Temporal pattern of pre-shooting psycho-physiological states in elite athletes: A probabilistic approach

Objective: The IZOF-based probabilistic approach provides a methodology to study within-individual patterns of a performer’s states. So far, the time course of physiological data before performance have not been investigated within the probabilistic methodology framework. The purpose of this study was to examine the value of the probabilistic approach in the assessment of the time course of physiological indicators of arousal/activation and vigilance during the period preceding the shot, in comparison with the performance-based method. Design: Longitudinal assessment of psycho-physiological data and performance outcomes was conducted on eight elite pistol shooters in a controlled setting.