New technology holds promise for the future application of psychophysiological methods for the enhancement of performance during sport and exercise

Abstract

Psychophysiology is the study of psychological processes through the measurement and interpretation of physiological responses (Cacioppo, Tassinary, Berntson, 2007). The realisation of the relationship between the so-called "mind" and "body" has encouraged the application of psychophysiology in various areas of psychology, including sport psychology (see Hatfield & Hillman, 2000). Unfortunately, methodological problems have limited the application of psychophysiological techniques to the study of sport. The gross body movements in most sports cause considerable degradation in the quality of the physiological recordings. The obtrusiveness of the electrode attachments and the wiring of the electrodes to a data acquisition system can also severely impede the athlete's mobility and performance. It is perhaps not surprising that most psychophysiological research has been concerned with sports that involve minimal movements, such as pistol shooting (e.g., Mets, Konttinen, & Lyytinen, 2007). However, a range of new technological advances are giving encouragement for future applications of psychophysiological methodology in sport.