Related Experiment Video
Updated: Sep 2, 2026

The Joint Effect of Social Comparison and Social Distance on Evaluation of Intertemporal Choice Outcomes in Event-related Potential Studies
Published on: August 25, 2023
Exploring the interaction between sport type and competitive status in cognitive performance
1Department of Physical Education and Social Sciences, Faculty of Sports Studies, Masaryk University, Brno, Czechia.
Background:
Cognitive performance, including reaction time, inhibitory control, and impulsivity, represents an important component of both athletic and everyday functioning. However, the relationship between different types of sports participation and competitive engagement remains insufficiently understood.
Objective:
The present study aimed to examine the effects of sport type (open vs. closed skill) and competitive status (competitive vs. non-competitive) on cognitive performance.
Methods:
A total of 30 participants, including university students and amateur athletes, completed a battery of assessments measuring reaction time, interference control using the Stroop test, and impulsivity. Participants were divided according to sport type and competitive involvement. A series of two-way analyses of variance (ANOVA) was conducted to evaluate the main and interaction effects of sport type and competitive status on the measured variables.
Results:
No statistically significant main effects of sport type or competitive status were identified across the assessed cognitive variables. The interaction between sport type and competitive status was not statistically significant for reaction time or any other measured outcome.
Conclusion:
No significant differences in cognitive performance were observed across sport type or competitive status. Future studies with larger and more balanced samples are needed to further investigate the relationships between sport participation characteristics and cognitive outcomes.
Related Concept Videos
Social Facilitation
Self-Presentation: Self-Monitoring and Self-Handicapping
Theory of Attribution II: Kelley's Covariation Theory
Cognitive Learning
E. C. Tolman's theory of purposive behavior emphasizes that much behavior is goal-directed. He argued that to understand behavior, we must look at the entire sequence of actions leading to a goal. For instance, high school students study hard, not just due to past reinforcement but also to achieve the goal of getting into a good college.
Tolman introduced the idea that behavior is influenced by...
Self-Discrepancy Theory
Cognition and Behavior