Anticipation in squash: differences in advance cue utilization between expert and novice players

The time of occurrence and spatial location of the advance cues used to anticipate the direction and force of an opponent's stroke in squash were examined using a film task. This task, designed to stimulate the normal perceptual display of the defensive player, consisted of two discrete parts, each containing 160 individual stroke sequences (trials). In the first part of the film task, the display was occluded at different time intervals throughout the development of the opponent's stroke and the 16 expert and 20 novice subjects had to predict both the direction (down-wall or cross-court) and force (drive or drop shot) of the opponent's stroke. In the second part of the film task, visibility to selected advance cues was occluded by placing opaque mats on the film surface. Across all of the film task conditions experts were superior to novices in predicting the event outcome from the information available, highlighting the important contribution anticipatory skills make to expert performance in this sport. Analysis of lateral (direction) error showed that the most critical time periods for extracting information about stroke direction are the periods between 160-80 ms prior to racket-ball contact and the period of extended ball flight arising at least 80 ms after contact. Whereas both groups were attuned to this ball flight information, only the experts were capable of picking up information from the early part of the opponent's actions. This early information appeared to be provided by the opposing player's arm action. Similar time periods were found to be also important for the prediction of stroke depth, but in this case both experts and novices were similar in their cue dependence.     

Recent Developments in Measurement and Possible Applications to the Measurement of Psychomotor Behavior: A Response

Abstract

The possible utilization of item response theory (IRT) and adaptive testing in psychomotor situations leads to a number of interesting suppositions. The question of test validity is crucial and the application of those procedures could help enhance the quality and generalizability of research results.

Examination of the results of several previous studies indicates that adaptive testing may be easily applied in a number of psychomotor problems. The application of IRT will depend upon the type of model chosen. Various models are considered from a heuristic standpoint with the binomial model being the most logically suitable approach. The continuous response model needs to be examined more thoroughly.

The combination of selected IRT models with other approaches such as sequential probability testing and trials-to-criterion testing was discussed. The use of validity generalization was suggested. It was concluded that in order for approaches of this type to be feasible, researchers needed to construct more scientifically rigorous theories.     

竞技与体育的差别--读科克利的《社会上的竞技:问题与争论》

通过研读美国社会学家科克利著作《社会上的竞技：问题与争议》（英文第8版）内容，理会到它是对美国社会上的竞技（sports）组织结构问题的社会学剖析，从中可以看出他讲的是竞技（spors），使我们能正确地认诅美国的竞技和竞技社会问题以及能从新的角度理解竞技（sports）与体育（PE）之间的差别。