Information Processing - Whitings Model

Question 1

What is information processing?

Answer 1

• The process of taking account of sporting environment and making decisions prior to the execution of the skill

Question 2

First stage of decision making: Input

Answer 2

• Environment/display - pitch conditions / opponents / teammates / crowd / audience
• Sensory organs/receptor systems - sight / hearing / kinaesthesis / touch / balance
• Detection part of DCR

Question 3

Second stage of decision making: decision making

Answer 3

• Perceptual mechanisms
  -> includes DCR process
  -> selective attention
• Translatory mechanisms

Question 4

Third stage of decision making: output

Answer 4

• Effector mechanisms
• Muscular systmes
• Output data
• Feedback data

Question 5

What is the environment/display

Answer 5

• performer uses senses to pick up info from sporting environment

Question 6

What are the sensory organs/receptor systems

Answer 6

• info picked up by display using senses of sight / hearing / touch / kinaesthesis / balance

Question 7

What are the perceptual mechanisms?

Answer 7

• DCR: involves detection, comparison and recognition
• detection: pick up relevant info
• comparison: match info as important to info already in memory
• recognition: use info from memory to help identify appropriate response
• selective attention - filtering relevant info from irrelevant info

Question 8

What are the translatory mechanisms?

Answer 8

• adapting/comparing coded info to memory so decisions can be made

Question 9

What are effector mechanisms?

Answer 9

• network of nerves that sends coded impulses to muscles so that those muscles can perform the action

Question 10

What are the muscular systems?

Answer 10

• muscles receive info in the form of coded impulses and once impulse is received, then muscles contract and response can begin

Question 11

What does output data involve?

Answer 11

• effector mechanisms
• muscular system

Question 12

What is feedback data?

Answer 12

• info used during/after response to aid movement correction

Question 13

How can you develop selective attention?

Answer 13

• practice: the more you respond to stimulus, the faster your reaction time
• concentrate: focus only on relevant info, make stimulus more intense/loud/bright
• improve physical fitness: fitter you are, the faster you respond
• warm up: prepared body and mind = improved RT
• optimal arousal levels
• detect cues early: use anticipation by studying opponents and their tactical calls

Question 14

Benefits of selective attention

Answer 14

• improved reaction time
• improved chances of making correct decisions
• concentrate on more detailed aspects of task
• prevents info overload whihc could affect arousal
• speeds up decision making
• helps working memory system

Question 15

Poor selective attention…

Answer 15

• A skill may break down at the input stage due to poor selective attention
• This will happen if:
  …there is too much information
  …performer is unable to focus
  …performer loses concentration
  …performer focuses on irrelevant information