JOMH study: flexibility predicts decisions

A May 30, 2025 paper in the *Journal of Men’s Health* examined whether cognitive flexibility helps explain how athletes make decisions in sport and found that two distinct flexibility dimensions tracked two different decision styles. (jomh.org) The study, titled “Does cognitive flexibility enhance decision-making in sports?”, was written by Burhan Başoğlu, Erdil Keyf, Mustafa Vural, Mehmet Gül, Abdullah Doğan, Fatih Karakaş, Gökhan Arıkan and corresponding author Furkan Çamiçi. The researchers analyzed responses from 743 male athletes across multiple sports in Türkiye using the Sports Effective Decision-Making Scale and the Cognitive Flexibility Inventory. Their regression analysis found that the “Alternatives” and “Control” sub-dimensions of cognitive flexibility predicted different forms of decision-making in sport. ### What did the researchers actually test? The study used a relational survey design with 743 male athletes from various sports disciplines in Türkiye, according to the paper. The authors measured decision-making with the Sports Effective Decision-Making Scale and measured flexibility with the Cognitive Flexibility Inventory, focusing on the “Alternatives” and “Control” sub-dimensions. The paper described decision-making in sport as a multifaceted process that becomes especially important in high-pressure settings. The authors said confirmatory factor analysis supported the validity and reliability of the measures in the sports context before they ran regression tests on the relationship between flexibility and decision outcomes. (jomh.org) ### Which flexibility trait mapped to which kind of decision? The strongest split in the results was between “Alternatives” and “Control.” The authors reported that the “Alternatives” dimension positively predicted effective decision-making in external decision-making scenarios, with β = 0.207, t = 5.427 and p < 0.001. (jomh.org) The same analysis found that “Control” was a stronger determinant of intrinsic decision-making, with β = 0.210, t = 5.607 and p < 0.001. In the paper’s framing, that means athletes who scored higher on different parts of cognitive flexibility were more likely to favor different decision processes rather than simply becoming better at every kind of decision in the same way. (jomh.org) That last point is an inference from the reported split between external and intrinsic effects. ### Why does that matter for coaches and practitioners? The paper said cognitive flexibility plays a vital role in enhancing athletes’ decision-making abilities. (jomh.org) The authors added that coaches can improve decision-making by fostering a sense of control and by offering diverse alternatives in training and competition, according to the article abstract and PDF summary. That gives coaches a practical distinction to work with. Training built around multiple options, changing cues or varied solutions would align with the “Alternatives” side of flexibility, while training that emphasizes ownership, composure and command of one’s response would align with the “Control” side. (jomh.org) That application is an inference from the study’s reported sub-dimensions and the authors’ recommendation to foster control and diverse alternatives. ### What are the limits of the study? The sample was limited to 743 male athletes in Türkiye, the paper said. (jomh.org) The study also used survey-based measures and regression analysis, which can identify predictive relationships but do not by themselves establish that one training method causes later decision behavior in matches. The article itself called for a broader framework for understanding decision-making and said future research should examine how emotional, environmental and situational factors interact with cognitive flexibility in sport. (jomh.org) ### Where can readers find the paper? The article was published on May 30, 2025 in *Journal of Men’s Health*, Volume 21, Issue 5, pages 39-45, under DOI 10.22514/jomh.2025.066. The listed institutions include Nevşehir Haci Bektaş Veli University, Mersin University, Ağrı İbrahim Çeçen University, Sivas Cumhuriyet University, the Turkish Ministry of Youth and Sports, Ondokuz Mayis University, Harran University and Hitit University. (jomh.org) (oss.jomh.org)