Elite athletes have been found to have higher levels of certain cognitive abilities than lesser skilled athletes (Walton, et al. 2018). An important step in developing these skills is first to understand them.

While different sports have different cognitive demands, here is a general overview of the 3 most important cognitive skills every athlete needs to develop:

1. Attention (or Focus) - This is the ability to process relevant, goal-oriented information and ignore (or filter) irrelevant information unrelated to a goal (Tang, et al. 2009).

2. Processing Speed (or Reaction Time) - This is the efficiency of a response within tasks that require information processing, and is measured by reaction time (Voss, et al. 2010).

3. Executive Functioning (or Decision Making) - This is an umbrella term that encompasses a wide array of cognitive functions that are associated with more complex functions. These are needed when there is deviation from predictable patterns, stimuli, or everyday routine (Miyake, et al. 2012). There are three primary components of executive functions that have been identified by researchers.

   1. Impulse Control - suppressing or inhibiting responses.

   2. Working Memory - updating and monitoring temporarily-stored, continuous information.

   3. Shifting - switching attention between different tasks.

To learn more about which specific cognitive skills are most important for your sport and how to improve them, check out our FREE scientific white paper that summarizes over 100+ research studies.

References

• Miyake, A., & Friedman, N. P. (2012). The nature and organization of individual differences in executive functions: Four general conclusions. Current directions in psychological science, 21(1), 8-14

• Tang, Y. Y., & Posner, M. I. (2009). Attention training and attention state training. Trends in cognitive sciences, 13(5), 222-227.

• Voss, M. W., Kramer, A. F., Basak, C., Prakash, R. S., & Roberts, B. (2010). Are expert athletes ‘expert in the cognitive laboratory? A meta-analytic review of cognition and sport expertise. Applied Cognitive Psychology, 24(6), 812-826.

• Walton, C. C., Keegan, R. J., Martin, M., & Hallock, H. (2018). The potential role for cognitive training in sport: more research needed. Frontiers in psychology, 9, 1121.