Mind and attention
Claims about attention, gaze, routines, competition anxiety and target panic, each with its evidence status and sources.
183 claims · 84% with evidence on archers
- 0Corroborated
- 117Reported
- 31Contested
- 7Transferred
- 7Contradicted
- 0Refuted
- 20Not studied
- 1Predicted
Does it apply to me? Discipline
Level
- ReportedA larger working memory does not make an archer more accurate3 studies · 79 archers measuredStatus since 2012
- ReportedA longer quiet eye improves shooting accuracy3 studies · 58 archers measuredStatus since 2017
- ReportedA mental profile tells archers apart from athletes in other sports only in part5 studies · 550 archers measuredStatus since 2018
- ReportedA mental training programme improves the elite archer's mood1 study · 16 archers measuredStatus since 2023
- ReportedA mental training programme reduces burnout in elite archers1 study · 16 archers measuredStatus since 2023
- ReportedA mindfulness programme improves some of an archer's mental skills, but not all3 studies · 35 archers measuredStatus since 2020
- ReportedA relaxation session right before shooting does not improve the score5 studies · 65 archers measuredStatus since 1999
- ReportedA school archery course improves pupils' motivation and wellbeing4 studies · 206 archers measuredStatus since 2022
- ReportedA second before the arrow reaches the target, the brain's electrical activity already differs from its resting state1 study · 11 archers measuredStatus since 2022
- ReportedA self-hypnosis programme raises the concentration and emotional control archers report2 studies · 17 archers measuredStatus since 2025
- ReportedA sizeable share of the score differences between archers comes down to mental factors5 studies · 306 archers measuredStatus since 1986
- ReportedA yoga programme lowers an archer's competitive anxiety and raises self-confidence1 study · 14 archers measuredStatus since 2025
- ReportedAfter a perfect shot, the elite archer feels more relief than joy1 study · 65 archers measuredStatus since 2025
- ReportedAfter a poor end, one of the ways elite archers respond is to look for the fix on their own, without going to the coach2 studies · 12 archers measuredStatus since 2001
- ReportedAfter two arrows outside the 10, elite women archers recover less than men on the next arrow1 study · archers measuredStatus since 2024
- ReportedAmong competitive archers and golfers, those who have had target panic or the yips report choking only slightly more often than the rest1 study · 155 archers measuredStatus since 2020
- ReportedAmong young archers, the older ones do worse on memory and attention tasks2 studies · 65 archers measuredStatus since 2017
- ReportedAmong young archers, trust in the coach is what keeps them wanting to carry on1 study · 220 archers measuredStatus since 2008
- ReportedAn archer falls apart when they feel they have to win, not when the competition is hard2 studies · 156 archers measuredStatus since 2017
- ReportedAn archery course raises beginners' self-confidence2 studies · 102 archers measuredStatus since 2022
- ReportedAn unvarying shot sequence helps an archer with target panic1 study · 8 archers measuredStatus since 2023
- ReportedArchers aim better than other people even in an aiming task without a bow1 study · 30 archers measuredStatus since 2017
- ReportedArchers do not have better visual skills than athletes from other sports1 study · 28 archers measuredStatus since 2010
- ReportedArchers hold back blinking after a stimulus less than kendo practitioners do1 study · 36 archers measuredStatus since 2012
- ReportedArchers rate communication with their coach as good, but openness and a sense of equality lag behind1 study · 20 archers measuredStatus since 2020
- ReportedArchers who cope with stress by focusing on the task choke less often in competition1 study · 115 archers measuredStatus since 2021
- ReportedArchers who feel their anxiety in the body choke more often in competition2 studies · 270 archers measuredStatus since 2021
- ReportedArchers who regulate their emotions better have higher heart rate variability after shooting1 study · 86 archers measuredStatus since 2019
- ReportedArchers who ruminate on mistakes choke more often in competition3 studies · 293 archers measuredStatus since 2020
- ReportedArchers who see the target as bigger shoot better1 study · 20 archers measuredStatus since 2012
- ReportedArchers who use imagery more are also more task oriented1 study · 251 archers measuredStatus since 2023
- ReportedArchers with an early release say the arrow goes off by itself, against their will5 studies · 31 archers measuredStatus since 2018
- ReportedArchers with more self confidence score higher17 studies · 670 archers measuredStatus since 2021
- ReportedArchers with target panic describe tremors, panic attacks and excessive attention to their own body4 studies · 170 archers measuredStatus since 2019
- ReportedArchers with target panic trace its onset to focusing on the outcome and on expectations2 studies · 15 archers measuredStatus since 2019
- ReportedArchery does not come with quicker reaction times9 studies · 275 archers measuredStatus since 2012
- ReportedAround the release, a consumer EEG headset gives compound archers a higher attention score than recurve archers1 study · 8 archers measuredStatus since 2015
- ReportedArrows released during diastole score higher2 studies · 40 archers measuredStatus since 2009
- ReportedAt equal performance on a visuospatial task, experienced archers activate the frontal attention areas more1 study · 43 archers measuredStatus since 2012
- ReportedBefore competition worry weighs on archers more than somatic anxiety6 studies · 375 archers measuredStatus since 2023
- ReportedBefore competition, stress markers in archers' saliva rise, and stay higher in those who shoot worse5 studies · 103 archers measuredStatus since 2016
- ReportedBeginners with higher emotional intelligence shoot more accurately1 study · 30 archers measuredStatus since 2019
- ReportedBetter archers do not have better depth perception1 study · 102 archers measuredStatus since 1986
- ReportedBreathing or visualisation exercises improve an archer's balance1 study · 36 archers measuredStatus since 2025
- ReportedChanging something in the equipment gives relief from target panic2 studies · 15 archers measuredStatus since 2019
- ReportedChildren who practise archery do better at school1 study · 80 archers measuredStatus since 2025
- ReportedCoach support during competition reduces choking2 studies · 123 archers measuredStatus since 2021
- ReportedCoaches who demand perfection feel more competition stress1 study · 113 archers measuredStatus since 2008
- ReportedComparing the feel of the shot with an instrument reading teaches archers to recognise their own release timing2 studies · 1 archers measuredStatus since 1998
- ReportedDeep breathing reduces an archer's competition anxiety5 studies · 23 archers measuredStatus since 2025
- ReportedDuring aiming, expert archers activate different brain areas from beginners2 studies · 56 archers measuredStatus since 2008
- ReportedDuring the aim, elite archers' brains work in a more coordinated way than those of lower-level archers5 studies · 72 archers measuredStatus since 2019
- ReportedEight weeks of autogenic training lower archers' urinary lactate in competition1 study · 16 archers measuredStatus since 2024
- ReportedElite archers feel more committed when their coach involves them in planning1 study · 8 archers measuredStatus since 2020
- ReportedElite archers' anxiety rises from the ranking round to the matches, and stays high in the team event too1 study · 57 archers measuredStatus since 2021
- ReportedExpert archers keep their gaze steadier than less experienced archers, even when distracted1 study · 14 archers measuredStatus since 2019
- ReportedEye colour makes no notable difference to shooting accuracy1 study · 96 archers measuredStatus since 1989
- ReportedFemale archers report more pre-competition anxiety than male archers4 studies · 338 archers measuredStatus since 2021
- ReportedImagery training improves an archer's imagery ability1 study · 6 archers measuredStatus since 2020
- ReportedImagery training shortens an archer's visual reaction time1 study · 36 archers measuredStatus since 2025
- ReportedIn beginners the score improves with a leftward shift of theta activity, not with the amount of brain activity1 study · 11 archers measuredStatus since 2022
- ReportedIn beginners, feeling that the challenge matches one's ability goes with more accurate shooting1 study · 30 archers measuredStatus since 2019
- ReportedIn competition an archer's heart rate stays well above resting values9 studies · 91 archers measuredStatus since 1994
- ReportedIn competition archers read their coach's behaviour, and what they see changes their confidence1 study · 8 archers measuredStatus since 2020
- ReportedIn competition, experienced archers show more parasympathetic activity than novices3 studies · 97 archers measuredStatus since 2011
- ReportedIn kyudo the release block resembles a task-specific focal dystonia2 studies · 74 archers measuredStatus since 2023
- ReportedIn kyudo, archers who develop an early release often do not get free of it1 study · 41 archers measuredStatus since 2021
- ReportedIn kyudo, experts react less than beginners when they imagine the shot2 studies · 50 archers measuredStatus since 1964
- ReportedIn kyudo, nearly two archers in three have had at least one kind of release problem1 study · 65 archers measuredStatus since 2021
- ReportedIn kyudo, release problems are commoner among those who have practised for more years2 studies · 213 archers measuredStatus since 2021
- ReportedIn kyudo, the commonest shooting problem is releasing too early1 study · 65 archers measuredStatus since 2021
- ReportedIn kyudo, those who develop a release problem often do not get over it1 study · 41 archers measuredStatus since 2021
- ReportedIn parents' support for their archer children, equipment is the part that least often reaches a high level2 studies · 37 archers measuredStatus since 2023
- ReportedIn the second half of Ramadan, fasting archers find it harder to concentrate2 studies · 24 archers measuredStatus since 2011
- ReportedIn young archers the tendency to be on edge goes with difficulty communicating, not with character traits1 study · 30 archers measuredStatus since 2018
- ReportedKeeping a self-reflection journal does not improve the score1 study · 8 archers measuredStatus since 2016
- ReportedListening to your own heartbeat while shooting raises the score1 study · 36 archers measuredStatus since 2009
- ReportedMeditation improves an archer's score8 studies · 196 archers measuredStatus since 2024
- ReportedMental skills training raises an archer's confidence8 studies · 168 archers measuredStatus since 2024
- ReportedMental training improves an archer's concentration4 studies · 58 archers measuredStatus since 2008
- ReportedMental training pays off more when it runs for at least twelve weeks4 studies · 59 archers measuredStatus since 2011
- ReportedMost competitive archers say they have fallen apart in competition at least once2 studies · 270 archers measuredStatus since 2020
- ReportedOf those who start a youth archery course, around four in ten leave before the end1 study · 25 archers measuredStatus since 2025
- ReportedOn a stress tolerance test, young archers do no better than peers from other sports1 study · 180 archers measuredStatus since 2022
- ReportedOn the shooting line the coach communicates with the archer more through gestures than words1 study · archers measuredStatus since 2023
- ReportedOne study found no clear link between judging the arrival of a moving stimulus and score2 studies · 137 archers measuredStatus since 1986
- ReportedOne study found that a strengths-based positive psychology programme does not improve elite archers' optimism or use of their strengths any more than happens without it1 study · 20 archers measuredStatus since 2020
- ReportedOne study found that blind archers are no more accurate than non-archers at finding the middle of a rod by touch2 studies · 20 archers measuredStatus since 2006
- ReportedOne study found that dehydration does not change how alert an archer feels in competition1 study · 10 archers measuredStatus since 2020
- ReportedOne study found that focusing on the sight rather than on bodily sensations does not change the score1 study · 16 archers measuredStatus since 2025
- ReportedOne study found that nicotine gum improves archers' concentration and manual dexterity1 study · 11 archers measuredStatus since 2021
- ReportedOne study found that reappraising one's emotions does not come with better performance1 study · 61 archers measuredStatus since 2022
- ReportedOne study found that training at a fixed distance, short or long, does not improve concentration more than ordinary training2 studies · 64 archers measuredStatus since 2024
- ReportedOne study of an archer who shoots with his foot found far greater foot dexterity than in non-archers and a larger area of brain for the toes and knee2 studies · 1 archers measuredStatus since 2020
- ReportedOver the first weeks of practice less information flows from the cortex to the shooting muscles1 study · 26 archers measuredStatus since 2025
- ReportedPicturing a calming scene does not produce a relaxation response in kyudo archers1 study · 35 archers measuredStatus since 2004
- ReportedPre-shot breathing rhythm varies from one archer to another1 study · 2 archers measuredStatus since 2019
- ReportedQuiet eye can be measured automatically from the electrical signal of the eyes1 study · 10 archers measuredStatus since 2025
- ReportedQuiet eye duration varies widely between archers, and sex, weight and height do not explain it3 studies · 48 archers measuredStatus since 2025
- ReportedSetting specific goals makes beginners improve faster2 studies · 45 archers measuredStatus since 1979
- ReportedSlow breathing exercises improve the score1 study · 36 archers measuredStatus since 2025
- ReportedSpecific drills combined with imagery reduce target panic symptoms1 study · 12 archers measuredStatus since 2023
- ReportedTarget panic affects almost one competitive archer in two1 study · 155 archers measuredStatus since 2020
- ReportedThe arousal zone in which an archer shoots best changes with distance and with the competition format3 studies · 4 archers measuredStatus since 2007
- ReportedThe ideal level of arousal for shooting well differs from archer to archer10 studies · 96 archers measuredStatus since 2008
- ReportedThe longer an archer's brain stays in a frontally generated state while aiming, the lower the score1 study · 28 archers measuredStatus since 2022
- ReportedThe tension archers report does not build up over the course of a competition2 studies · 15 archers measuredStatus since 2026
- ReportedTraining slow breathing improves sustained attention3 studies · 36 archers measuredStatus since 2025
- ReportedUsing a foam roller before shooting shortens an archer's reaction times1 study · 12 archers measuredStatus since 2023
- ReportedUsing social media before competing does not worsen the score2 studies · 40 archers measuredStatus since 2026
- ReportedVisual acuity is not related to an archer's score1 study · 102 archers measuredStatus since 1986
- ReportedWheelchair archers report better quality of life and social integration from their sport, as much as athletes in other wheelchair sports1 study · 48 archers measuredStatus since 2025
- ReportedWhen aiming gets harder, only experienced archers lengthen the quiet eye1 study · 30 archers measuredStatus since 2017
- ReportedWhen watching an expert archer shoot, the brains of archers respond more than those of people who do not shoot1 study · 41 archers measuredStatus since 2011
- ReportedWith more years of competition, archers report more confidence, better concentration and fewer worries2 studies · 226 archers measuredStatus since 2015
- ReportedWith ordinary training alone, a Paralympic archer's sense of time gets worse over the course of the preparation1 study · 20 archers measuredStatus since 2023
- ReportedYoga improves young archers' attention4 studies · 171 archers measuredStatus since 2025
- ContestedA flotation-tank session before shooting lowers forearm tension during the shot1 study · 20 archers measuredStatus since 1999
- ContestedA lower heart rate at the moment of the shot improves the score22 studies · 347 archers measuredStatus since 1994
- ContestedA mindfulness programme improves an archer's attentional control7 studies · 173 archers measuredStatus since 2021
- ContestedA relaxation programme lowers an archer's resting arousal1 study · 13 archers measuredStatus since 2014
- ContestedAfter a good end it is easier to shoot another good one3 studies · 3,648 archers measuredStatus since 2024
- ContestedAn archer's heart slows down in the seconds before the release8 studies · 84 archers measuredStatus since 1990
- ContestedArchers more concerned with how others see them choke more often in competition2 studies · 270 archers measuredStatus since 2020
- ContestedArchers who choke, and those who get the yips, come out less conscientious1 study · 155 archers measuredStatus since 2020
- ContestedArchers who dwell on past mistakes shoot lower scores2 studies · 238 archers measuredStatus since 2018
- ContestedArchers who hold concentration better shoot higher scores10 studies · 390 archers measuredStatus since 2018
- ContestedAs the shot is learnt, it comes under less cortical control4 studies · 118 archers measuredStatus since 2014
- ContestedConcentration is the mental skill archers are weakest at3 studies · 59 archers measuredStatus since 2020
- ContestedExperienced archers judge space more accurately than people who do not shoot2 studies · 79 archers measuredStatus since 2016
- ContestedHeart rate variability shows how tense an archer is in competition5 studies · 55 archers measuredStatus since 2025
- ContestedHigh-level archers mention breathing and imagery among the last of their shooting strategies3 studies · 273 archers measuredStatus since 1998
- ContestedHigher-level archers distribute their attention better9 studies · 312 archers measuredStatus since 2015
- ContestedImagery practice improves the score15 studies · 498 archers measuredStatus since 1991
- ContestedMale and female archers have different mental profiles11 studies · 916 archers measuredStatus since 2017
- ContestedMental skills training improves the score26 studies · 855 archers measuredStatus since 2011
- ContestedMental training lowers an archer's pre-competition anxiety17 studies · 267 archers measuredStatus since 2008
- ContestedMore anxious archers shoot lower scores in competition25 studies · 1,299 archers measuredStatus since 2015
- ContestedOn competition day an archer arrives more anxious than in training3 studies · 214 archers measuredStatus since 2025
- ContestedOn the best arrows, parasympathetic activity during the aim is higher5 studies · 65 archers measuredStatus since 2011
- ContestedOne study found that, in beginners, learning a growth mindset does not go hand in hand with better scores1 study · 50 archers measuredStatus since 2018
- ContestedPractising archery improves attention and concentration15 studies · 630 archers measuredStatus since 2020
- ContestedShort sport psychology questionnaires do not tell archers apart4 studies · 421 archers measuredStatus since 2015
- ContestedThe brain's electrical activity during the aim differs before the best arrows12 studies · 156 archers measuredStatus since 2010
- ContestedThe brain's response to the clicker is larger on the arrows that land near the centre1 study · 15 archers measuredStatus since 2021
- ContestedThose who have had the yips report more social anxiety and a stronger need to hide their flaws1 study · 155 archers measuredStatus since 2020
- ContestedTraining at the longer distances improves concentration more than ordinary training1 study · 40 archers measuredStatus since 2024
- ContestedWhen imagining the shot, an elite archer's brain recruits fewer areas than a non-archer's2 studies · 76 archers measuredStatus since 2014
- TransferredAfter weeks of mental training the body reacts less when the competition is imagined1 studyStatus since 2023
- TransferredAn archer's eye and hand dominance profile says something about their mental make-up2 studiesStatus since 2022
- TransferredBreathing at around six breaths a minute brings heart rate variability to its maximum4 studiesStatus since 2014
- TransferredImagery guided by virtual reality improves shooting more than video-guided imagery1 studyStatus since 2021
- TransferredOne study of elite shooters found that caffeine does not change pre-competition anxiety1 studyStatus since 2009
- TransferredShooting in virtual reality does not load the archer the way a real bow does1 studyStatus since 2024
- TransferredTo measure an archer's heart rate variability you need RMSSD, not the ratio between the bands3 studies · 18 archers measuredStatus since 2017
- ContradictedA bow that is too heavy for the archer encourages the yips1 study · 58 archers measuredStatus since 2021
- ContradictedComputer training that draws attention away from threats reduces an anxious archer's attention to threats1 study · 18 archers measuredStatus since 2015
- ContradictedEEG neurofeedback improves an archer's score2 studies · 24 archers measuredStatus since 2012
- ContradictedHeart rate variability biofeedback reduces the anxiety of people who have to perform2 studiesStatus since 2018
- ContradictedInstructional self-talk improves the score4 studies · 154 archers measuredStatus since 1986
- ContradictedMental training increases an archer's use of cognitive imagery, but not of motivational imagery4 studies · 96 archers measuredStatus since 2025
- ContradictedShooting at a blank bale cures target panic2 studies · 7 archers measuredStatus since 2019
- Not studiedAcute stress just before shooting changes an archer's score1 study · 22 archers measuredIn the registry since June 2026
- Not studiedAmong an archer's mental skills, performing at your best under pressure stands on its own1 study · 32 archers measuredIn the registry since February 2026
- Not studiedAn archer's competition anxiety does not change with age1 study · 156 archers measuredIn the registry since January 2026
- Not studiedAnxiety in female archers does not change during menstruation1 study · 10 archers measuredIn the registry since August 2026
- Not studiedArchers credit music with only a moderate effect on their motivation and performance1 study · 36 archers measuredIn the registry since February 2026
- Not studiedArchers more dependent on their smartphone shoot lower scores1 study · 30 archers measuredIn the registry since August 2026
- Not studiedArchers who set themselves more precise goals also report more drive to achieve1 study · 21 archers measuredIn the registry since July 2026
- Not studiedArchers who shoot better are more relaxed1 study · 30 archers measuredIn the registry since August 2026
- Not studiedArchers who win medals have greater mental toughness2 studies · 309 archers measuredIn the registry since June 2026
- Not studiedArchers with a stronger goal orientation score higher in competition2 studies · 122 archers measuredIn the registry since April 2026
- Not studiedArchers with greater body awareness have a longer quiet eye1 study · 18 archers measuredIn the registry since August 2026
- Not studiedBefore competing, an archer's anxiety varies with the distance shot1 study · 189 archers measuredIn the registry since June 2026
- Not studiedComputer-based perceptual-cognitive training improves the score1 study · 20 archers measuredIn the registry since August 2026
- Not studiedIn beginners, anxiety weighs on shooting only in those more prone to worry1 study · 39 archers measuredIn the registry since August 2026
- Not studiedIn competition, compound archers are less anxious than recurve archers1 study · 156 archers measuredIn the registry since May 2026
- Not studiedIn competition, national-team archers are no less anxious than other archers1 study · 156 archers measuredIn the registry since August 2026
- Not studiedIn youth clubs, about one archer in four comes out as poorly motivated to train3 studies · 67 archers measuredIn the registry since April 2026
- Not studiedThe more anxious an archer is before the shot, the faster they breathe1 study · 39 archers measuredIn the registry since April 2026
- Not studiedTraining at home with the coach following online lowers young archers' anxiety1 study · 32 archers measuredIn the registry since July 2026
- Not studiedTraining one mental skill also improves the others1 study · 45 archers measuredIn the registry since May 2026
- PredictedTarget panic arises when the release loses its automaticity6 studies · 46 archers measuredStatus since 2026
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