COGNITIVE RESOURCE OF AN E-ATHLETE AS A FACTOR OF SPORTS EFFICIENCY

Abstract

The cultivation of sportsmanship in the context of intellectual sports, particularly e-sports, is contingent upon the advancement of athletes’ mental and intellectual capabilities. Over an extended period, a dynamic professional structure of mental processes, in particular mental properties, which ensure the effectiveness of the athlete’s activity in the chosen sport, is gradually formed in the training process. This article examines the role of cognitive resources as a determining factor in the effectiveness of an e-athlete. The success and efficiency of athletes engaged in intellectual sports, at all stages of the training process and in competition, is contingent upon the sustained mental activity of the athlete. The purpose of the study is to establish the indicators of the cognitive model of an effective e-athlete, which determine the cognitive resource of players as a factor of sports improvement. Methodology. Theoretical analysis and synthesis of literature and online sources, analysis and comparison of empirical research results. The following tests were used to determine the cognitive characteristics of esportsmen: “Landolt’s Rings” to determine concentration of attention; “Visual Memory” to determine short-term memory; “Memory for Numbers” to determine memory capacity; “Establishing Regularities” to determine logical thinking; “Diagnostics of the Dominant Perceptual Modality” to determine the dominant type of perception (auditory, visual, or kinesthetic); “Three Words” to determine the characteristics of creative imagination. The statistical data were processed using non-parametric statistical methods. The sampling distribution was described using medians and interquartile ranges (Me [25%; 75%]). In order to ascertain the cognitive characteristics inherent in effective e-athletes, the subjects were divided into two groups: nine athletes with a personal or team rating and seven individuals without a rating. The presence of a personal or team rating for an e-athlete was considered a sign of sports performance. The results of the study indicate the influence of cognitive functions on the effectiveness of players in eSports. Those who have achieved a high ranking in eSports are observed to exhibit elevated levels of concentration and kinesthetic perception. This suggests that they possess the capacity to maintain focus, respond promptly to stimuli, and engage with the gaming environment in an efficacious manner. However, both groups of cyberathletes exhibit a high level of short-term memory and basic logical skills, as well as an adequate level of creative imagination. In conclusion, the cognitive resources of an e-athlete are defined as a set of cognitive abilities that facilitate adaptation to the requirements of e-sports and the attainment of high results. On the basis of empirical research, a psychogram of model indicators of cognitive characteristics of an effective player in the discipline of Counter-Strike: Global Offensive (CS:GO). In the authors’ opinion, it is the cognitive support of e-sportsmen that can be considered as a resource, since it contributes to ensuring efficiency in the game, maintaining a high level of performance and adaptability in a situation of uncertainty. Conclusions. Comparing the psychogram of effective esports players with less effective ones will allow to determine the psychological resource of each athlete and individualize psychological training.