Attention, working-memory control, working-memory capacity, and sport performance: The moderating role of athletic expertise. Issue 2 (1st February 2021)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Vaughan, Robert S.; Laborde, Sylvain
• Is Part Of: European journal of sport science. Volume 21:Issue 2(2021)
• Page Start: 240
• Page End: 249
• Publication Date: 2021-02-01
• Subjects: Attention -- working-memory -- working-memory capacity -- athlete performance -- athlete expertise; Sports sciences -- Periodicals; Sports Medicine -- Periodicals; Exercise -- Periodicals; Sports -- Periodicals; 612
• DOI: 10.1080/17461391.2020.1739143
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1746-1391

Abstract

ABSTRACT: The aim of this research was to detangle the association between attention, working-memory (focusing on both control and capacity functions), and sport performance across athletic expertise. Specifically, the mediating effect of working-memory-control and working-memory-capacity on the attention and performance relationship will be investigated, and whether this effect differs across athlete expertise. A sample of 359 athletes ( M age = 18.91 ± SD = 1.01; 54.87% male) with a range of athletic expertise (novice n = 99, amateur n = 92, elite n = 87, and super-elite n = 81) completed a battery of neurocognitive tasks assessing attention, working-memory-control, working-memory-capacity, and a cognitively engaging motor task (e.g. basketball free-throw task). Athletes with more expertise performed better on tasks of attention, working-memory-control and working-memory-capacity. Results of structural equation modelling indicated a positive association between the cognitive measures and sport performance. Specifically, working-memory-control and working-memory-capacity mediated the attention and sport performance relationship. Additionally, invariance testing indicated larger effects for those with more athletic expertise. These findings provide a better understanding of how attention and the control and capacity functions of working-memory interact to predict performance. Theoretical and practical implications of these results are discussed.