Effects of Episodic Specificity Induction and Acute Exercise on Visual Search and Sustained Attention in DII College Athletes

Abstract Attentional control is essential for success in physically and cognitively demanding contexts, such as collegiate athletics, where both selective and sustained attention influence performance. While athletes often exhibit superior executive functioning compared to non-athletes, the mechanisms underlying these advantages remain under investigation. This study examined the effects of an episodic specificity induction (ESI) and acute moderate aerobic exercise on attentional processing in college athletes. ESI is a cognitive training technique that primes episodic memory. Fifty-seven collegiate athletes (ages 18–26) participated in a mixed-subjects factorial design. Each completed two of four possible conditions: ESI + Exercise, ESI + Rest, Control + Exercise, or Control + Rest. Conditions were randomly assigned and counterbalanced. Following each manipulation, participants completed a visual search task (selective attention) and a sustained attention to response task (SART-2). Data were analyzed using linear and logistic mixed-effects models. Moderate aerobic exercise significantly improved visual search performance (faster RTs). A three-way interaction revealed that the combination of ESI and exercise led to faster response times (RTs) under low distractor load but slower RTs under high load. On the SART-2, both ESI and exercise independently increased accuracy and reduced false alarms. The combination yielded the highest accuracy and lowest false alarm rates. ESI and moderate aerobic exercise were each associated with greater task efficiency (faster visual search RTs and high SART-2 accuracy), with distinct benefits based on attentional demands. These findings support integrating cognitive and physical training to improve attentional functioning in athletes.