Effects of mental training on the performance of military endurance and precision tasks in the Canadian Forces
Faculty Advisor
Date
1991
Keywords
mental training, biological control systems, meditation, stress, fatigue, heart beat, armies, marching, Canada
Abstract (summary)
This study investigated the effect of two cognitive training strategies, associative and dissociative thinking, on soldiers' ability to perform a weight-loaded march. Forty Infantry soldiers from the Canadian Army completed three hours of marching. Following the march, subjects were randomly assigned to one of four groups: associative (biofeedback), dissociative (meditation), combined associative-dissociative (biofeedback and meditation) and control. After two weeks of mental training, the soldier performed the march again. Analyses showed that all soldiers had improved in their ability to estimate the amount of time remaining in the march and in their ability to reduce heart rate levels while marching. Significant changes however were not found in perceived fatigue levels and in rates of perceived exertion during the march. Results are discussed in light of these findings.
Publication Information
Couture, R. T., Singh, M., Lee, W., Chahal, P., et al. (1994). The effect of mental training on the performance of military endurance tasks in the Canadian infantry. International Journal of Sport Psychology, 25(2), 144-157.
DOI
Notes
Item Type
Article
Language
English
Rights
All Rights Reserved