Amplifying Cognitive Functions in Amateur Esports Athletes: The Impact of Short-Term Virtual Reality Training on Reaction Time, Motor Time, and Eye-Hand Coordination.

OBJECTIVES

Electronic sports (esports) have grown into a major competitive field in today's digital landscape, attracting the interest of established companies and evolving into a fast-growing industry. Cognitive function, including reaction time, motor time, and eye-hand coordination, plays a crucial role in e-athlete performance. This study aims to examine the impact of VR training on these cognitive functions in amateur e-athletes.

METHODS

The study involved 66 amateur e-athletes (45 men and 21 women, aged 19-41, with a mean age of 23.96 ± 3.90 years) who reported active, non-professional involvement in esports. Participants were randomly assigned to an experimental group (E) (n = 32) and a control group (C) (n = 34), with initial comparisons confirming no significant differences in daily gaming habits, esports experience, or age between groups. The E group completed 15-minute daily training sessions using the VR game Beat Saber over eight consecutive days.

RESULTS

The results demonstrated that VR training significantly improved eye-hand coordination in the experimental group, although there were no notable effects on reaction time or motor time.

CONCLUSIONS

These findings suggest that VR training may be an effective method to enhance certain cognitive functions, specifically eye-hand coordination, among amateur e-athletes. This could offer a valuable approach for performance improvement in this rapidly growing field.