The impact of contextual information and a secondary task on anticipation performance: An interpretation using cognitive load theory

Abstract

When performing under severe time constraints, sports performers use kinematic and contextual information to facilitate anticipation. We examined the relative importance of these two information sources and their impact on cognitive load and anticipation performance. Cognitive Load Theory (CLT) predicts that adding more information sources to a task will increase cognitive load in less-skilled but not skilled performers. Skilled and less-skilled cricket batters anticipated deliveries from bowlers on a life-size screen under four conditions

Why do bad balls get wickets? The role of congruent and incongruent information in anticipation

“…This finding supported our prediction and is in line with much of the literature investigating both kinematic (Abernethy, 1990;Müller et al, 2009) and contextual information sources in anticipation (McRobert et al, 2011;Murphy et al, 2016). As predicted, based on the findings of Runswick et al (2018a;2018b), there was also a significant interaction between congruence and skill level. The skilled group anticipated more accurately than the less-skilled group when information was congruent with event outcome and less accurately than the less-skilled group when it was not.…”

“…Context has been used to describe a number of different information sources in the literature such as the action preferences of opponents (Loffing, Stern, & Hagemann, 2015;Mann, Schaefers, & Cañal-Bruland, 2014), the game score (Farrow & Reid, 2012), the position of teammates and opposing players on the field (Paull & Glencross, 1997) cricket deliveries in and out of sequence and found that when deliveries were in sequence, anticipation accuracy improved and that skilled performers made more verbal report statements relating to the use of higher-order cognitive processes. Runswick et al (2018a) replicated these findings while adding information about the game situation and field placement and showed, using verbal reports, that skilled performers were better able to make use of contextual information to aid anticipation. Similarly, Runswick et al (2018b) occluded footage at different time points and reported that skilled cricketers could make more accurate judgements based solely on the context available prior to the presence of any kinematic information.…”

“…Furthermore, confirmation bias could be exacerbated by skilled batsmen relying more heavily on sources of contextual information than less-skilled counterparts. In contrast, less-skilled performers are less able to utilise contextual information and rely more heavily on kinematic information to inform decisions (Runswick et al, 2018a). Consequently, less-skilled performers, while more likely to be deceived by kinematic cues (Güldenpenning et al, 2017), are less likely to suffer from confirmation bias and deception caused by contextual information.…”

“…First, the use of visual information, such as advanced postural cues (i.e., kinematic or biological motion information) from the movements of an opponent, has been shown to underpin skilled anticipation (Mann, Williams, Ward, & Janelle, 2007). Second, the use of contextual information, in visual or non-visual form, such as the score in the game or the positions of fielders, has been shown to contribute to anticipation judgements (Paull & Glencross, 1997;Runswick et al, 2018a;Runswick, Roca, Williams, McRobert, & North, 2018b). However, while empirical evidence is reported to support the involvement of both sources of information, few researchers have examined how these two sources of information interact during anticipation.…”

“…Several researchers have already reported that when contextual information is present and this information is congruent with the event outcome then anticipation performance improves (McRobert et al, 2011;Murphy et al, 2016;Runswick et al, 2018a). However, few researchers have manipulated the relationship between context and event outcome by presenting certain game situations and controlling event outcomes in an effort to examine whether context can either deliberately or accidentally have a negative impact on anticipation.…”