The Effect of Task Cognitive Difficulty on Perceptual-Cognitive Indicators: Evidence on the Relationship Between Challenge Point Framework (CPF) and Cognitive Development in Table Tennis Beginners

Abstract

Mahya Mohamad Taghi,1 Mahin Aghdaei,1 Alireza Farsi,1 Georgian Badicu,2 Matheus Santos de Sousa Fernandes,3 Fatma Hilal Yagin,4 Luca Paolo Ardigò5 1Faculty of Sports and Health Sciences, Shahid Beheshti University, Tehran, Iran; 2Department of Physical Education and Special Motricity, Transilvania University of Brasov, Brasov, Romania; 3Instituto Keizo Asami, Universidade Federal de Pernambuco, Recife, Pernambuco, Brazil; 4Department of Biostatistics and Medical Informatics, Faculty of Medicine, Inonu University, Malatya, Turkey; 5Department of Teacher Education, NLA University College, Oslo, NorwayCorrespondence: Luca Paolo Ardigò; Mahya Mohamad Taghi, Email [email protected]; [email protected]: Motor learning, in addition to influencing the practice of physical activity, affects cognitive skills related to prediction and decision. One key principle in sports training is designing exercise programs that optimize cognitive-motor performance, based on the Challenge Point Framework (CPF). The aim of this study is to investigate the effect of different levels of work difficulty on cognitive-perceptual indicators in table tennis beginners.Methods: Forty-two female beginners in table tennis (ages 20– 35) were divided into high, moderate, low task difficulty, and control groups based on pre-test scores of attention networks. The intervention consisted of 8 daily training sessions, each lasting 30 minutes. Pre- and post-test comparisons were made to evaluate changes in cognitive-perceptual performance.Results: Post-test results showed improvements in executive control of attention and cognitive effort across all groups. But there was no significant difference between the groups.Discussion: These findings suggest that cognitive task difficulty, much like functional difficulty, aligns with predictions from the CPF, enhancing executive control and cognitive effort, and thereby supporting motor learning.Conclusion: Cognitive difficulty, like functional difficulty, takes advantage of the challenge point framework and improves cognitive–cognitive indicators.Keywords: task difficulty, attention networks, cognitive effort, challenge point, table tennis

Keywords

• task difficulty
• attention networks
• cognitive effort
• challenge point
• table tennis.