Asian Journal of Sport and Exercise Psychology最新文献

Effective delivery of imagery training has been studied for some time. Recently, researchers have determined that, in some contexts, Progressive Imagery (PI), in which content is added to the imagery script in phases, can be more effective than Routine Imagery (RI), in which all the imagery content is presented in every session of an imagery program. However, most research to date consists of field studies, lacking ecological validity. We examined the efficacy of a PI program presented to highly-skilled basketball players in league competition across a whole season, using a Single-Case Design (SCD). Participants were five male players from Division 1 of the State Basketball League, who were pre-tested on the Sport Imagery Ability Measure (SIAM) to ensure they had at least moderate imagery ability. We monitored their Free-Throw Shooting (FTS) percentage in every league match of the whole season. The first 4 to 6 matches (Phase A) gave a stable baseline. Phase B, again lasting 4 to 6 matches, involved imagery that focused on static aspects of FTS movements. In Phase C (4 to 6 matches), more complex elements of FTS were added to imagery, including teammates and opponents on court. Phase D, lasting at least 4 matches, introduced imagery of a high-pressure context in which the FTS shot would decide the match. At the end of the season, each participant was interviewed about his experiences with imagery. We employed visual analysis and the split-middle technique to measure performance and self-efficacy. On these measures, all participants improved their FTS from baseline to Phase D, although two performed best in Phase C. Participants reported feeling comfortable with the changing phases, although one commented that he would have preferred the high-pressure imagery earlier, before he faced real high-pressure finals. We concluded that PI was an effective intervention among highly-skilled participants over a full competition season, while timing of high-pressure imagery should be tested prior to crucial season-ending matches.

Over the last three decades, a large amount of experimental research aimed at determining the optimal motor imagery practice guidelines, and provided a comprehensive overview of the main recommendations to develop effective interventions. Yet, the scientific literature paid little attention to transfer effects resulting from motor imagery practice. In the present paper, we examined whether performance gains following motor imagery were task-specific or likely to be transferred to partially distinct motor skills. Twenty-eight golf players of intermediate level were involved in a 12-weeks test-retest design, where swing and putting performances were measured. All participants were subjected to three 4-week imagery interventions (internal visual imagery, external visual imagery and kinesthetic imagery), which were contrasted to a control pre-test measure. During each imagery intervention, they were requested to imagine only the swing shot. All imagery interventions contributed to enhance swing performance, and gains largely transferred to the putting performance in spite of a complete absence of training. A slight superiority of external visual imagery was observed for both shots. Interestingly, individual motor imagery ability scores predicted performance gains under the corresponding motor imagery training condition. Taken together, present findings support transfer effects of motor imagery interventions. Practically, this effect should be considered to achieve optimally effective interventions to enhance performance in relation to individual motor imagery ability profiles.

Self-regulation of learning (SRL) in sports has received much attention from sport sciences researchers. Zimmerman's theory of SRL is frequently used in sport psychology, which, in turn, is derived from the social cognitive theory of self-regulation developed by Bandura. Despite all the contributions to the domain of expertise in general, and sport in particular, this approach has limitations for the understanding and evaluation of SRL in sport performance. Alternatively, we discuss an ecological dynamics perspective of SRL, emphasizing the transactional relationship established between performers and environment as an alternative to attribute to metacognition the explanation for goal directed behaviour, as they self-regulate their performance behaviours. We also discuss methodological consequences for capturing SRL in sport performance guided by an ecological dynamics framework.

In the twenty-first century the Physical Education (PE) landscape is ever changing, with students being immersed increasingly in technologically driven learning environments. Therefore, there is a need to understand how Information and Communication Technology (ICT) are impacting learning opportunities. Specifically, how pedagogical practices could benefit from the development of ICT. This study investigated the effect of using ICT in PE when it is accompanied by a pedagogical innovation to promote students’ motivation. Thirty participants from 5 different indoor climbing PE classes were involved. Three experimental conditions were used: (1) Control, a regular climbing lesson, where traditional climbing holds are used, (2) Placebo climbing lesson, where participants climbed on an instrumented climbing wall with electronic climbing holds but the content of the lesson was similar to the regular condition, and (3) Nonlinear Pedagogy climbing lesson, where participants also climbed on the instrumented wall but with technology used in this context to implement innovative tasks routed on Nonlinear Pedagogy concepts (i.e., fostering motor exploration). Participants were involved in all three conditions and at the end of each condition, and they completed a survey set on their experiences in the climbing lessons. Compared to the control and placebo conditions, external regulation and tension scores were significantly lower and enjoyment scores were significantly higher during the Nonlinear Pedagogy climbing lesson. These results indicated that when integrated with a clear pedagogical purpose, ICT could positively impact learners.

Drowning has been identified as the cause of over 2.5 million preventable deaths globally in the past decade. Lower- and middle-income countries in Asia have recorded the highest numbers of drowning worldwide and children seem particularly vulnerable. Drowning is a complex phenomenon informed by multiple interacting factors, and the majority of deaths occur in natural environments such as ponds, ditches, rivers and oceans. Any potential drowning prevention strategy should acknowledge the important relationships that are created between individuals and their environment in water safety education. In this article, we share how the ecological dynamics theoretical perspective can help inform our understanding of drowning prevention. First, we review recent drowning prevention recommendations provided by the World Health Organization (WHO). Next, we discuss how well WHO's recommendations align with the principles of ecological dynamics. It is acknowledged that in many Asian countries, there are considerable challenges to delivering WHO's drowning prevention interventions. Teaching children basic swimming, water safety and self-rescue skills remains the most practical means to prevent drowning. The relevant scale of analysis for understanding behaviour is the individual-environment relationship. Specifically, the relative fit between these components may dictate how well water safety skills are learnt. Considerations such as installing barriers and adequate supervision around water can be scaffolded alongside an understanding of affordances in the context of water safety. We conclude that water safety education informed by an ecological dynamics approach is an effective partnership to help tackle the drowning pandemic.

Ideas and concepts taken from ecological dynamics might provide an alternative perspective on physical literacy assessment. The aim of this paper was to pilot an assessment of physical literacy conceptualised in an ecological dynamics theoretical rationale. The assessment that was designed has a number of unique features: its scale of analysis is captured at an individual-environment interaction level during game play and it captures key affordances that a child is attuning to and how they are functionally playing the game. Data collection involved observing primary school children playing invasion games in physical education classes. Digital, video-based tagging (Dartfish Pro) of children's behaviours using the emergent game-based assessment tool was completed. Pilot data provided insights on the potential rich interpretations possible, such as readily differentiating between low and high physical literacy learners’ behaviours when playing small-sided games. Greater knowledge of the performance environment was observed in children with higher physical literacy, noted through a greater capacity to favourably regulate their relative positioning between competing and cooperating players, adopting more varied offensive functionality, and exhibiting greater attunement to key affordances. Better understanding children's knowledge of the environment during games play, provides practitioners novel insight into how physical literacy reveals itself through embedded actions. This appreciation can help inform practice more holistically, contributing to richer learning environments and task design.

For practitioners working in high performance sport, the primary goal is to ensure that precious preparation time is utilised efficiently, effectively and resourcefully to provide maximal impact on the performance potential of the individual or team. To achieve this goal, there is a need to treat athlete learning and development as an integral part of performing with a key focus on increasingly aligning the relation between the perfomer(s) and their environment, which may differ according to practice and performance (Button et al., 2020b). This article critiqued the weaknesses and limitations of traditional learning approaches in sport, seeking to highlight instead the value of adopting a contemporary ecological dynamics perspective, informing how practitioners should design practice to support a greater connectivity between the contexts of performance and learning.

The specificity and generality of practice effects are central issues in motor learning, retention and transfer. The current study implemented the piecewise linear map model to analyze practice effects on five different target time conditions in discrete timing tasks. Five individualized target times were constructed and tested for eighteen adult healthy participants. After the pre-test, all participants practiced the mid-fast condition for 7 sessions before the post-test and the one-week retention-test were performed. In addition to the stochastic and deterministic model parameters, the success rates and ratios of absolute errors to the target windows were analyzed for the task performance. The results showed the general performance improvements as well as reduction of the noise amplitudes in the stochastic component of the map model for the mid-fast, median, mid-slow, and slow conditions but not the fast condition. The decreased absolute value of the trial-to-trial slopes that indicated a more efficient target time adjustment was only observed for the mid-fast condition. The practice effects of generality and specificity in performing sequential timing tasks were revealed in the stochastic and deterministic components of the piecewise linear map model.

Sport science has increasingly witnessed use of contemporary ecological approaches to athlete development, preparation, and skill acquisition, providing alternatives to traditional pedagogical approaches. Here we examine an ecological perspective on transferring theory into coaching practice for athlete self-regulation and performance preparation, by presenting the case example of one lead coach and three athletes representing Team GB in the sport of Canoe Slalom at the 2020 Olympics in Tokyo. The aims of this case exemplar are: (1) to offer insights into how an ecological dynamics rationale supported integration of nonlinear pedagogy and (skill) training periodisation, underpinning athlete preparation for world class Canoe Slalom competition; and (2), to provide a first-hand perspective on transfer of theory to support self-regulation, skill learning, and performance preparation in high-performance sport. In the case example, the ‘Periodisation of Skill Training’ framework (i.e., termed ‘PoST’ framework) for venue specific preparation at the Tokyo Olympics was applied and adapted. Principles of co-design, the Constraints-Led Approach, perception-action coupling and representative learning design were embedded within collaborative application of the framework across a support team including athlete, coach and psychologist. To conclude, facilitating athlete self-regulation is highlighted in practical exemplars to support paddlers to cope with the dynamic environments in canoe slalom.