Executive Function Expertise in Sport: A Meta-Analytic Review

The previous decade has seen a significant growth in the number of studies investigating the executive function-athletic expertise relationship. Yet the influence of executive function on expertise level requires clarification due to heterogenous results, varied methodologies, and uncertainty regarding the transferability of sport-specific skills into the standardised cognitive domain. Objective: We addressed this by meta-analysing the relationship between executive function and athletic expertise and investigated if specific executive function constructs have differential relationships with athletic expertise. We also tested whether there are expert-novice differences in specific elements of cognitive performance (i.e. cognitive efficiency and cognitive effectiveness). Method: Our literature search yielded 31 studies (N = 2133) composed of non-, amateur-, and elite-athletes from various sport types and age groups (age ranged from 14.16 to 28.80 years). Results: Meta-analysis using random effects models revealed overall executive function, executive function efficiency, executive function effectiveness, cognitive flexibility, cognitive flexibility efficiency, working memory, working memory efficiency, working memory effectiveness, problem solving, problem solving efficiency, decision-making, decision-making efficiency, and decision-making effectiveness displayed small or moderate positive associations with athletic expertise. Subsequent moderation analyses revealed that these relationships can be influenced by sample characteristics (i.e. age and gender) and operational measures of executive function. Conclusions: Results provide further support for the notion that athletes of greater expertise possess superior executive function abilities that potentially aid sports performance. Elite athletes are able to perform standardised cognitive tasks with greater efficiency and effectiveness which then transfer into the sports domain. The present findings also highlight the necessity to implement multi-measure approaches when investigating executive function in future research due to the idiosyncrasies of individual measures

Reflection-impulsivity in athletes: A cross-sectional and longitudinal investigation

Reflection-impulsivity is a dimension of cognitive or decision-making style. We conducted two quasi-experimental studies to examine reflection-impulsivity in athletes using an information sampling task. In Study 1 (n = 108; Mage = 22.7 ± SDage = 1.42; 50% female), we used a cross-sectional design to compare performance across athletic expertise (super-elite, elite, amateur, novice or non-athlete) and sport type (external-paced or self-paced). In Study 2 (Time 1 n = 106; Mage = 21.32 ± SDage = 5.77; 53% female and Time 2 n = 64; Mage = 21.19 ± SDage = 5.12; 44% female), we examined changes in reflection-impulsivity across a 16-week playing season. Study 1 showed more accurate and more efficient performance as athletic expertise increased. Study 2 revealed better effectiveness and efficiency following sport participation, a 16-week playing season, most notably in elite-level performers. No sport-type differences were noted. Taken together, the studies demonstrate an association between reflection-impulsivity and athletic expertise, while also providing evidence that competitive sports participation leads to efficient decisions based on reflection, without sacrificing accuracy, which is often a consequence of impulsive decision-making

Inhibitory control across athletic expertise and its relationship with sport performance

Inhibitory control may be vital in elite sport (Vestberg et al., 2017). We examined the link between athletic expertise, inhibitory control and sport performance in a two-part study quasi-experiment. Inhibitory control was indexed using the Stop Signal Task, athlete expertise was categorised on literary recommendations, and sport performance was assessed using athlete and coach ratings. Study 1 examined cross-sectional and longitudinal patterns of inhibitory control across athletic expertise. Study 2 investigated whether the inhibitory control-sport performance relationship was moderated by expertise. Study 1 showed that expertise was linked to greater inhibitory control cross-sectionally and longitudinally. Study 2 revealed that expertise related to superior performance on the Stop Signal Task and athlete and coach performance ratings, and this relationship was moderated by athletic expertise. Inhibitory control relates to sport performance, increases with greater athlete expertise, and develops longitudinally. Long-term participation in sport may bring about changes in inhibitory control, that may lead to improved sport performance