Acquisition and Performance of Sports Skills

Terry McMorris University of Chichester, UK

• Preface xiiiAcknowledgements xixAbout the Companion Website xxi1 Skill, Ability and Performance 1Learning objectives 1Skill 2Classification of skills 3Ability 6Genes 8The ability–skill interaction 10Summary 12Theories of performance 12Information processing theory 13Ecological psychology theories 17Conclusion 20Summary 20Skill 20Ability 20Ability-skill interaction 21Information processing theory 21Ecological psychology theories 22Test your knowledge 22Part one 22Part two 24Additional reading 242 Sensation and Perception of External Information 25Learning objectives 25Information processing theory, sensation and perception 26Definition of Perception 27Signal detection theory 28Pattern recognition 30Selective attention 33Visual search 36Quiet eye 37Individual differences 37Summary 39Ecological psychology and perception 39Criticisms of the ecological approach 43Summary 43Developmental factors 43Vision 43Audition 44Perceptual development and the environment 44Conclusion 44Summary 45Information processing theory and perception 45Ecological psychology and perception 47Developmental factors 47Test your knowledge 48Part one 48Part two 50Part three 51Additional reading 513 Decision Making and Working Memory 53Learning objectives 53Decision making 54Working memory and decision making 54Dynamical systems theory and goal achievement 58Child development 58Piagetian theory 59Mental space theory 60Domain-specificity theories 60Information processing theory and cognitive development 61Ecological psychology theories of cognitive development 61Summary 62Ageing 65Research findings and problems with research design 65Conclusion 67Summary 68Information processing theory and decision making 68Working memory and decision making 68Functional brain regions and working memory 68Dynamical systems theory and goal achievement 69Developmental issues 69Research 69Test your knowledge 70Part one 70Part two 71Part three 72Additional reading 724 Reaction Time 73Learning objectives 73Reaction time, movement time and response time: definitions 74Inter- and intraindividual differences 76Hick–Hyman Law 77Probability and choice reaction time 77Psychological refractory period 78Stimulus and response factors 79Central executive tasks and reaction time 84Arousal and reaction time 84Development and reaction time 85Ageing 85Reaction time research findings as evidence for and against information processing theory 85Summary 86Test your knowledge 87Part one 87Part two 88Part three 89Additional reading 895 Anticipation 91Learning objectives 91Interceptive actions 92Information processing theory and interceptive actions 92Watching the object to be intercepted 93Action systems theory and interceptive actions 94Perceptual anticipation 95Information processing theory and perceptual anticipation 95Ecological psychology and perceptual anticipation 96Development and anticipation 102Summary 103Information processing theory and interceptive actions 103Action systems theory and interceptive actions 103Watching the ball and interceptive actions 103Information processing theory and perceptual anticipation 103Ecological psychology and perceptual anticipation 103Research paradigms in perceptual anticipation 104Research results 104Developmental factors 104Test your knowledge 104Part one 104Part two 106Part three 107Additional reading 1076 Motor Control 109Learning objectives 109Central nervous system–peripheral nervous system interaction 110Types of feedback 113Summary 119Information processing theory and efferent organization 119Motor programmes 120Summary 123Ecological psychology and motor control 123Visual guidance of movement 125Summary 126Development and motor control 127Neurological and physiological growth 127Adolescence 128Ageing 129Theories of motor development 129Ecological psychology and motor development 130Motor performance 131Ageing 132Practical implications 132Mini-games 133Conditioned games 133Gender issues 134Physical stress during performance 134Summary 135Brain and motor control 135Proprioception 135Motor programmes 135Ecological psychology and motor control 135Developmental issues 136Theories of motor development 136Motor performance 136Test your knowledge 137Part one 137Part two 138Additional reading 1397 Memory 141Learning objectives 141Information processing theory and short-term memory 142Sensory information store 142Short-term memory 142Forgetting in short-term memory 143Short-term motor memory 144Information processing theory and long-term memory 147Long-term motor memory 147Declarative long-term memory 148Non-declarative long-term memory 148Regional brain functions and memory 149Development and short-term and long-term memory 150Ecological psychology and attunement to affordances 151Summary 152Sensory information store 152Short-term memory 152Short-term motor memory 152Long-term memory 153Long-term motor memory 153Declarative memory 153Non-declarative memory 153Regional brain functions 153Development 153Ecological psychology and attunement to affordances 154Test your knowledge 154Part one 154Part two 155Additional reading 1568 Learning I: Types, theories, styles and measurement 157Learning objectives 157Types of learning 158Explicit learning 158Implicit learning 159Mental rehearsal 163Cognitive theories of learning 163Fitts and Posner’s three stage theory 164Gentile’s model of learning 164Adams’ closed loop theory of learning 165Schmidt’s schema theory 166Anderson’s adaptive control of thought (ACT*) theory 167Observational learning theory 168Dynamical systems theory and learning 168Learning and coaching/teaching styles 170Learning styles 171Coaching/teaching styles 172Optimal periods of learning 176Measuring learning 176Types of tests used to infer learning 179Summary 182Cognitive theories of learning 182Dynamical systems theory and learning 183Learning styles 183Coaching/teaching styles 183Practical implications 184Measurement 184Test your knowledge 184Part one 184Part two 185Part three 186Additional reading 1879 Learning II: Instruction, Practice, Transfer of Training and Feedback 189Learning objectives 189Instruction 190Analogy as a form of instruction 191Focus of attention 191Demonstration 192Mirror neurons 193Practice 193Types of practice 193Variability of practice 198Contextual interference 199Dynamical systems theory and practice 200Transfer of training 201Transfer theories 202Bilateral transfer 204Feedback 205Observation 205Timing and precision of feedback 208Summary 213Feedback formats 213Practical implications 214Deciding on session content 215Deciding on the type of instruction 216Practice, observation and feedback 217Observation 218Feedback 219Summary 221Instruction and demonstration 221Practice 221Deliberate practice 221Variability of practice 221Contextual interference 221Dynamical systems theory and practice 222Transfer of training 222Feedback 223Practical implications 223Test your knowledge 224Part one 224Part two 226Part three 227Part four 228Additional reading 22810 Motivation, Arousal, and Learning and Performance 229Learning objectives 229Motivation 229Motivational theories 230Self-determination theory 230Achievement motivation theory 231Achievement goal theory 232Summary 233Practical implications 233Developmental issues 234Arousal and performance 235Arousal-performance theories 235Regional brain functions and arousal 240Practical implications 241High levels of arousal 243Summary 247Motivation 247Arousal 248Theories of arousal-performance interaction 248Regional brain functions and arousal 249Practical implications 249Test your knowledge 250Part one 250Part two 251Part three 252Additional reading 25211 Conclusion 253State of the art 253Skill 253Abilities 254Perception 254Decision making 255Reaction time 255Anticipation 255Motor control 255Memory 255Learning 256Practice 256Arousal and performance 256Information processing theory versus ecological psychology theories 256Neuroscientific input 258Appendix 1: Writing an Academic Paper 259Version one 259Version two 260Appendix 2: Test Your Knowledge Answers 263Chapter 1 263Part one 263Part two 263Chapter 2 263Part one 263Part two 264Part three 264Chapter 3 265Part one 265Part two 265Part three 266Chapter 4 266Part one 266Part two 267Part three 267Chapter 5 268Part one 268Part two 268Part three 269Chapter 6 270Part one 270Part two 271Chapter 7 272Part one 272Part two 272Chapter 8 272Part one 272Part two 272Part three 273Chapter 9 273Part one 273Part two 273Part three 274Part four 274Chapter 10 275Part one 275Part two 276Part three 276Appendix 3: Calculating variable error 277References 279Index 291