Information Processing model Flashcards
Phases of information processing during skill performance
identification of stimuli/input
response identification/decision making
response/output
feedback
The information processing model
The information processing model is based on the central nervous system that controls the body. This model describes separate cognitive stages involving perception, decision-making and response execution to enable a performer’s decision-making to occur prior to any action.
Stage 1- identification of the stimuli/input
This stage involves the sensory mechanism detecting signals / cues in the environment (also known as the “display”).
Information is received from the environment via; Sight, Sound, Touch, Proprioception, Equilibrium.
The information is gathered from both internal and external sources.
Much of the information received is irrelevant to the performer and discarded.
High level performers are better at filtering irrelevant information
Relevant information is sent to the brain for further analysis and processing.
Response identification
The brain processes all the data received from the sensory system.
This stage involves 3 sequential processes;
Perceptual mechanism / stimulus detection
Decision making mechanism
Effector Mechanism /response selection
- Perceptual Mechanism / Stimulus Detection
The perceptual mechanism analyses and interprets the data received from the sensory mechanism. This process is also known as stimulus detection and is influenced by the following;
Ability to sence the organ-
The better the sense organs involved, the more likely it is that a cue will be detected.
Poor eyesight and hearing loss reduces the ability to detect cues.
Strength of the cue:
The more intense a cue is, the more likely it is to be detected e.g. a loud bang from a starters gun is more likely to be detected than a quiet bang.
Making a cue stand out from the environment makes it easier to detect – this is the reason why sight screens are used in cricket.
Noise:
Noise refers to any irrelevant cues in the environmentwhich can distract a players attention away from the relevant cues.
Noise does not just refer to audible distractions but any distracting factors in the environment.
Length of the cue:
The longer the cue is present in the environment, the more likely it is to be detected.
A fast bowler in cricket presents the cue (the ball) for only a short time to the batsman compared to a slow bowler.
Level of arousal
An optimal arousal level is necessary if all relevant cues are to be detected.
An over aroused performer can imagine signals that are not present
An under aroused performer can miss cues which are present.
Experience:
A more experienced performer can detect and analyses more cues in a shorter period of time.
Experienced players have better selective attention and focus only on relevant cues.
Decision Making Mechanism
After all relevant data has been interpreted and analyses, the performer then makes a decision as to what response to make.
The response selected is influenced by past experiences, knowledge and skill level of the performer.
A skillful player has more responses to select from, and the decision making process takes longer as the number of responses increases.
Effector Mechanism /response selection
The effector mechanism and central nervous system prepare to produce the response selected as a result of the decision making process. The requisite motor program is retrieved from long term memory.
Messages are sent via the neuromuscular system to the muscles and nerves which then create the specific movements required to produce the selected response.
Stage 2- response/output
This stage involves the neuromuscular system producing the movements required to produce the selected response.
The selected response is chosen by the individual and the muscles are prepared to perform the task
The complexity of the task determines the amount of time required for response programming
Simple skills have very fast response programming
Complex skills have more information to process and therefore the response of the muscles is much slower
This stage is the production of the action selected by the decision making process and is the “movement time” component of the total response time.
Stage 4: Feedback
The athlete receives feedback about the performance of the selected response.
The feedback can be internal, external intrinsic or external augmented.
Feedback provided during the performance (concurrent) can be used to help achieve the goal of the task immediately
A surfer who feels themselves over balancing uses proprioceptive feedback to readjust their body position and maintain their balance
Feedback provided after the performance (terminal) is typically extrinsic augmented and provides information about either the quality of the performance (qualitative) or result (quantitative) of the movement
The athlete and coach might compare their just completed performance against the desired performance and use the information to improve deficient parts of their technique for future attempts.
