects (N = 107) who were either intense aerobic exercisers, moderate aerobic exercisers, or nonexereisers completed a telephone interview, a personality assessment battery, a life stress questionnaire, and a physical exercise and hobby questionnaire. Subjects then participated in a stressful laboratory procedure where they faced two stressors: an electric shock procedure, and a difficult “intelligence test.” Pulse rate, finger pulse volume, and skin resistance were assessed during the entire laboratory procedure. Although results demonstrated consistent significant cardiovascular (i.e., pulse rate and pulse volume) differences among the exercise groups during the entire laboratory procedure in that exercisers were less physiologically reactive to the stressors and the recovery periods, most of these results failed to reach significance when statistically controlling for the baseline/anticipation‐of‐stressors physiological measures. The implications of this study for further research are discussed.

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Thirty-six adolescents categorized as nonobese, obese in a weight control program, and obese who rejected a weight control program were given opportunities to snack and were administered three personality tests. Results indicated that more obese not in a weight control program ate in an individual eating situation in which they suspected they were being observed. More nonobese ate in a group eating situation in which they did not suspect they were being observed. Results also indicated the highest level of maturity for nonobese adolescents and the lowest level for obese adolescents not in a weight program. Obese adolescents in a weight control program reported fewer "very troublesome" problems than obese adolescents not in a weight control program or nonobese adolescents.

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Norms based on responses of 145 fourth, fifth, and sixth grade rural midwestern children were prepared. Several demographic variables affected children's responses. Girls reported less firm control and more acceptance from their mothers than did boys. Older children reported less acceptance from and less use of psychological control by their fathers than did younger children. Finally, across grades, children tended to report less acceptance from their parents and less use of psychological control by their fathers.