What do sports announcers mean when they say that an athlete lacks mental toughness? Often, this term may be used as a catch-all to describe any attribute or characteristic that is not physical or visually perceivable. Still, this vagueness may represent a lack of understanding of the exact mental characteristics and abilities that are necessary for elite performance. The exploration of these characteristics and abilities has been limited at best, but more resources are being devoted to formal investigations as of late.
THE RESEARCH STUDY
In Sweden, a study was recently published (Vestberg et al., 2012) in which the investigators assessed the cognitive abilities of 57 professional Swedish soccer players, both male and female. The cognitive tests measured the ability to visually problem solve in a timed setting, the capacity to inhibit impulses, and the ability to remember visual images and patterns.
It was found that soccer players in the most elite division in Sweden had higher cognitive abilities than players in lower divisions, and that both groups performed better than a control group. Further, a positive correlation between cognitive ability and the number of goals scored was found. In other words, the higher the cognitive ability, the more goals scored, and vice-versa.
THE BOTTOM LINE
Employers might want to consider this information when deciding which employees to select. Though cognitive tests can be expensive, the money spent may be less than the money saved. Costs associated with a bad hire include that employee’s salary and the potential decrease in production associated with that employee’s ensuing poor performance. After all, an ounce of prevention can be worth more than a pound of cure.
Vestberg, T., Gustafson, R., Maurex, L., Ingvar, M., & Petrovic, P. (2012). Executive functions predict the success of top-soccer players. PLoS One, 7(4): e34731.
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