Koch, Philipp; Krenn, Björn (2021). Executive functions in elite athletes – Comparing open-skill and closed-skill sports and considering the role of athletes' past involvement in both sport categories. Psychology of sport and exercise, 55(2), pp. 1-9. Elsevier Science 10.1016/j.psychsport.2021.101925
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Previous research documented differences in executive functions between elite athletes in different sports. It was
argued that athletes in sport disciplines with higher cognitive demands (i.e., open-skill) show better executive
functions than athletes in less cognitively challenging sport disciplines (i.e., closed-skill). In the current study, we
aimed at detecting differences in executive functions between elite athletes in open-skill versus closed-skill sports
and questioned the role of their total involvement in these sports until the age of 18 on executive functions.
Seventy-five elite athletes (45 males and 30 females; Mage = 23.03 ± 4.41 years) from various sports were
classified as open- or closed-skill athletes based on the sport they currently competed in. The athletes conducted a
series of neuro-psychological tests measuring working memory, inhibition, and cognitive flexibility (Design
Fluency test, Trail Making test, Flanker task, and a 2-back task). Retrospective interviews assessed athletes’ sport
involvement in open-skill and closed-skill sports until the age of 18.
MANCOVAs revealed that athletes in open-skill sports performed better on measures of working memory and
cognitive flexibility. Generalized Linear Models displayed that elite athletes in closed-skill sports, with greater
involvement in open-skill sports until the age of 18, performed better during working memory and cognitive
flexibility tasks.
The results indicate that extensive time spent in open- and closed-skill sports can affect executive functions in
elite athletes. A high involvement in open-skill sports proved to be beneficial for executive functions, in
particular for elite athletes in closed-skill sports. These findings suggest that experiences in cognitively
demanding sports may cause benefits for the development of executive functions.
Item Type: |
Journal Article (Original Article) |
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Division/Institute: |
07 Faculty of Human Sciences > Institute of Sport Science (ISPW) 07 Faculty of Human Sciences > Institute of Sport Science (ISPW) > Sport Psychology and Research Methods |
UniBE Contributor: |
Koch, Philipp Michael |
Subjects: |
700 Arts > 790 Sports, games & entertainment |
ISSN: |
1469-0292 |
Publisher: |
Elsevier Science |
Language: |
English |
Submitter: |
Franziska Krebs |
Date Deposited: |
24 Mar 2023 15:43 |
Last Modified: |
24 Mar 2023 23:27 |
Publisher DOI: |
10.1016/j.psychsport.2021.101925 |
Uncontrolled Keywords: |
Cognition Inhibition Working memory Cognitive flexibility Athlete development |
BORIS DOI: |
10.48350/180572 |
URI: |
https://boris.unibe.ch/id/eprint/180572 |
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