Think Aloud Research in Sport and Exercise Psychology: A Focused Mapping Review and Synthesis

Use of Ericsson and Simon (1980, 1993) think aloud (TA) method within sport and exercise psychology research has increased in recent years. The purpose of this review was to map current research that has used the TA method with athletes and exercisers by synthesizing published literature that has adopted the TA method to investigate athlete or exerciser cognitions during task performance. Seven electronic databases were searched three times, with a final search conducted in April 2023. Thirty-six studies satisfying the eligibility criteria were included. Several methodological issues were identified including misunderstandings about the nature of the TA method, leading to the use of methods different from and sometimes antithetical to those proposed by Ericsson and Simon (1980, 1993). Other issues identified concerned participant samples, TA training, ecological validity of tasks, and defining the standard of participants. Theoretical misconceptions, methodological considerations, and recommendations for future research using the TA method to generate understanding of participant cognitions during task performance in sport and exercise are discussed. This review documents the extent and nature of the use of the TA method within sport and exercise psychology research and can guide researchers seeking to conduct high-quality research involving the TA method in future.