Research Institute For Sport and Exercise Sciences

1. Research Institute For Sport and Exercise Sciences Liverpool John Moores University

2. Perceptual-Cognitive Expertise: Applying the Expert Performance Approach A. Mark Williams

3. To present the expert performance approach as an inductive and systematic framework for study of expertise Aims • To highlight how this approach may be used to improve perceptual-cognitive skill

4. 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)

5. Capturing Expert Performance

6. 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?

7. Identifying Mediating Mechanisms

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

9. TA TB TC

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

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

14. How Are Mediating Mechanisms Acquired?

15. Complimentary Approaches • Practice History Profiling • Traditional Learning Studies

16. Describes activities that most efficiently cause the mediating mechanism Retrospective Practice History Data • Focus on macro rather than micro level of practice/quantity rather than quality

18. Practice history profiles of elite and sub- elite soccer players 8-16 years data from Ward, Hodges, Williams, and Starkes (2004)

19. 9-10 years Practice History of Academy Player • 700 hours per year • 12-15 hours per week • 7000 hours

20. in %

21. Describes activities that most efficiently cause the mediating mechanism Retrospective Practice History Data • 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 • Circularity of instructional doctrine

22. Capture perceptual-cognitive skill using representative tasks Perceptual-Cognitive Training • Identify mediating mechanisms via process tracking measures • Developing training programmes using above information and examine change in mediating mechanisms

23. An Example From Hockey

24. Anticipation Performance on Laboratory- and Field-Based Tests Pre and Post Training

25. An Example From Tennis

26. Explicit instruction Problem focused training Got it! Ah-hah!!! Delivery of Training Hips closed = Down the line = ?

27. Experts focus upon Key Information Sources • Hip position and rotation • Shoulder position and rotation • Racket orientation and position • Proximal to distal cues

28. Projector Video Life size screen Eye tracking system Response timer 4 response mats 2 start mats Magnetic head tracking system Measuring Effectiveness On-court Off-court

30. Traditional Learning Studies • Realistic Training Tasks • More Sensitive Measurement • Longer Intervention Periods • Delayed Retention Tests • Appropriate Transfer Tests