Pattern Recognition and Anticipation Expertise in Soccer

The aim of the current programme of research was to gain a greater appreciation of the nature of information underpinning skilled pattern-recognition, and anticipation in the game of soccer. In Chapter 2, three experiments were undertaken to identify the specific information sources used to make recognition judgments when presented with displays involving interaction between numerous features. Findings indicated that skilled participants are particularly sensitive to relative motion information between key display features, notably the relationships between the central offensive players. From ascertaining the nature of information underpinning skilled recognition, Chapter 3 examined whether familiarity could still be perceived when only the minimal essential information was presented. Results demonstrated how skilled players were able to make successful recognition judgments when only the relative motions between the central offensive players, and/or player in possession of the ball were presented. Chapter 4 examined the relative importance of the different perceptual-cognitive skills to anticipation performance, as a function of the unique constraints of the task. This was achieved by altering the distance between the performer and ball, and presenting stimuli in video and point-light format. Evidence was provided to suggest skilled players rely on pattern-recognition skill when viewing the action from afar, with postural cue information increasing in importance for more localised and time-constrained situations. Finally, Chapter 5 implemented findings from the previous studies to investigate whether the ability to perceive familiarity could be improved through a perceptual training programme, and the extent to which this transferred to anticipation performance. Despite a significant improvement in recognition sensitivity from pre to post test, null effects were reported elsewhere. Possible reasons to account for these are discussed in further detail. Overall, the thesis extends the perceptual-cognitive expertise literature, offering both practical and theoretical implications, as well as avenues for future research.

Name dc:type.qualificationname

phd

Level dc:type.qualificationlevel

doctoral

Grantor dc:publisher.institution

Liverpool John Moores University

Year dc:date.issued

2016

Author dc:creator

• Hope, ER

Contributors dc:contributor

• McRobert, AP

• GV561 Sports

DOI dc:identifier.doi

https://doi.org/10.24377/LJMU.t.00004102

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:researchonline.ljmu.ac.uk:4102