Acquisition and Performance of Sports Skills

Terry McMorris University of Chichester, UK

Preface xiii Acknowledgements xix About the Companion Website xxi 1 Skill, Ability and Performance 1 Learning objectives 1 Skill 2 Classification of skills 3 Ability 6 Genes 8 The ability-skill interaction 10 Summary 12 Theories of performance 12 Information processing theory 13 Ecological psychology theories 17 Conclusion 20 Summary 20 Skill 20 Ability 20 Ability-skill interaction 21 Information processing theory 21 Ecological psychology theories 22 Test your knowledge 22 Part one 22 Part two 24 Additional reading 24 2 Sensation and Perception of External Information 25 Learning objectives 25 Information processing theory, sensation and perception 26 Definition of Perception 27 Signal detection theory 28 Pattern recognition 30 Selective attention 33 Visual search 36 Quiet eye 37 Individual differences 37 Summary 39 Ecological psychology and perception 39 Criticisms of the ecological approach 43 Summary 43 Developmental factors 43 Vision 43 Audition 44 Perceptual development and the environment 44 Conclusion 44 Summary 45 Information processing theory and perception 45 Ecological psychology and perception 47 Developmental factors 47 Test your knowledge 48 Part one 48 Part two 50 Part three 51 Additional reading 51 3 Decision Making and Working Memory 53 Learning objectives 53 Decision making 54 Working memory and decision making 54 Dynamical systems theory and goal achievement 58 Child development 58 Piagetian theory 59 Mental space theory 60 Domain-specificity theories 60 Information processing theory and cognitive development 61 Ecological psychology theories of cognitive development 61 Summary 62 Ageing 65 Research findings and problems with research design 65 Conclusion 67 Summary 68 Information processing theory and decision making 68 Working memory and decision making 68 Functional brain regions and working memory 68 Dynamical systems theory and goal achievement 69 Developmental issues 69 Research 69 Test your knowledge 70 Part one 70 Part two 71 Part three 72 Additional reading 72 4 Reaction Time 73 Learning objectives 73 Reaction time, movement time and response time: definitions 74 Inter- and intraindividual differences 76 Hick-Hyman Law 77 Probability and choice reaction time 77 Psychological refractory period 78 Stimulus and response factors 79 Central executive tasks and reaction time 84 Arousal and reaction time 84 Development and reaction time 85 Ageing 85 Reaction time research findings as evidence for and against information processing theory 85 Summary 86 Test your knowledge 87 Part one 87 Part two 88 Part three 89 Additional reading 89 5 Anticipation 91 Learning objectives 91 Interceptive actions 92 Information processing theory and interceptive actions 92 Watching the object to be intercepted 93 Action systems theory and interceptive actions 94 Perceptual anticipation 95 Information processing theory and perceptual anticipation 95 Ecological psychology and perceptual anticipation 96 Development and anticipation 102 Summary 103 Information processing theory and interceptive actions 103 Action systems theory and interceptive actions 103 Watching the ball and interceptive actions 103 Information processing theory and perceptual anticipation 103 Ecological psychology and perceptual anticipation 103 Research paradigms in perceptual anticipation 104 Research results 104 Developmental factors 104 Test your knowledge 104 Part one 104 Part two 106 Part three 107 Additional reading 107 6 Motor Control 109 Learning objectives 109 Central nervous system-peripheral nervous system interaction 110 Types of feedback 113 Summary 119 Information processing theory and efferent organization 119 Motor programmes 120 Summary 123 Ecological psychology and motor control 123