Comparison of Working Memory and Problem-Solving Skill in Chess Players Participated in Iranian Open Chess Championships and Non-Chess Players

Mousavi, Seyyedeh Farzaneh; Rahmani, Ahmad; Salehi, Javad

doi:10.22034/ijmbsp.2024.437667.1092

Comparison of Working Memory and Problem-Solving Skill in Chess Players Participated in Iranian Open Chess Championships and Non-Chess Players

10.22034/ijmbsp.2024.437667.1092

Volume 4, Issue 4
Autumn 2024

Pages 1-8

Iranian Journal of Motor Behavior and Sport Psychology

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

Seyyedeh Farzaneh Mousavi ¹

Ahmad Rahmani ²

Javad Salehi ³

¹ Department of Sport Sciences, Azad University of Karaj

² Department of Sport Sciences, Faculty of Humanities, University of Zanjan, Zanjan. Iran

³ Department of Psychology, Faculty of Humanities, University of Zanjan, Zanjan, Iran

Abstract

Chess involve important cognitive aspects such as attention, memory and problem-solving. It’s believed that expert chess players have elevated working memory and problem-solving abilities. However, there are inconsistent results in this domain. So, the purpose of the current study was the comparison of working memory and problem-solving skill between chess players and non-chess players. Male and female participants in Iranian open chess championships (age 15-65 years) with more than five years of playing experience (n=50) and non-chess players (n=50) were selected using convenience sampling. Subjects working memory (phonological loop) was tested on Daneman and Carpenter reading task; and problem-solving skill were measured using Tower of Hanoi task. Data were analyzed by MANOVA test. There was no significant difference in working memory (accumulative and processing, p=0.82) between chess players and non-players. However, chess players had better skill in problem-solving than another group (p=0.043). It seems that phonological loop of working memory is not effective variable in chess; In contrast, problem-solving skill can be considered as a success factor in chess.

Keywords

accumulative and processing working memory

problem-solving skill

Tower of Hanoi

Subjects