TY - JOUR
T1 - The effect of athletic expertise and trait emotional intelligence on decision-making
AU - Vaughan, Robert
AU - Laborde, Sylvain
AU - McConville, Christopher
PY - 2018/8/22
Y1 - 2018/8/22
N2 - The quality of decision and assessment of risk is a key determinant of successful sport performance. Athletes differ fundamentally in their decision-making ability according to their athletic expertise level. Moreover, given the influence of emotions on decision-making, it is likely that a trait reflecting emotional functioning, trait emotional intelligence, may also influence decision-making. Therefore, the aim of this research was to investigate the respective contribution of athletic expertise and trait emotional intelligence to non-athletic decision-making. In total, 269 participants aged between 18 and 26 years with a range of athletic experience i.e., none (n = 71), novice (n = 54), amateur (n = 55), elite (n = 45) and super-elite (n = 44), completed the Emotional Intelligence Scale and the Cambridge Gambling Task. Regression modelling indicated a significant positive relationship of athletic expertise and trait emotional intelligence with the quality of decision-making, and a negative relationship with deliberation time and risk-taking. Cognitive skills transfer may explain the higher decision-making scores associated with higher athletic expertise, while individuals with higher trait emotional intelligence may anticipate better the emotional consequences linked with a gambling task, which may help individuals make better decisions and take less risks.
AB - The quality of decision and assessment of risk is a key determinant of successful sport performance. Athletes differ fundamentally in their decision-making ability according to their athletic expertise level. Moreover, given the influence of emotions on decision-making, it is likely that a trait reflecting emotional functioning, trait emotional intelligence, may also influence decision-making. Therefore, the aim of this research was to investigate the respective contribution of athletic expertise and trait emotional intelligence to non-athletic decision-making. In total, 269 participants aged between 18 and 26 years with a range of athletic experience i.e., none (n = 71), novice (n = 54), amateur (n = 55), elite (n = 45) and super-elite (n = 44), completed the Emotional Intelligence Scale and the Cambridge Gambling Task. Regression modelling indicated a significant positive relationship of athletic expertise and trait emotional intelligence with the quality of decision-making, and a negative relationship with deliberation time and risk-taking. Cognitive skills transfer may explain the higher decision-making scores associated with higher athletic expertise, while individuals with higher trait emotional intelligence may anticipate better the emotional consequences linked with a gambling task, which may help individuals make better decisions and take less risks.
KW - Trait emotional intelligence,
KW - decision-making
KW - expertise,
KW - elite athletes
KW - non-expert athletes
UR - https://pure.ulster.ac.uk/en/publications/the-effect-of-athletic-expertise-and-trait-emotional-intelligence
U2 - 10.1080/17461391.2018.1510037
DO - 10.1080/17461391.2018.1510037
M3 - Article
C2 - 30132381
SN - 1746-1391
VL - 19
SP - 225
EP - 233
JO - European Journal of Sport Science
JF - European Journal of Sport Science
IS - 2
ER -