1. Decision making and reaction time
By: David Nippard
Hkin 416
Presented to: Dr. Martell

2. Overview Decision making Reaction time
How to develop faster reaction time

3. What is decision making ?
The process of making choices among possible alternatives.
Example: During a game of hockey there is a 2 on 1 opportunity, do you pass to your teammate? Or do you shoot on the goaltender?
*Note: The number of stimulus effects the decision.

4. 2 on 1 options

5. What about the goalie?
Will the player shoot, pass or deke?

6. Reaction time is critical

7. What is reaction time?
The time between stimulus and response: ”the interval of time between the application of a stimulus and the first indication of a response”
Senses (eyes, ears)---Brain (formulate response)---Motor Units (nerves)---Action (muscle)
Athlete’s ability to react to the information that is processed through the nervous system.

8. Benefits of reaction time
Faster reaction time= advantage
Athletes with faster reaction time have the ability to monitor movements for longer periods of time.
Ability to recognize cues in the environment, or even begin the movement earlier.
E.g., Returning a tennis serve, saving a goal kick, hitting a baseball etc.
Anticipatory response.

9. 3 types of reaction time
Simple Reaction time: Only 1 stimulus and 1 response. (e.g. 100m race)
Choice Reaction Time: More than 1 stimulus, but each stimulus has a designated response. (what shot to choose in a game of badminton. Forehand, backhand, smash, drop-shot).
Discriminate Reaction time: Multiple stimuli but 1 response. (determining which colour is brighter by hitting an appropriate button)

10. Movement Time
The time it takes to complete the movements of a particular action, from the initiation, to the termination.

11. Influences on Reaction time and decision making
Age (Older = slower reaction time)
Intensity of stimulus (Bigger, Louder, Brighter stimuli= faster reaction time)
Anticipation (If prepared, reaction time may decrease)
Gender (females show a slower reaction time compared to men)
Previous experience of stimuli (faster reaction time when exposed to stimuli repeatedly)
Personality, arousal, body temp

12. Influences on Reaction time and decision making .con’t
Number of Stimulus response alternatives
Hick’s Law
Relationship between reaction time and the number of stimuli presented. The more stimuli available, the longer the reaction time.
-This occurs to a certain point, where the response time remains constant despite the increase of stimulus.

13. Is it possible to develop faster reaction time?
Practice- with the same stimulus/response, where the outcome is the same response=faster reaction time. The response becomes Automatic.
Anticipation- the action in predicting or expecting something.
E.g. Anticipating where the goal kick is going to be placed.

14. Two kinds of anticipation
Spatial anticipation: ability to predict what will happen in the environment.
E.g., predict a badminton player’s type of shot (drop-shot vs smash)
Temporal anticipation: ability to predict when an environmental event will occur
E.g., predict when the referee will drop the puck, or when the referee will toss the basketball for a jump-ball
Advantages and disadvantages of anticipation…. You may NOT always be right. Study opponents.