Mental cognitive processes and intellectual working capacity in cadets who were engaged in different types of...

Aim: To investigate the mental cognitive processes and intellectual working capacity of cadets who were engaged in different types of physical activities.

Materials and Methods: The research involved 346 male cadets aged 20-22 years who were engaged in different types of physical activities (orienteering, military pentathlon, polyathlon, hand-to-hand combat, kettlebell lifting, crossfit, arm-wrestling, powerlifting, sports games). Research methods: theoretical analysis and generalization of literary sources, psychodiagnostic testing, and methods of mathematical statistics. Psychodiagnostic testing involved the use of a set of techniques to assess the basic mental cognitive processes (attention, memory, thinking) and intellectual working capacity of cadets.

Results: The positive effect of different types of physical activities on the mental cognitive processes and intellectual working capacity in cadets was estab-lished. According to most of the studied parameters, the indicators of cadets engaged in orienteering were significantly (p≤0.05-0.001) better than those of the representatives of other sports. This is due to the specifics of the sport, which involves intense intellectual activity and requires a high level of development of such mental cognitive processes as attention, memory, and thinking, as well as intellectual working capacity.

Conclusions: The results obtained allow us to conclude that orienteering training can have a positive effect on both the indicators of cadets' academic and their future professional and combat activities.