Inhibitory control across athletic expertise and its relationship with sport performance

Inhibitory control may be vital in elite sport (Vestberg et al., 2017). We examined the link between athletic expertise, inhibitory control and sport performance in a two-part study quasi-experiment. Inhibitory control was indexed using the Stop Signal Task, athlete expertise was categorised on literary recommendations, and sport performance was assessed using athlete and coach ratings. Study 1 examined cross-sectional and longitudinal patterns of inhibitory control across athletic expertise. Study 2 investigated whether the inhibitory control-sport performance relationship was moderated by expertise. Study 1 showed that expertise was linked to greater inhibitory control cross-sectionally and longitudinally. Study 2 revealed that expertise related to superior performance on the Stop Signal Task and athlete and coach performance ratings, and this relationship was moderated by athletic expertise. Inhibitory control relates to sport performance, increases with greater athlete expertise, and develops longitudinally. Long-term participation in sport may bring about changes in inhibitory control, that may lead to improved sport performance.