Working memory capacity does not always promote dual‐task motor performance: The case of juggling in soccer

Abstract

The aim of this research was to refine our understanding of the role of working memory capacity (WMC) on motor performances that require attentional control in dual‐task situations. Three studies were carried out on soccer players. Each participant had to perform a juggling task in both normal and dual‐task conditions. In Study 1, the interfering task was a mental calculation test performed under time pressure (strong cognitive load). In Study 2, the interfering task was a count‐down test (low cognitive load). In Study 3 an intra‐individual design in which participants perform dual‐tasks increasingly complex has been proposed. Results showed a positive relationship between participants’ WMC and their dual‐task motor performance when the cognitive load was low and a negative relationship when the cognitive load was high. This paper highlights the role of the WMC in the activation of different modes of processing and its importance on the performance in dual‐task.

The Acute and Chronic Effects of Dual-Task on the Motor and Cognitive Performances in Athletes: A Systematic Review

“…Concerning the cost of cognitive performance, some studies suggested that the demand imposed by secondary tasks exceeded athletes' capacity to manage information leading to impaired performance. For example, Laurin and Finez [12] observed that the higher the level of difficulty of secondary tasks (multiplication > subtraction > sum), the higher the cost in performance. Given the close relationship between working-memory capacity and attentional control [47], we suggest that individuals with high working-memory capacity could optimize attentional resources for solving a cognitive task while performing the motor task.…”

“…In general, they observed a reduction in performance in the dual-task compared to the control condition (single-task), in both normal and impaired individuals. The dual-task cost paradigm explains these results, suggesting that cognitive tasks often require most of the attentional resources, overloading the working memory [12] and, hence, reducing cognitive and motor performance. However, studies on the chronic effect of dual-task practicing showed increases in motor and cognitive performance, even in impaired individuals [13,14], probably due to improved attention recruitment related to a larger capacity of the working memory.…”

“…Due to the characteristics of the action during different sports, the use of dual-tasks during training might be useful for reproducing sport demands by simultaneously requiring the perception of relevant cues and the execution of technical actions [2]. Previous studies on dual-tasks in sport showed methodological differences related to the task characteristics, the dual-task cost, the participants, and the study design, since studies have not used dual-tasks during the whole training session [12,21] that complicate the comprehension of the acute and chronic effects of dual-tasks on cognitive and motor performances. Besides, the different characteristics between sports (e.g., individual or team, and open or closed) make it difficult to establish solid conclusions on this topic.…”

Attention, working‐memory control, working‐memory capacity, and sport performance: The moderating role of athletic expertise

“…Moreover, most of the previous research lacks real world application regarding their outcome variable, particularly in sport (e.g., non-contextualised measures of performance; for an exception see Buszard et al, 2016). For example, in an attempt to differentiate Type-1 and Type-2 processing, Laurin and Finez (2019) reported a positive relationship between working-memory-capacity and motor performance (ball juggling) when the cognitive load was low (i.e., automated) and a negative relationship when cognitive load was high (i.e., controlled). The dual task of ball juggling and mental arithmetic, although valid in a research context, will have limited application in sport, in that these processes will very rarely be completely binary.…”

“…For example, passing sequences in soccer are not comprised of only low and high load actions. Additionally, the dual task paradigm is not entirely representative of Type-1 and Type-2 processing in that it assumes the automaticity of one task and negates important individual differences (e.g., expertise; Laurin & Finez, 2019;Swann et al, 2015).…”