The effects of priming negative cues on Stroop rifle shooting task in elite biathletes: A psychophysiological pilot study

Attempting to suppress unwanted thoughts is generally characterized by the opposite outcomes of what is desired in motor task performance, resulting in a counterintentional error. This study examined the impact of priming negative cues on elite athletes' performance and reaction time (RT) in Stroop rifle shooting task, guided by ironic processes of mental control theory. Ten elite biathletes completed the task under two conditions: no-frequency negative cue (NFN) and high-frequency negative cue (HFN). Using a quasi-experimental within-subject design and multiple psychophysiological measures, the study assessed target hit rates and RTs at the incongruent stimuli. Bayesian analysis revealed moderate and anecdotal evidence in support of the null model (BF01) for hit rates and RTs towards target hits, indicating no ironic shooting errors and delay to the intended targets. Heart rate (HR) and heart rate variability (HRV) also showed no significant variations across conditions. Findings suggest that negative instructions, regardless of frequency, do not disrupt elite biathletes' shooting performance. Thus, directives like "do not shoot blue" fail to induce ironic errors, highlighting elite biathletes' resilience to such cues in maintaining consistent shooting performance.