Memory biases in gymnastic judging: differential effects of surface feature changes

Abstract

Three experiments examined whether changes in stimuli features would affect the pattern of memory biases reported by Ste-Marie and colleagues (1991, 1996, 2001). Experiment 1 served as a replication of Ste-Marie and colleagues' findings with new stimuli. In Experiments 2 and 3, surface features of the gymnastic stimuli were altered from that presented in the study phase for both perceptual (implicit memory test) and recognition test (explicit memory test) phases. In Experiment 2, the bodysuit that was worn by the gymnast was changed between the study phase and test phase presentation, whereas it was the gymnast who performed the gymnastic element that was changed in Experiment 3. Memory biases were still evident, despite the stimulus feature change of the bodysuit. In contrast, memory biases were significantly reduced when there was a change in the gymnast performing the element. Discussion is focused on the activation of memory representations underlying these effects and the nature of task relevance for memory biases in gymnastic judging. In addition, specific recommendations for the gymnastic competition setting are included as the findings suggest that judges' objectivity can be compromised by these memory biases.

A Conceptual Model of Referee Efficacy

“…Focus group members mentioned staying up with the play, being at the proper angles for decisions, and anticipating game actions as examples of strategic performance. The importance of these skills has been confirmed in other studies (Guillen and Jimenez, 2001 ; Ste-Marie, 2003 ).…”

The Influence of Memory for Prior Instances on Performance in a Conflict Detection Task.

“…Although contextual information is encoded in memory, it is unclear whether repetition in contextual features facilitates conflict detection. The effect of context should be dependent on the perceived relevance of contextual cues to the task at hand (see Ste-Marie, 2003). The question is, will participants credit the conflict status of previously presented aircraft pairs to the repeated contextual features of aircraft pairs when other more salient structural feature cues are available?…”

How interacting constraints shape emergent decision-making of national-level football referees

“…Dawson & Dobson, 2009) and gymnastics judges scoring certain garment colours higher on identical routines (e.g. Ste-Marie, 2003). The degree of influence that these task and socio-cultural environmental constraints should and do have on referee decision-making actions -particularly in terms of 'objectivity' and perceived 'bias'has been contentious among researchers (e.g.…”