Evidence map›Paper›PMID 38907178›Full record

ArticleSports medicine (Auckland, N.Z.)2024

There is No Supporting Evidence for a Far Transfer of General Perceptual or Cognitive Training to Sports Performance.

Job Fransen

Abstract read
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Article in Sports medicine (Auckland, N.Z.), 2024. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 15 papers, 3 of them syntheses that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
15citing papers in PubMed, 3 pooled it
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

15 citing papers in PubMed, 3 syntheses or guidelines pooled it.

  1. Effects of Integrated Sports Vision Training Batteries on Time- and Accuracy-Dependent Outcomes in Sport-Specific Tasks: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.Ophthalmic & physiological optics : the journal of the British College of Ophthalmic Opticians (Optometrists) · 2026
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  14. Neurophysiology of ACL Injury.Orthopedic reviews · 2025
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4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

1 author.

Job FransenSchool of Allied Health, Exercise and Sports Sciences, Charles Sturt University, Building 801, Lake Innes Road, Port Macquarie, NSW, 2444, Australia. jfransen@csu.edu.au.ORCID 0000-0003-3355-1848

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

In this opinion piece I reiterate the concepts of near and far transfer as previously described in the psychological literature. I show that despite very limited evidence, many technologies, tools and methods make questionable claims of eliciting far transfer from generic perceptual and/or cognitive training to sports performance. Specifically, this commentary illustrates with studies on stroboscopic vision, neurofeedback training and executive functions that the claims made for the beneficial effects of these training methods are currently unsubstantiated. I conclude that greater scrutiny by researchers is needed in order to assist practitioners to make better-informed decisions about tools, methods and technologies that may aid sports performance.

Indexed as

Athletic PerformanceCognitionExecutive FunctionNeurofeedbackCognitive TrainingHumansPerceptionTransfer, Psychology

Identifiers

PMID38907178
PMCPMC11560981

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.