Dominant factors of cognitive activity in sports radio direction finding

The purpose of the study is to identify the dominant factors of cognitive activity in sports radio direction finding at various stages of long-term training. Research methods and organization. To achieve the set goal, a pedagogical experiment was conducted in November 2024, involving athletes who are members of the Russian Federation's youth national team in sport radio direction finding. A total of 58 athletes from various age groups participated in the experiment. As part of the study, athletes were tested using the Ottawa Mental Skills Assessment, and a factor analysis was conducted based on the results using the principal component analysis method. Research results and conclusions. As a result of the conducted research, it was established that for boys aged 13–14, the dominant factor in cognitive activity is the 'factor of goal-oriented self-regulation and perseverance'; for boys aged 15–16, it is the 'factor of purposeful self-regulation'; and for juniors aged 17–19, it is the 'factor of psychological stability.' Identifying the dominant cognitive factors at each stage of long-term training in sports radiolocation is a necessary condition for optimizing the psychological training system and, in general, for enhancing the effectiveness of the training process.