Research Institute for Sport & Exercise Sciences FACULTY OF SCIENCE Research Institute For Sport and Exercise Sciences Liverpool John Moores University

Research Institute for Sport & Exercise Sciences FACULTY OF SCIENCE Perceptual-Cognitive Expertise: Applying the Expert Performance Approach A. Mark Williams

Research Institute for Sport & Exercise Sciences FACULTY OF SCIENCE Aims To present the expert performance approach as an inductive and systematic framework for study of expertise To present the expert performance approach as an inductive and systematic framework for study of expertise To highlight how this approach may be used to improve perceptual-cognitive skill To highlight how this approach may be used to improve perceptual-cognitive skill

Research Institute for Sport & Exercise Sciences FACULTY OF SCIENCE Stage 1 Capturing Expert Performance (Focus on Representative ‘Real-World’ Tasks) Stage 2 Identifying Mediating Processes (Accounting for Expert Performance) Stage 3 Accounting for its Development (Implications for Practice and Instruction) Ericsson and Smith (1991)

Research Institute for Sport & Exercise Sciences FACULTY OF SCIENCE Capturing Expert Performance

Research Institute for Sport & Exercise Sciences FACULTY OF SCIENCE Identify stable characteristics of expert performance Identify stable characteristics of expert performance What should be measured vs. what can be measured? Design simple tasks to test theories vs. explain performance effects in real-world settings?

Research Institute for Sport & Exercise Sciences FACULTY OF SCIENCE Identifying Mediating Mechanisms

Start of task – Presentation of stimulus End of task – Generation of answer Response Time/Accuracy Outcome Measures Post-task observations Retrospective reports Post-experiment interview Fixation Visual Search Behavior V1 Concurrent Verbalizations Process Measures Pre-task manipulations Film occlusion Point-light displays Distortion of image Processing Step 1 Processing Step 1 Processing Step n Williams and Ericsson (2005)

Research Institute for Sport & Exercise Sciences FACULTY OF SCIENCE TA TB TC

Research Institute for Sport & Exercise Sciences FACULTY OF SCIENCE

Start of task – Presentation of stimulus End of task – Generation of answer Response Time/Accuracy Outcome Measures Post-task observations Retrospective reports Post-experiment interview Fixation Visual Search Behavior V1 Concurrent Verbalizations Process Measures Pre-task manipulations Film Occlusion Point-light displays Distortion of image Processing Step 1 Processing Step 1 Processing Step n Williams and Ericsson (2005)

Research Institute for Sport & Exercise Sciences FACULTY OF SCIENCE

Start of task – Presentation of stimulus End of task – Generation of answer Response Time/Accuracy Outcome Measures Post-task observations Retrospective reports Post-experiment interview Fixation Visual Search Behavior V1 Concurrent Verbalizations Process Measures Pre-task manipulations Film Occlusion Point-light displays Distortion of image Processing Step 1 Processing Step 1 Processing Step n Williams and Ericsson (2005)

Research Institute for Sport & Exercise Sciences FACULTY OF SCIENCE How Are Mediating Mechanisms Acquired?

Research Institute for Sport & Exercise Sciences FACULTY OF SCIENCE Traditional Learning Studies Practice History Profiling Complimentary Approaches

Research Institute for Sport & Exercise Sciences FACULTY OF SCIENCE Retrospective Practice History Data Describes activities that most efficiently cause the mediating mechanism Describes activities that most efficiently cause the mediating mechanism Focus on macro rather than micro level of practice/quantity rather than quality Focus on macro rather than micro level of practice/quantity rather than quality

Research Institute for Sport & Exercise Sciences FACULTY OF SCIENCE

Research Institute for Sport & Exercise Sciences FACULTY OF SCIENCE Practice history profiles of elite and sub- elite soccer players 8-16 years data from Ward, Hodges, Williams, and Starkes (2004)

Research Institute for Sport & Exercise Sciences FACULTY OF SCIENCE Practice History of Academy Player 9-10 years 9-10 years 700 hours per year 700 hours per year hours per week hours per week 7000 hours 7000 hours

Research Institute for Sport & Exercise Sciences FACULTY OF SCIENCE in %

Research Institute for Sport & Exercise Sciences FACULTY OF SCIENCE Retrospective Practice History Data Describes activities that most efficiently cause the mediating mechanism Describes activities that most efficiently cause the mediating mechanism Focus on macro rather than micro level of practice/quantity rather than quality Focus on macro rather than micro level of practice/quantity rather than quality Limited attempts to identify specific type of practice/instruction that impact performance Limited attempts to identify specific type of practice/instruction that impact performance Circularity of instructional doctrine Circularity of instructional doctrine

Research Institute for Sport & Exercise Sciences FACULTY OF SCIENCE Perceptual-Cognitive Training Capture perceptual-cognitive skill using representative tasks Capture perceptual-cognitive skill using representative tasks Identify mediating mechanisms via process tracking measures Identify mediating mechanisms via process tracking measures Developing training programmes using above information and examine change in mediating mechanisms Developing training programmes using above information and examine change in mediating mechanisms

Research Institute for Sport & Exercise Sciences FACULTY OF SCIENCE An Example From Hockey

Research Institute for Sport & Exercise Sciences FACULTY OF SCIENCE Anticipation Performance on Laboratory- and Field-Based Tests Pre and Post Training

Research Institute for Sport & Exercise Sciences FACULTY OF SCIENCE An Example From Tennis

Research Institute for Sport & Exercise Sciences FACULTY OF SCIENCE Delivery of Training Explicit instruction Problem focused training = ? Hips closed = Down the line Got it! Ah-hah!!!

Research Institute for Sport & Exercise Sciences FACULTY OF SCIENCE Key Information Sources l Experts focus upon Hip position and rotation Shoulder position and rotation Racket orientation and position Proximal to distal cues

Research Institute for Sport & Exercise Sciences FACULTY OF SCIENCE Measuring Effectiveness On-court Off-court Life size screen Projector Eye tracking system Magnetic head tracking system 4 response mats 2 start mats Response timer Video

Research Institute for Sport & Exercise Sciences FACULTY OF SCIENCE

Research Institute for Sport & Exercise Sciences FACULTY OF SCIENCE Traditional Learning Studies Realistic Training Tasks Longer Intervention Periods More Sensitive Measurement Delayed Retention Tests Appropriate Transfer Tests