2.1 Information Processing

Question 1

Input stage of information processing

Answer 1

• uses the senses to pick up information from the sporting environment
• information from the environment = the display

Question 2

Senses

Answer 2

• five senses which are important in sport - used to collect information known as receptor systems:
  Sight, auditory, touch, balance, kinesthesis.
• internal senses called the proprioceptors e.g. touch, balance, kinsethesis
• external senses e.g. sight, hearing

Question 3

Decision making

Answer 3

• performer makes a decision based on all the information collected by the senses
• receives all the information from the 5 senses and has to sort through them.
• separating the relevant information from the irrelevant information = selective attention

Question 4

Developing Selective attention

Answer 4

• automatic in top performers
• if the stimulus is more intense, loud or bright - develops the art of concentration.
• learn to ignore the irrelevant information by training with distractions in a realistic enviroment
• improved motivation and the application of mental practise

Question 5

Benefits of selective attention

Answer 5

• improve reaction time - begin the movements earlier
• increases the chance of making the right decisions
• concentrate on the more detailed aspects of the task
• can take the (smaller) more relevant information and pass it into the second stage of the memory model

Question 6

DCR

Answer 6

• perceptual stage of information processing involves 3 aspects of activity:
  Detection = performer picks up relevant information (input)
  Comparison = match the information identified to the information already in the memory
  Recognition = used information from the memory to identity a response = action

Question 7

Translatory mechanisms

Answer 7

• convert the information so that decisions can be be made.
• uses past experiences so that the information received can be linked with the experiences and sent to the memory systems
• actions are stored in the memory in the form of motor programmes
• pick out the appropriate motor programmes

Question 8

Output - effector mechanism and the muscular output and feedback

Answer 8

effector mechanism:
- network of nerves that is responsible for delivering decisions made during the perceptual process to the muscles to make the action
- the muscles will receive the information in the form of coded impulses - contract and responce begins

Feedback:
- information used during / after the response to aid movement correction.

Question 9

Whitings model - applied to tennis return

Answer 9

1. The environment- contains the information needed to perform
2. The display - information is available to the tennis player e.g. the court, crowd, opponent, initial flight of the ball.
3. Receptor systems - uses 5 senses to collect the information from the display e.g. sound of the ball
4. Perceptual mechanism - player detects information picked up by the receptors.
   Ensures it is filtered by selective attention
5. Translatory mechanisms - tennis player compare the relevant information to an action
6. Effector mechanism - sends the coded impulse to the muscles
7. Muscles pick up this impulse + begin to contract
8. Output and feedback