Information Processing Systems Some psychologists explain motor skill learning with a model that portrays the performer as a processor of information similar to a computer; this approach is known as the Information Processing system (Welford, 1976). The performer deals with information available from the environment, (input), continues to process it within 3 discrete stages and eventually produces a response, (output), (Schmidt & Wrisberg, 2008). This essay will examine the 3 stages of this model and discuss the potential for errors within the three stages for a team player (goalkeeper). During the first stage the performer’s task is to identify incoming information, (input) and this is referred to as the stimulus-identification stage (SI). Performers analyse the content of the environmental information using a variety of sensory systems such as vision, audition, touch, kinesthesis and smell and commit these to their short term (ST) memory. A goalkeeper therefore would assemble the components of this information such as moving objects, (ball, opponent) and speed and direction of moving object. In addition the goalkeeper identifies the relevant information from the irrelevant; this is particularly important where there may be additional sources of stimulus such as the noise of the crowd, or a distracting tactics by close up opponents. Too much attention processing of irrelevant information could lead to misjudgement of the timing of ball contact and could result in handling errors. This is particularly relevant to reaction time. Hick’s Law (1952) stated that reaction time was a direct result of how many stimulus responses were prevalent and that the relationship was linear. Using the information from the SI stage, the performer must now decide how to respond to it in the response-selection stage. For example a goalkeeper from corner kick might decide to catch a ball or punch a ball clear, and this could be based on the position of opponents and flight and speed of approaching ball. This stage depicts a translation between sensory inputs and a decision as to what response is required, a selection of available and appropriate movement programmes and an interaction between ST and LT memory systems. When the performer has chosen a response, they then must prepare an action; this is called the response-programming stage. In this stage various processes are thought to occur subconsciously: Retrieving motor programme from memory. Prepare muscles for required action. Orientate the sensory system for the action Following this process the action is executed and an output is produced, however the output a performer produces might not achieve the desired goal of the movement. There are a number of errors and factors that can occur at this stage could affect he output. Skill execution under duress may falter and unanticipated factors such as ball deflections and opponents impeding planned movements. There are some general factors that exist in the information processing of individuals that will differentiate performances and this centre on the skill level of the performer. If the performer is a novice they will be lacking in previous movement experiences, poor long term memory stores of what is required, and finally will have poor stimulus identification success in recognising the flight and speed of ball. In open skill performers and novices , an important strategy can be to find ways of the number of decreasing the number of SR choices, so that their information processing delay is as short as possible. One of the ways that this can be achieved is through teaching and coaching anticipation techniques and watching advanced performers. ummative Essay Assignment - Student – Z0906870 - 2 -