THE INFLUENCE OF TABLE TENNIS ON THE MENTAL ACTIVITY OF HIGHER EDUCATION ACQUISITIONS

Abstract

The goal is to investigate the influence of table tennis, as a means of physical activity, on the mental activity of students of higher education. In the materials, the use of the base of the NUVHP sports complex is defined m. Rivne. 20 higher education students of the table tennis section of the preparatory group of NUWEE took part in the study. Rivne – the main group (OG) and 18 higher education graduates of the Department of Medical and Biological Basics of Physical Education of the VDPU named after M. Kotsyubinsky, who were engaged in health fitness – the control group (CG). The following research methods were used: analysis of scientific and methodological literature, the Stroop test, the Landolt correction test method, and the method of mathematical statistics. The obtained results indicate that physical exercises associated with playing table tennis contribute to the improvement of cognitive functions. Analysis of the results of tests of the adapted Stroop test in OG applicants showed improvement in all categories, which indicates a general increase in cognitive flexibility and speed of information processing (according to the Student criterion: simple instructions – t-statistic = 12,63, p-value = 1,09 x 10⁻¹; complicated instructions – t-statistic = 12,80, p-value = 8,70 x 10⁻¹¹; additional incentives – t-statistic = 11,61, p-value = 4,52 x 10⁻¹). The results of the calculation of the Student’s criterion (t-test) for the test “Correction test with Landolt rings” of the applicants from OG were: t-statistic = 13,60, p-value = 3,03 x 10⁻¹¹. The results of the calculation of the Student’s criterion (t-test) in the Stroop test for CG candidates of the Department of Medical and Biological Basics were: t-statistic = 9,74, p-value = 2,26 x 10⁻; in the test “Correction test with Landolt’s rings” the t-statistic is 49,85, the p-value is 7,16 x 10⁻². Conclusions. Physiological mechanisms associated with playing table tennis help improve cognitive functions, reduce stress levels and maintain high mental performance. Table tennis is one of the exciting forms of safe activity with a variety of movement content. OG-takers showed consistent improvement in tests of cognitive ability, especially in response speed. CG VDPU students had an improvement in the Stroop test, which may indicate the development of their cognitive flexibility. In both groups, the corrective test showed positive dynamics, but the OG students showed better results, which is probably explained by the specifics of their sports activities.