A scale-based approach to interdisciplinary research and expertise in sports

Abstract

After more than 20 years since the introduction of ecological and dynamical approaches in sports research, their promising opportunity for interdisciplinary research has not been fulfilled yet. The complexity of the research process and the theoretical and empirical difficulties associated with an integrated ecological-dynamical approach have been the major factors hindering the generalisation of interdisciplinary projects in sports sciences. To facilitate this generalisation, we integrate the major concepts from the ecological and dynamical approaches to study behaviour as a multi-scale process. Our integration gravitates around the distinction between functional (ecological) and execution (organic) scales, and their reciprocal intra- and inter-scale constraints. We propose an (epistemological) scale-based definition of constraints that accounts for the concept of synergies as emergent coordinative structures. To illustrate how we can operationalise the notion of multi-scale synergies we use an interdisciplinary model of locomotor pointing. To conclude, we show the value of this approach for interdisciplinary research in sport sciences, as we discuss two examples of task-specific dimensionality reduction techniques in the context of an ongoing project that aims to unveil the determinants of expertise in basketball free throw shooting. These techniques provide relevant empirical evidence to help bootstrap the challenging modelling efforts required in sport sciences.

Strategy and tactics in sports from an ecological-dynamical-perspective: What is in there for coaches and players?

“…The embedding of these tactical decisions within this complex system can be situated at different execution levels (team, group, individual). This idea parallels the notions developed in the scale-based approach to expertise by Ibáñez-Gijón et al (2017) in which the ecological scale and the underlying organic scale are the constituting elements of complex systems.…”

“…It is this higher-level task that will set the global constraints that define the possible evolutions of the system. As detailed in Ibáñez-Gijón et al (2017), a task is defined by its goals, regardless of the level of abstraction required to express such goals. The goals of a task establish a set of constraints on the possible evolution at the ecological scale.…”

“…We are certainly aware that players can and will use cognitive interventions to cope with specific situations during the game. However, the question is whether these interventions are actually the best solution for every situation or can be substituted by what Ibáñez-Gijón et al (2017) labeled as task-specific smart devices.…”

“…In the sixth section, the strategic and tactical behavior will be positioned into the perspective of the scale-based approach proposed by Ibáñez-Gijón et al (2017). In developing a top down "task-related" logic, we will show how the overall strategy constrains the tactical engagements.…”

“…As far as this later issue is concerned, we want to refer to the common knowledge among coaches and practitioners that a thorough knowledge of the specific sport is a prerequisite to make sound conclusions about the underlying processes (Thomas, French, & Humphries, 1986). One could contest this point of view as it appears to deny the value of more generic processes in controlling movements and hence sport skills (for a recent review on the organization and control of skilled movements see, Ibáñez-Gijón, et al, 2017), a viewpoint we agree upon. Therefore, the best formula for success seems to be a combination of specialized knowledge of the sport discipline and an extensive knowledge of the scientific field of study.…”