(1) Background: Several findings have shown how social stimuli can influence attentional processes. Social attention is crucial in team ball sports, in which players have to react to dynamically changing, unpredictable, and externally paced environments. Our study aimed at demonstrating the influence of social processing on team ball sports athletes' attentional abilities. (2) Methods: A total of 103 male players divided by sport (soccer, handball, and basketball) and by role (striker, midfielder, or defender) were tested through a modified version of the Attention Network Test (ANT) in which they were exposed to both social and non-social stimuli. (3) Results: Social stimuli positively impacted the athletes' abilities to focus on target stimuli and ignore conflicting environmental requests (t = -2.600, p = 0.011 *). We also found that the athletes' roles impacted their performance accuracy. Specifically, differences were found in the ability to maintain a general state of reactivity between athletes (strikers vs. midfielders: t = 3.303, p = 0.004 **; striker vs. defenders: t = -2.820, p = 0.017 *; midfielders vs. defenders: t = -5.876, p < 001 ***). (4) Conclusion: These findings revealed that social stimuli are crucial for performance enhancement in team ball sports athletes. Further, we suggest that it is possible to draw specific attentional profiles for athletes in different roles.

The Effects of Social Processing and Role Type on Attention Networks: Insights from Team Ball Athletes / Passarello, Noemi; Mellone, Michela; Sorrentino, Pierpaolo; Chirico, Andrea; Lucidi, Fabio; Mandolesi, Laura; Federico, Francesca. - In: BRAIN SCIENCES. - ISSN 2076-3425. - 13:3(2023). [10.3390/brainsci13030476]

The Effects of Social Processing and Role Type on Attention Networks: Insights from Team Ball Athletes

Sorrentino, Pierpaolo;
2023-01-01

Abstract

(1) Background: Several findings have shown how social stimuli can influence attentional processes. Social attention is crucial in team ball sports, in which players have to react to dynamically changing, unpredictable, and externally paced environments. Our study aimed at demonstrating the influence of social processing on team ball sports athletes' attentional abilities. (2) Methods: A total of 103 male players divided by sport (soccer, handball, and basketball) and by role (striker, midfielder, or defender) were tested through a modified version of the Attention Network Test (ANT) in which they were exposed to both social and non-social stimuli. (3) Results: Social stimuli positively impacted the athletes' abilities to focus on target stimuli and ignore conflicting environmental requests (t = -2.600, p = 0.011 *). We also found that the athletes' roles impacted their performance accuracy. Specifically, differences were found in the ability to maintain a general state of reactivity between athletes (strikers vs. midfielders: t = 3.303, p = 0.004 **; striker vs. defenders: t = -2.820, p = 0.017 *; midfielders vs. defenders: t = -5.876, p < 001 ***). (4) Conclusion: These findings revealed that social stimuli are crucial for performance enhancement in team ball sports athletes. Further, we suggest that it is possible to draw specific attentional profiles for athletes in different roles.
2023
The Effects of Social Processing and Role Type on Attention Networks: Insights from Team Ball Athletes / Passarello, Noemi; Mellone, Michela; Sorrentino, Pierpaolo; Chirico, Andrea; Lucidi, Fabio; Mandolesi, Laura; Federico, Francesca. - In: BRAIN SCIENCES. - ISSN 2076-3425. - 13:3(2023). [10.3390/brainsci13030476]
File in questo prodotto:
Non ci sono file associati a questo prodotto.

I documenti in IRIS sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione.

Utilizza questo identificativo per citare o creare un link a questo documento: https://hdl.handle.net/11388/343174
Citazioni
  • ???jsp.display-item.citation.pmc??? ND
  • Scopus 2
  • ???jsp.display-item.citation.isi??? 2
social impact