Sport science topic 5 test 2 Flashcards
Describe a simple model of
information processing
In response to input stimuli, the performer perceives the stimulus, and recounts by executing an appropriate output, after their brain goes through the decision making process. Feedback is then often given, so that the response can be altered to be made better if necessary
Outline the components associated with sensory output
Exteroceptors: Exteroceptors provide information about the external environment, like touch, pressure, temperature, light, sound, taste, smell etc. Sometimes receptors sensing light, sound and smell, which provide information about the distant environment, have been called telereceptors.
Introceptors:
Pass information from within the body’s internal organs such as the heart and lungs to the brain via the nervous system. This helps to regulate the various functions of the body and cater for the changing demands placed upon it. Kinaesthetic information or Proprioception (body awareness) - the inner sense within the muscles, tendons and joints, which gives automatic internal information about the position of joints and the tension in the muscles.
Proprioceptors: Proprioceptors provide information about the position and posture of our body in space. They sense stimuli from the muscles, tendons and the joints as well from the vestibular apparatus.
Explain the signal-detection process
Brain identifies that a stimulus is present. It often detects more stimuli than we are aware of. If we attend to that information even briefly, then it is passed further through the process
Perception is the process by which the brain interprets and makes sense of the information it is receiving from the sensory organs
Detection: identification of the stimulus
Comparison: gathered stimuli compared to memory stores
Recognition: the stimuli is matched to one stored in the memory
Distinguish between the characteristics of short-term sensory store, short-term memory and long-term memory
Short term sensory store, or sensory information store is the brain picking up on visual stimuli in tenths of seconds. The brain can pick up and understand the complete image in a quarter of a second and has an unlimited capacity of understanding sensory stimulation. Short term memory however, has a duration of seconds to minutes, but has a limited capacity of only 5-7 pieces of information that can be comprehended in the short term store. When retrieving from your short term memory, before information is transferred into the long term memory, the brain only receives direct access to interpretations of the information.
Discuss the relationship between selective attention and memory
and explain how it can be applied to a games player
Memory can be described as “the capacity that permits organisms to benefit from their past experiences” (Tulving 1985). It is the skill of storing all previous occurrences in the long term memory of the brain where retrieval is permitted in future experiences. Selective attention however, is the type of memory where you can only focus on one thing (no multitasking) (Welford 1968) or on two things that require different area of the brain (Wickens 1980). Memory and selective attention play a role in the competitive play of sport, where performers must recall and retrieve knowledge from the long-term store of their memory, but utilize the skill of selective attention in order to only recall the memories vital for the skill and performance being done in the moment. Selective memory is used not only in sport, but in all parts of life as a human can not possibly pay attention to everything in a ocean of irrelevance and unimportance. In a touch game when performing an attacking line move for example, you may remember all of the training you have done on the skill and other variations of the move, but with the aid of selective attention, you recall and only think about where you have to go, in the position you are in and the situation you are in.
Compare different methods of memory improvement
Rehearsal: required to get information into LTM, and to increase the chances of being able to recall that information.
coding: information associated with images can be recalled better with the associations
brevity: it is easier to remember short and specific details rather than long and vague information
clarity: if the information is clear and understood, it will be easier to remember
chunking: To some degree we do this automatically. It is literally a case of chunking several pieces of information into one meaningful chunk, which takes up less space in STM
organization: if the information is in a clear and logical format it makes it easier for recall
association: semantic understanding increases recall
practice: same with rehearsal
Define the term response time
Response time = reaction time + movement time
Outline factors that determine response time
Anticipation – reduce the time they take to respond to a stimulus
Attention to preliminary movement
Develop good signal detection (DCR process): cue and relevant cues
Decision making
Change in attention focus – selective attention
Control anxiety
Creating optimum levels of motivation
Practice at a quicker pace
Warm up
Mental rehearsal – visually in mind
Describe a motor programme
A set of movements stored as a whole in the memory regardless of whether feedback is available or not
A motor program is a set of movements that that is stored in the memory and can be reproduced to create movements. Motor programs contain subroutines, which breakdown the actions required in a sport.
Compare motor programmes from both open and closed loop perspectives
Open Loop Theory
This theory states the following:
Decisions are made in the brain
Information for one movement is sent in a single message
The muscles receive the message, where they then perform the movement.
Feedback may or may not be available but it doesn’t control the action
This theory accounts well for fast continuous movements (e.g. a golf swing), although it does not work so well for slower movements which may involve reactions and repositioning (such as a gymnast on the balance beam).
Closed Loop Theory
On the other hand, this theory explains slow movements well but not fast movements.
Decisions are made in the brain
Information is sent to at different times
Information is received by the muscles to initiate the movement
Feedback is always available and is necessary for correction of movement patterns and to adjust to changing needs.
Closed loop theory only works when the skill is done enough times by the performer, so that their muscle memory of the skill can be stored in the memory trace. When the performer detects an error, they use the perceptual trace, which is an immediate detection of the movement stored in the short term memory, and compare it to their memory trace. The differences between the two are then augmented and the perceptual trace is changed to match the memory trace and improve performance.
Outline the role of feedback in information processing models
intrinsic (self given) and extrinsic (given by others eg. coach)
knowledge of results (was there a goal or was it a miss) and knowledge of performance (correct technique, improper technique)
positive (encouragement) and negative (un-constructive)
concurrent (during the task itself) and terminal (after task completion)
Outline the role of feedback with the learning process
-reinforcement of learning
-motivation
-adaptation of performance
-punishment
