Sylvain Laborde

Emotional intelligence in sport and exercise: a systematic review

This review targets emotional intelligence (EI) in sport and physical activity. We systematically review the available literature and offer a sound theoretical integration of differing EI perspectives (the tripartite model of EI) before considering applied practice in the form of EI training. Our review identified 36 studies assessing EI in an athletic or physical activity context. EI has most often been conceptualized as a trait. In the context of sport performance, we found that EI relates to emotions, physiological stress responses, successful psychological skill usage, and more successful athletic performance. In the context of physical activity, we found that trait EI relates to physical activity levels and positive attitudes toward physical activity. There was a shortage of research into the EI of coaches, officials, and spectators, non‐adult samples, and longitudinal and experimental methods. The tripartite model proposes that EI operates on three levels – knowledge, ability, and trait – and predicts an interplay between the different levels of EI. We present this framework as a promising alternative to trait and ability EI conceptualizations that can guide applied research and professional practice. Further research into EI training, measurement validation and cultural diversity is recommended.

Is the ability to keep your mind sharp under pressure reflected in your heart? Evidence for the neurophysiological bases of decision reinvestment.

The aim of this study was twofold: first, to examine the influence of decision reinvestment on decision-making performance using an option-generation task, and second to investigate its neurophysiological basis with heart rate variability. Forty-two male participants performed an option-generation task (i.e., where participants are required to generate their own options rather than being asked to decide from a set of options) under low- and high-pressure conditions. Results showed that the decision-making performance of low and high decision reinvesters was similar in the low-pressure condition, however in the high-pressure condition low reinvesters decided faster than their high reinvester counterparts. Moreover, we found that the pressure-induced reduction in parasympathetic activity was more pronounced in high reinvesters in comparison to low reinvesters. Findings are interpreted in light of the neurovisceral integration model, assuming a positive relationship between cognitive performance and parasympathetic activity. These findings offer a physiological insight into a psychological phenomenon and may also suggest a way to counteract the detrimental effects of decision reinvestment by utilizing interventions that target the parasympathetic activity, such as heart rate variability biofeedback.

Validation of a Chronotype Questionnaire Including an Amplitude Dimension

The aim of this paper was to validate a French version of the Chronotype Questionnaire (Ogińska, 2011, Pers. Individ. Dif. 50:1039–1043), which represents an interesting novelty in the psychometric assessment of chronotype, because it comprises not only an assessment of the morningness-eveningness (ME) dimension, but also a distinctness (DI) dimension (i.e., amplitude), which represents the range of diurnal variation. In study 1, we aimed to confirm the structure of the Chronotype Questionnaire, with two different samples, young adults (nu2009=u2009338, meanu2009±u2009SDu2009=u200918.70u2009±u20091.12u2009yrs, 244 men and 94 women) and old adults (nu2009=u2009477, meanu2009±u2009SDu2009=u200955.92u2009±u200911.9u2009yrs, 168 men and 310 women). The confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) indicated a poor fit in both samples as well as in the whole sample, which could be due to some inconsistencies in the original instrument, above all in the distinctness dimension. We therefore decided to revise the Chronotype Questionnaire, keeping the ME dimension, but refining the DI dimension. In study 2, with a new sample of 197 participants (meanu2009±u2009SDu2009=u200922.71u2009±u20092.23u2009yrs, 105 men and 92 women), we examined the factor structure of the revised scale containing 18 items. The resulting questionnaire contained 16 items (i.e., 8 items on each scale), with item factor loadings higher than .45. In study 3, we aimed to confirm the factor structure of the instrument developed in study 2 as well as to examine its convergent validity, with a new sample of 158 participants (meanu2009±u2009SDu2009=u200955.92u2009±u200911.9u2009yrs, 97 men and 61 women). Results of the CFA showed that a good fit of the model could be obtained with 16 items in the questionnaire. The new questionnaire derived from the original Chronotype Questionnaire was from now on called the Caen Chronotype Questionnaire (CCQ). Convergence validity was obtained with the Horne and Östberg questionnaire and the ME scale of the CCQ, showing a negative significant relationship (ru2009=u2009−.82). The CCQ showed promising psychometric qualities, and further research should aim to combine it with physiological variables.

Bidirectional Associations Between Personality and Physical Activity in Adulthood.

Objective: Personality and physical activity are important for critical life outcomes. This study tested the hypothesis that there is a bidirectional association between personality and physical activity. Method: A nationally representative sample of 10,227 Australian adults (5,422 women; 4,805 men) completed self-report measures of physical activity and personality in 2006 (Time 1), 2010 (Time 2), and 2014 (Time 3). A latent change score modeling approach was used to test bidirectional associations, controlling for age, sex, education, physical health, and mental health. Results: Conscientiousness and openness predicted subsequent increases in physical activity, whereas agreeableness predicted subsequent decreases in physical activity. Physical activity was associated with increases in openness (and conscientiousness for women) at Time 1–Time 2, but was unrelated to change in personality between Time 2–Time 3. In addition, there was some evidence that temporal associations between personality and physical activity were moderated by participant age. Conclusions: These findings indicate that personality is important for change in physical activity, but physical activity is relatively unimportant for change in personality.