The next classification of skills is open and closed skills. This is a way of comparing how different skills can be and are used in different sports. A skill is determined to be open or closed depending on the environment and the immediate surroundings of the performer, such as weather, surface and opposition, and how it affects the skill. An open skill is defined as, “a skill that is performed where you cannot control what happens next,” (Beashel 2001) which means that the participant performs a skill but must take into account their opponents, own team members, the speed of the ball, the surface they are playing on and the weather. This makes the games that are played and the skills performed more uncertain. In contrast a closed skill is defined as, “a skill where we can control what happens next,” (Beashel 2001) which therefore means that the equipment is fixed and there are no external influences.
To perform a skill the information around the participant needs to be processed to select the correct skill. There are a number of different models that show these but the simplest ones are usually easier to understand.
INPUT DECISION MAKING OUTPUT
FEEDBACK (Anon, Internet).
To explain this model it is easier to breakdown the model into separate areas. Input is represented by a stimulus presented within the participant’s immediate surroundings. Some stimuli are clearer than others, for example a starters gun in a running race is a lot clearer to interpret than during a football game where there are more than one stimuli happening at once. The decision making section can be split into 3 further subcategories which are stimulus identification, response selection and response programming. Stimulus identification is recognising and identifying input from the immediate surroundings, this leads into response selection which is the decision on response and finally leads into response programming which is the organisation of response, which is generally subconscious. Output is the response produced as a result of information processing, which is not always successful. Feedback is the aesthetic, verbal and visual results from the skill that has been performed. Feedback is very useful as, “it directs the learner’s attention to the important aspect of movement co-ordination,” (Wulf 2007).
Reaction time indicates the speed and effectiveness of decision making. Reaction time is defined as, “the elapsed time between the presentation of a sensory stimulus and the subsequent behavioral response,” (anon, Internet). Decision making is defined as, “the leading to the selection of a course of action among ,” (Briggs 1962). Hicks Law states that the longer the reaction time is in correlation with the number of stimulus response alternatives. This indicates that the more stimuli there are the greater the decision making time is. Other factors can effect reaction time, these include age, sex, practice, fatigue, fasting and warnings of impending stimuli.
The experiment that was designed was intended to see how true Hicks Law is. To do this in the experiment it was decided that differing stimuli would be used to see if there was any difference in reaction time. The experiment is quite a simplistic one that has been designed to see how differing amounts of stimuli can affect decision making and reaction times. Within this experiment it was decided that 1 participant was required. The equipment needed was 10 x 1p’s, 10 x 2p’s and 5 x 5p’s and a stopwatch.
For this experiment it was decided that there would be two sets of identical amounts of coins, (10 x 1p, 10 x 2p and 5 x 5p) set out in straight lines on either side of the desk but in a random order (appendix 1). The testers will ask the participants to make a certain amount with the coins in front of their right hand, only using that hand. This would be repeated using different amounts for that hand five times. Then it would be switched over to the left hand and have different amounts. The two tests will be timed to see if there is any difference between the reaction times between either hand.
After this the participant would be asked to make the same amount with both hands at the same time, with no hesitation or delay for either hand. This would again be repeated five times and timed. This is testing whether or not there is any delay or slowed time in decision making with the participant using both hands compared to just one hand.
To further test Hicks Law of increasing stimuli in relation to increase of reaction times it was decided that for the final part of the experiment that differing amounts for each hand would be called at the same time. As before this will be repeated 5 times and timed to record how long it takes to make the amounts. This was done to see if by increasing the differing stimuli, such as having differing amounts for each hand, how the reaction times would occur.
This experiment was chosen as it was decided it fulfilled several categories to test decision making, reaction time, information processing and Hicks Law. This is so because with the experiment progressing into having different stimuli it therefore increases the amount of time it takes to process the information and have a correct output. This links into Hicks Law which states that the increase of stimuli means an increase in reaction time. This experiment tests people’s information processing abilities as it steadily increases the amount of stimuli and therefore is more challenging to the participant. It also tests reaction times as with the participants were introduced to more stimuli it can be compared, due to the recording of results, whether the more stimuli there is the longer the reaction time is to produce a correct output. All in all it was decided that this experiment covered these four main criteria.
References
Schmidt, R.A. (2004) Motor Learning and Performance, Human Kinetics pp 7 - 12
Honeybourne, J. Hill, M. and Moors, H. (2000) Advanced Physical Education and Sport for AS-level, Nelson Thornes
McMorris, T. (2004) Acquisition and Performance of Sports Skills, John Wiley and sons
Beashall, P. Sibson, A. and Taylor, J. (2001) The World of Sport Examined, Nelson Thornes
Anon, learningat.ke7.org.uk [Online], Available from [Accessed 28 October 2007]
Wulf, G. (2007) Attention and Motor Skill Learning, Human Kinetics pp 48
Anon, en.wikipedia.org [Online], Available from [Accessed 28 October 2007]
Briggs, I. (1962) Introduction to Type: A description of the theory and applications of the Myers-Briggs type indicator, Consulting Psychologists Press, Palo Alto Ca., 1962
