Chess Players Are Special - Scientific Proof

     In September of 2021 Science Direct had an article titled "Ability and non-ability traits in chess skill" which you can read HERE. 

The highlights of the article are: 

* Amateur chess players scored higher in expressive suppression than the general population. Expressive suppression is a response-focused emotion regulation strategy. This strategy involves an individual voluntarily suppressing their outward emotional expressions. Read more 

* Amateur chess players scored lower in neuroticism than the general population. Neuroticism is the trait disposition to experience negative affects, including anger, anxiety, self‐consciousness, irritability, emotional instability and depression. Read more 

* Domain knowledge was a stronger predictor of chess skill than personality. Domain knowledge is knowledge of a specific, specialized discipline or field, in contrast to general (or domain-independent) knowledge. Read more 

* Extraversion and expressive suppression seem also important for chess performance. Extraversion is defined by the general tendency to experience positive emotions, as well as by traits such as sociable, lively, and active. Read more 

* Expressive suppression is an emotion regulation strategy that consists of top-down, conscious control of reflexive behavioral expression of emotion (e.g., stifling laughter or crying, or maintaining a neutral facial expression to hide emotion. Read more