The effects of working memory training on decision-making in collegiate basketball referees: a randomized controlled trial.

BACKGROUND

Collegiate basketball referees necessitate swift information processing and precise decision-making under duress, with working memory serving as a fundamental cognitive function. Investigations into cognitive training for referees are still few.

METHODS

This randomised controlled trial investigated the impact of an 8-week working memory training program on decision-making among 28 collegiate basketball referees (ages 19-22), who were allocated to either an experimental group (n = 14) or a control group (n = 14). The accuracy of decision-making, response time, and working memory capacity were evaluated.

RESULTS

The experimental group exhibited notable enhancements in decision-making accuracy, especially with cognitive decisions; diminished response times; and augmented working memory capacity.

CONCLUSION

Working memory training improves cognitive efficiency in collegiate basketball referees with limited officiating experience, facilitating quicker and more precise officiating decisions under laboratory static-image testing conditions. These observed medium-sized effects are sample-specific and should not be generalized to professional elite referees. Targeted cognitive training may function as an effective strategy to enhance officiating performance for this specific population.