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Related Experiment Video

Updated: May 10, 2026

Experimental Paradigm for Measuring the Effects of Self-distancing in Young Children

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Published on: March 1, 2019

The effects of depleted self-control strength on skill-based task performance.

Desmond McEwan¹, Kathleen A Martin Ginis, Steven R Bray

¹Department of Kinesiology, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON, Canada.

Journal of Sport & Exercise Psychology

|June 27, 2013

Summary

Self-control depletion impairs skill-based sports performance, reducing accuracy and consistency. This ego depletion effect impacts athletes

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Published on: August 25, 2023

Area of Science:

Psychology
Sports Science
Cognitive Science

Background:

Self-control is a finite resource that can be depleted through exertion.
Ego depletion theory suggests that prior acts of self-control reduce the ability to perform subsequent self-control tasks.
The impact of ego depletion on skill-based tasks, particularly in sports, requires further investigation.

Purpose of the Study:

To investigate the effects of self-control depletion on the performance of a skill-based sports task.
To determine if reduced self-control strength impacts accuracy, reaction time, and consistency in a dart-tossing task.

Main Methods:

Sixty-two participants engaged in a dart-tossing task.
A self-control depletion (experimental) or non-depletion (control) manipulation was administered.
Measures included accuracy, reaction time, and arm myoelectrical activity before and after the manipulation.

Main Results:

Participants in the experimental condition showed significantly poorer accuracy and consistency in Round 2 compared to the control group.
A significant decline in accuracy and consistency from Round 1 to Round 2 was observed in the experimental group.
While the control group showed improved reaction time consistency, the experimental group did not.

Conclusions:

The study provides evidence for ego depletion effects in skill-based sports performance.
Depleted self-control strength negatively impacts accuracy and consistency in tasks requiring fine motor skills.
These findings have implications for understanding athlete performance under conditions of mental fatigue.