Cardiovascular and electroencephalographic responses to purposeful versus nonpurposeful activities in children.

To discern effects of purposefulness on cardiovascular and neural responses, heart rate and electroencephalographic recordings were taken in 31 children performing purposeful and nonpurposeful activities of equal duration and cardiopulmonary workload. Heart rate increased from resting levels during both purposeful (p = .001) and nonpurposeful (p = .01) activities, but the level of increase was the same for both (p = .30). Similarities in heart rate during purposeful and nonpurposeful activities suggest that purposefulness might not influence heart rate response in children. Encephalographic recordings did not show a higher beta-wave activity quotient during purposeful activity (p = .33).