Do basketball players rely on previous observations of opponents or decide based on on-going interaction?

Abstract

This study investigates prior observation of an opponent's performance as a task constraint on decision-making of basketball players. Participants will watch a 1vs1-basketball scenario under two conditions differing in the ball-carrier's trajectory. Condition A is defined by distribution of offensive moves equally to the right and left. In condition B, offensive moves will be biased to one side. Thereafter, participants will perform as defenders against the observed opponent with pseudo-random distribution of offensive moves. All trials will be video recorded and players' displacements tracked. It is expected that participants will show initially biased displacements by the previous observation, but will adjust their behaviour to the situational dynamics.