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Badau A. Identifying the Qualities of Attention and the Attentional Style in Indoor Team Sports: A Gender Comparison. Brain Sci 2024; 14:623. [PMID: 39061364 PMCID: PMC11274742 DOI: 10.3390/brainsci14070623] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/03/2024] [Revised: 06/17/2024] [Accepted: 06/20/2024] [Indexed: 07/28/2024] Open
Abstract
Attention is an essential psychological component in sports games, which conditions sports success. The purpose of this study was to identify the attention style (internal or external) and the weight of attention qualities depending on the practiced team sport (basketball, volleyball, or handball) and gender (female or male), in athletes aged 15-18. A total of 177 active athletes (87 female (mean age ± standard deviation: 16.07 ± 0.94 years) and 90 male (mean age ± standard deviation: 15.96 ± 0.82 years)) were involved in the study, including 62 handball players (28 female and 34 male), 58 volleyball players (30 female and 28 male) and 57 basketball players (29 female and 28 male). In the study, two questionnaires were applied: one implemented to identify the attentive style with the two dimensions internal and external (standardized), called questionnaire for the assessment of attentional style in athletes (QASA), and one designed by us, called questionnaire to identify the weights of attention qualities according to the characteristics of the practiced sport (QAQCS), aiming to identify the most relevant quality of attention, depending on the practiced sport. Cronbach's alpha for both questionnaires was between 0.701 and 0.855. The results recorded in the present study reveal a variation in the attentional style between the groups of athletes and between genders. The results of the study highlight that in handball, girls have a predominantly external style with a total of 10.213 points; in boys' handball, the predominant focus of attention is internal with a total score of 9.087 points. Girls' volleyball focus of attention is predominantly external, with 8.999 points; in boys' volleyball, the attention style is internal, registering a score of 9.713 points. In girls' basketball, the predominant focus of attention is internal, with a total score of 8.516 points; in boys' basketball, the external attention style is predominant, with 9.213 points. Looking at the weight of attention qualities, it was found that the most relevant for girls is concentration and mobility for handball players, stability was identified in volleyball, and distributiveness in basketball. In boys' handball teams, mobility is the most essential, just like in basketball, and in volleyball it was found that stability has the biggest impact. ANOVA analysis highlighted statistically significant differences between groups of sports games by gender category, at both subscales of (QASA), as well as QAQCS, p < 0.05. The results of our study highlight differences between the attentional styles and their qualities in relation to the gender and the specific sport played, which determines differentiated approaches to these psychological components.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adela Badau
- Department of Motor Performances, Faculty of Physical Educational and Mountain Sports, Transilvania University of Brasov, 500036 Brasov, Romania;
- Faculty of Sciences and Letters, “George Emil Palade” University of Medicine, Pharmacy, Sciences and Technology, 540142 Targu Mures, Romania
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Doucette MM, Sánchez Escudero JP, Rhodes RE, Garcia-Barrera MA. Associations of physical activity and history of sports participation with subjective and objective measures of executive functioning in university students. JOURNAL OF AMERICAN COLLEGE HEALTH : J OF ACH 2024:1-10. [PMID: 38227929 DOI: 10.1080/07448481.2023.2299414] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/03/2023] [Accepted: 11/26/2023] [Indexed: 01/18/2024]
Abstract
This study examined how physical activity and history of sports participation affect subjective and objective executive functioning in university students. A total of 215 university students aged 18-25 (81% female) completed a virtual assessment of executive function. The correlates were age, sex, physical activity, and history of sports participation. Structural equation modeling was used to examine objective executive function using a three-factor model (shifting, updating, inhibition). The Executive Function Index (EFI) was used to measure subjective executive functioning, and linear regression was used to examine total EFI scores. Physical activity (b = 0.12, p < .01) was a significant correlate of subjective but not objective executive functioning. Male sex and history of sports participation were significantly positively related to the objective measure of inhibition (b = 0.64, p < .01; b = 0.18, p < .05). These findings suggest that subjective and objective measures of executive functioning should be differentiated when investigating their relationship with physical activity and history of sports participation.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Ryan E Rhodes
- Department of Psychology, University of Victoria, Victoria, Canada
- Department of Exercise Science, Physical and Health Education, University of Victoria, Victoria, Canada
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Wang CH, Fu HL, Kao SC, Moreau D, Yang CT. Systems factorial technology provides novel insights into the cognitive processing characteristics of open-skill athletes. PSYCHOLOGY OF SPORT AND EXERCISE 2023; 66:102395. [PMID: 37665857 DOI: 10.1016/j.psychsport.2023.102395] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/21/2022] [Revised: 11/14/2022] [Accepted: 01/20/2023] [Indexed: 09/06/2023]
Abstract
Sport expertise has been shown to modulate the cognitive advantage in open-skill athletes, with evidence for a greater advantage for athletes practicing interceptive sports relative to strategic sports. However, this conclusion is solely based on central tendency measures such as accuracy or mean reaction time (RT), dismissing important information embedded in the intra-individual temporal dynamics of cognitive performance. This study aimed to better understand the cognitive advantage associated with open-skill sports, with a non-parametric approach assessing cognitive process at the level of RT distribution (i.e., systems factorial technology, SFT). Twenty-eight interceptive sport athletes, 27 strategic sport athletes, and 26 physically active non-athletes performed a go/nogo version of the redundant target task to assess their processing capacity of simultaneously monitoring multiple information channels. SFT was applied to assess resilience capacity, an estimate of workload capacity underlying inhibitory control. Our findings showed that interceptive sport athletes exhibited shorter mean RT relative to non-athletes selectively in the task condition involving distracting information, while strategic sport athletes showed greater resilience capacity over earlier responses relative to the other groups. These findings suggest that the two types of open-skill sports may be associated with different processing specificity, possibly reflecting the domain-specific rules and requirements.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chun-Hao Wang
- Institute of Physical Education, Health & Leisure Studies, National Cheng Kung University, No. 1, University Road, East District, Tainan City, 701, Taiwan; Department of Psychology, National Cheng Kung University, Social Sciences Building, No. 1, University Road, East District, Tainan City, 701, Taiwan.
| | - Hao-Lun Fu
- Department of Psychology, National Cheng Kung University, Social Sciences Building, No. 1, University Road, East District, Tainan City, 701, Taiwan
| | - Shih-Chun Kao
- Department of Health and Kinesiology, Purdue University, West Lafayette, United States
| | - David Moreau
- School of Psychology and Centre for Brain Research, University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand
| | - Cheng-Ta Yang
- Department of Psychology, National Cheng Kung University, Social Sciences Building, No. 1, University Road, East District, Tainan City, 701, Taiwan; Graduate Institute of Mind, Brain and Consciousness, Taipei Medical University, Taiwan
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Yu M, Xu S, Hu H, Li S, Yang G. Differences in right hemisphere fNIRS activation associated with executive network during performance of the lateralized attention network tast by elite, expert and novice ice hockey athletes. Behav Brain Res 2023; 443:114209. [PMID: 36368444 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbr.2022.114209] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/01/2022] [Revised: 11/02/2022] [Accepted: 11/06/2022] [Indexed: 11/11/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE We investigated brain activity associated with executive control attention network in elite, expert, and novice female ice hockey athletes during the revised lateralized attention network tast to determine whether the neural correlates of performance differ by skill level. METHODS We collected and analyzed functional near-infrared spectroscopy data of 38 participants while performing the revised lateralized attention network tast. RESULTS Elite players were significantly faster than novices (p = .005), and the experts' overall accuracy rate (ACC) was higher than that of novices (p = .001). The effect of the executive network on reaction time was higher in novices than in elite players (p = .008) and experts (p = .004). The effect of the executive network on the ACC was lower in elite players than in experts (p = .009) and novices (p = .010). Finally, elite player had higher flanker conflict effects on RT (p = .005) under the invalid cue condition. the effect of the alertness network and orientation on the ACC was lower in elite players than in novices (p = .000) and experts (p = .022). Changes in the blood oxygen level-dependent signal related to the flanker effect were significantly different in the right dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (F=3.980, p = .028) and right inferior frontal gyrus (F=3.703, p = .035) among the three groups. Elit players showed more efficient executive control (reduced conflict effect on ACC) (p = .006)in the RH.The changes related to the effect of blood oxygen level on orienting were significantly different in the right frontal eye fields (F=3.883, p = .030) among the three groups, Accompanied by significant activation of the right dorsolateral prefrontal cortex(p = .026). CONCLUSION Our findings provide partial evidence of the superior cognitive performance and high neural efficiency of elite ice hockey players during cognitive tasks. These results demonstrate the right hemisphere superiority for executive control.We also found that specific brain activation in hockey players does not show a clear and linear relationship with skill level.
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Affiliation(s)
- Miao Yu
- Sport Science College, Jilin Sport University, Changchun 130022, China.
| | - Sinuo Xu
- Universiti Sains Malaysia, Penang 11800, Malaysia.
| | - Hao Hu
- Sport Science College, Jilin Sport University, Changchun 130022, China.
| | - Shuangling Li
- School of Physical Education and Training, Harbin Sport College, Harbin 150008, China.
| | - Guang Yang
- School of Physical Education, Northeast Normal University, Changchun 130024, China.
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Yao L, Sun G, Wang J, Hai Y. Effects of Baduanjin imagery and exercise on cognitive function in the elderly: A functional near-infrared spectroscopy study. Front Public Health 2022; 10:968642. [PMID: 36249264 PMCID: PMC9557749 DOI: 10.3389/fpubh.2022.968642] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/14/2022] [Accepted: 09/12/2022] [Indexed: 01/25/2023] Open
Abstract
Objective Cognitive function is essential in ensuring the quality of life of the elderly. This study aimed to investigate the effects of Baduanjin imagery and Baduanjin movement (a traditional Chinese health exercise, TCHE) on cognitive function in the elderly using functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS). Methods 72 participants with a mean age of 66.92 years (SD = 4.77) were recruited for this study. The participants were randomly assigned to three groups: the Baduanjin imagery, the Baduanjin exercise, and the Control. Stroop task was used to record the accuracy and reaction times, and a near-infrared spectral brain imaging system was used to monitor the brain's oxy-hemoglobin concentration responses. Results (1) For the reaction times of Stroop incongruent tasks, the main effect of the test phase (F = 114.076, p < 0.001) and the interaction effect between test phase and group (F = 10.533, p < 0.001) were all significant. The simple effect analysis further demonstrated that the reaction times of the Baduanjin imagery group and Baduanjin exercise group in the post-test was faster than that in the pre-test (ps < 0.001); (2) Analysis of fNIRS data showed the significant interaction effect (F = 2.554, p = 0.013) between the test phase and group in the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex. Further analysis showed that, during the post-test incongruent tasks, the oxy-Hb variations were significantly higher in participants of the Baduanjin imagery group (p = 0.005) and Baduanjin exercise group (p = 0.002) than in the control group; For the right inferior frontal gyrus, the interaction between the test phase and group was significant (F = 2.060, p = 0.044). Further analysis showed that, during the post-test incongruent tasks, the oxy-Hb variations were significantly higher in participants of the Baduanjin imagery group than in the control group (p = 0.001). Conclusion Baduanjin imagery and exercise positively affect cognitive performance; Baduanjin imagery and exercise activated the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex; Baduanjin imagery activated the right inferior frontal gyrus, while Baduanjin exercise could not.
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Rahimi A, Roberts SD, Baker JR, Wojtowicz M. Attention and executive control in varsity athletes engaging in strategic and static sports. PLoS One 2022; 17:e0266933. [PMID: 35452468 PMCID: PMC9032374 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0266933] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/05/2021] [Accepted: 03/30/2022] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Examining non-sport-related cognitive tasks of attention and executive control in skilled athletes may provide insight into the acquisition of highly specific skills developed in experts as well as help identify successful performance in sport. Through a cross-sectional design, this study examined performance on aspects of attention and executive control among varsity athletes playing soccer (strategic sport) or track & field (static sport) using a computerized test of attention and executive control. Ninety-seven university athletes participating in soccer (n = 50) or track and field (n = 47) were included in the study. Domains of attention and executive control were examined using the Attention Network Test-Interactions (ANT-I). Mean reaction time (RT) and intra-individual variability (IIV) were compared between groups as measures of performance speed and performance stability respectively. Soccer players demonstrated overall faster RTs (p = 0.0499; ηp2 = .04) and higher response accuracy (p = .021, d = .48) on the ANT-I compared to track and field athletes. Faster RTs were observed for soccer players when presented with an alerting tone (p = .029, d = .45), valid orienting cue (p = .019, d = .49) and incongruent flanker (p = .031, d = .45). No significant group differences were observed in IIV (p = .083, d = .36). Athletes engaging in strategic sports (i.e., soccer) demonstrated faster performance under test conditions that required higher vigilance and conflict resolution. These findings suggest that engagement in strategic sports is associated with enhanced performance on non-sport-related cognitive tasks of attention and executive control.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alma Rahimi
- Department of Psychology, York University, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | | | - Joseph R. Baker
- School of Kinesiology, York University, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Magdalena Wojtowicz
- Department of Psychology, York University, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- * E-mail:
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Effects of visual blur and contrast on spatial and temporal precision in manual interception. Exp Brain Res 2021; 239:3343-3358. [PMID: 34480594 PMCID: PMC8542000 DOI: 10.1007/s00221-021-06184-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/20/2021] [Accepted: 07/22/2021] [Indexed: 12/04/2022]
Abstract
The visual system is said to be especially sensitive towards spatial but lesser so towards temporal information. To test this, in two experiments, we systematically reduced the acuity and contrast of a visual stimulus and examined the impact on spatial and temporal precision (and accuracy) in a manual interception task. In Experiment 1, we blurred a virtual, to-be-intercepted moving circle (ball). Participants were asked to indicate (i.e., finger tap) on a touchscreen where and when the virtual ball crossed a ground line. As a measure of spatial and temporal accuracy and precision, we analyzed the constant and variable errors, respectively. With increasing blur, the spatial and temporal variable error, as well as the spatial constant error increased, while the temporal constant error decreased. Because in the first experiment, blur was potentially confounded with contrast, in Experiment 2, we re-ran the experiment with one difference: instead of blur, we included five levels of contrast matched to the blur levels. We found no systematic effects of contrast. Our findings confirm that blurring vision decreases spatial precision and accuracy and that the effects were not mediated by concomitant changes in contrast. However, blurring vision also affected temporal precision and accuracy, thereby questioning the generalizability of the theoretical predictions to the applied interception task.
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