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North MN, Huck JT, Day EA, Jorgensen AG, Richels KA. The relative importance of affect variability and mean levels of affect in predicting complex task performance. Front Psychol 2024; 15:1344350. [PMID: 39233881 PMCID: PMC11372583 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2024.1344350] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/25/2023] [Accepted: 08/08/2024] [Indexed: 09/06/2024] Open
Abstract
Although research indicates affect variability-the extent to which an individual's emotions fluctuate-is associated with behavioral outcomes related to adjustment and adaptability, it is unclear to what extent findings make important contributions to the literature when past research has failed to account for the role of mean levels of emotion. Accordingly, we conducted a repeated-measures laboratory study of college students (N = 253) learning to perform a complex computer task to examine the relative importance of affect variability indices (i.e., spin, pulse, and flux) compared to mean levels in explaining variance in off-task attention and task performance before and after changes in task demands (i.e., skill acquisition and adaptation). In doing so, we also disentangled valence and arousal (i.e., activating versus deactivating) aspects of emotion. Relative importance analyses showed mean levels of emotion were the most dominant predictors (i.e., explained the most variance)-negative deactivating emotions for off-task attention and positive activating emotions for performance. However, flux in negative activating and negative deactivating emotions also explained enough variance to be considered important, suggesting that flux has been overlooked in empirical research. Our findings also highlight that future research must account for mean levels when examining relationships between affect variability and outcomes of interest.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maddison N North
- Department of Psychology, University of Oklahoma, Norman, OK, United States
| | - Jonathan T Huck
- Institutional Analytics & Research, Western Governors University, Salt Lake City, UT, United States
| | - Eric Anthony Day
- Department of Psychology, University of Oklahoma, Norman, OK, United States
| | - Ashley G Jorgensen
- Human Resources Research Organization (HumRRO), Alexandria, VA, United States
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2
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de Amorim VP, Meira CM, Vickers JN. Pistol shooting performance under pressure: Longitudinal changes in gaze behavior of male and female Army cadets. Hum Mov Sci 2024; 95:103217. [PMID: 38636392 DOI: 10.1016/j.humov.2024.103217] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/15/2023] [Revised: 04/07/2024] [Accepted: 04/08/2024] [Indexed: 04/20/2024]
Abstract
We found evidence that Army cadets improved their gaze behavior and performance across time under high and low pressure in a shooting task. The purpose of the study was to determine if male and female cadets developed an optimal quiet eye (QE) onset, a longer QE duration, and decreased pupil diameter variability (PDV) over time under low (LP) and high pressure (HP) conditions. The study was carried out over four sessions, with intervals of 4.5 months. During each session, 16 men and 12 women, first-year cadets of The Brazilian Army Academy, performed ten pistol shots under counterbalanced LP and HP conditions. The cadets shot in the upright position and wore an eye-tracker. Shooting accuracy improved and did not differ for men and women in the LP condition, however during HP the women performed more poorly than the men in session 1 but improved to a level similar to the men in session 4. QE duration Pre (aiming) did not differ during LP, while during HP QE Post (execution) increased across the session for men and women. QE onset 2 (execution) occurred earlier for the men than women during LP, while during HP the women improved to a level similar to the men in sessions 3 and 4. PDV declined across sessions for men and women with the lowest values in sessions 3 and 4. The findings are discussed within social facilitation theory, which states the context of training affects the rate at which improvements in motor skills occur. The results show that women cadets can improve their shooting performance, quiet eye duration, quiet eye onset and pupil diameter variability to a level similar to men if three to four LP and HP training sessions are scheduled across approximately 12-18 months.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Cassio M Meira
- University of Sao Paulo, School of Arts, Sciences, and Humanities, Sao Paulo/SP, Brazil.
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3
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Herrmann B, Ryan JD. Pupil Size and Eye Movements Differently Index Effort in Both Younger and Older Adults. J Cogn Neurosci 2024; 36:1325-1340. [PMID: 38683698 DOI: 10.1162/jocn_a_02172] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/02/2024]
Abstract
The assessment of mental effort is increasingly relevant in neurocognitive and life span domains. Pupillometry, the measure of the pupil size, is often used to assess effort but has disadvantages. Analysis of eye movements may provide an alternative, but research has been limited to easy and difficult task demands in younger adults. An effort measure must be sensitive to the whole effort profile, including "giving up" effort investment, and capture effort in different age groups. The current study comprised three experiments in which younger (n = 66) and older (n = 44) adults listened to speech masked by background babble at different signal-to-noise ratios associated with easy, difficult, and impossible speech comprehension. We expected individuals to invest little effort for easy and impossible speech (giving up) but to exert effort for difficult speech. Indeed, pupil size was largest for difficult but lower for easy and impossible speech. In contrast, gaze dispersion decreased with increasing speech masking in both age groups. Critically, gaze dispersion during difficult speech returned to levels similar to easy speech after sentence offset, when acoustic stimulation was similar across conditions, whereas gaze dispersion during impossible speech continued to be reduced. These findings show that a reduction in eye movements is not a byproduct of acoustic factors, but instead suggest that neurocognitive processes, different from arousal-related systems regulating the pupil size, drive reduced eye movements during high task demands. The current data thus show that effort in one sensory domain (audition) differentially impacts distinct functional properties in another sensory domain (vision).
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Affiliation(s)
- Björn Herrmann
- Rotman Research Institute, North York, Ontario, Canada
- University of Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Jennifer D Ryan
- Rotman Research Institute, North York, Ontario, Canada
- University of Toronto, Ontario, Canada
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4
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Ballet C, Barreto J, Hope E, Casanova F. What is the visual behaviour and attentional effort of football players in different positions during a real 11v11 game? A pilot study. F1000Res 2023; 12:679. [PMID: 38076296 PMCID: PMC10704066 DOI: 10.12688/f1000research.134231.4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 12/04/2023] [Indexed: 12/17/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Visual perception has been defined as the first step to a football player's decision-making process and it plays an important role in performance in sport. The skill of focussing to prioritize relevant cues has been also considered crucial in sport. This pilot study aims to explore the visual behaviour and attentional effort of three football players (mean age 19 ± 0 years old) in specific-role positions; Right-winger (RW), Centre-Midfielder (CM) and Left-Back (LB), in the five seconds before receiving the ball from their teammate. Methods Twenty-two male football players performed an 11v11 game, where 24 game sequences (trials) from which 166 fixations were recorded and analysed via the Tobii Pro eye-movement registration glasses and software. The gaze behaviour dependent variables were the mean of fixation duration (FD), time to first fixation (TTF), both measured in milliseconds (ms), and the number of fixations (NF) on eight areas of interest (AOIs). AOIs include teammate with and without the ball, opponent without the ball, space around teammate with and without the ball, space around opponent without the ball, ball and undefined. The mean pupil diameter (PD) correlates to the attentional effort and was measured in millimetres (mm). Results Descriptive statistics showed nonregular search rate data between the participants in FD, TTF, NF on the AOIs. Mean FD on the ball: (CM, 270 ms), (RW, 570 ms), (CM, 380 ms). They also presented differences in the mean PD during play; (CM: 2.90 mm ± 0.26), (RW: 2.74 mm ± 0.30), (LB 2.77mm ± 0.27). Conclusions Albeit the sample size was small, the findings demonstrated a promising way to measure the on-field perceptual-cognitive abilities of football players according to their specific positions, since different playing roles revealed to present distinctive visual and attentional patterns. This could potentially assist in tailoring players 'visual and focus training.
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Affiliation(s)
- Charles Ballet
- Institute Cognitive Neuroscience, University College London, London, England, WC1N 3AZ, UK
| | - Joana Barreto
- Educação Física, Universidade Lusofona de Humanidades e Tecnologias, Lisbon, Lisbon, 376, Portugal
| | - Edward Hope
- Rehabilitation and Exercise Sciences, University of Essex, Colchester, England, C04 3SQ, UK
| | - Filipe Casanova
- Educação Física, Universidade Lusofona de Humanidades e Tecnologias, Lisbon, Lisbon, 376, Portugal
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5
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A Narrative Literature Review About the Role of Microsaccades in Sports. Motor Control 2023:1-15. [PMID: 36640777 DOI: 10.1123/mc.2022-0102] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/17/2022] [Revised: 10/18/2022] [Accepted: 11/15/2022] [Indexed: 01/15/2023]
Abstract
In many daily and sport situations, people have to simultaneously perceive and process multiple objects and scenes in a short amount of time. A wrong decision may lead to a disadvantage for a team or for a single athlete, and during daily life (i.e., driving, surgery), it could have more dangerous consequences. Considering the results of different studies, the ability to distribute visual attention depends on different levels of expertise and environment-related constraints. This article is a narrative review of the current scientific evidence in the field of eye movements in sports, focusing on the role of microsaccades in sporting task situations. Over the past 10 years, microsaccades have become one of the most increasing areas of research in visual and oculomotor studies and even in the area of sport science. Here, we review the latest findings and discuss the relationships between microsaccades and attention, perception, and action in sports.
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6
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Asadi A, Saeedpour-Parizi MR, Aiken CA, Jahanbani Z, Houminiyan Sharif Abadi D, Simpson T, Marchant D. Effects of attentional focus and cognitive load on novice dart throwing: Evidence from quiet eye duration and pupillary responses. Hum Mov Sci 2022; 86:103015. [DOI: 10.1016/j.humov.2022.103015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/26/2022] [Revised: 09/27/2022] [Accepted: 09/27/2022] [Indexed: 11/04/2022]
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7
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Runswick OR, Jewiss M, Sharpe BT, North JS. Context Affects Quiet Eye Duration and Motor Performance Independent of Cognitive Effort. JOURNAL OF SPORT & EXERCISE PSYCHOLOGY 2021; 43:191-197. [PMID: 33730694 DOI: 10.1123/jsep.2020-0026] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/02/2020] [Revised: 11/05/2020] [Accepted: 11/06/2020] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Extensive literature has shown the effect of "quiet eye" (QE) on motor performance. However, little attention has been paid to the context in which tasks are executed (independent of anxiety) and the mechanisms that underpin the phenomenon. Here, the authors aimed to investigate the effects of context (independent of anxiety) on QE and performance while examining if the mechanisms underpinning QE are rooted in cognitive effort. In this study, 21 novice participants completed golf putts while pupil dilation, QE duration, and putting accuracy were measured. Results showed that putting to win was more accurate compared with the control (no context) condition, and QE duration was longer when putting to win or tie a hole compared with control. There was no effect of context on pupil dilation. Results suggest that, while the task was challenging, performance scenarios can enhance representativeness of practice without adding additional load to cognitive resources, even for novice performers.
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8
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Nodehi Z, Mehdizadeh H, Azad A, Mehdizadeh M, Reyhanian E, Saberi ZS, Meimandi M, Soltanzadeh A, Roohi-Azizi M, Vasaghi-Gharamaleki B, Parnianpour M, Khalaf K, Taghizadeh G. Anxiety and cognitive load affect upper limb motor control in Parkinson's disease during medication phases. Ann N Y Acad Sci 2021; 1494:44-58. [PMID: 33476067 DOI: 10.1111/nyas.14564] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/07/2020] [Revised: 12/15/2020] [Accepted: 12/23/2020] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Anxiety is among the most debilitating nonmotor symptoms of Parkinson's disease (PD). This study aimed to determine how PD patients with low and high levels of anxiety (LA-PD and HA-PD, respectively) compare with age- and sex-matched controls at the level of motor control of reach-to-grasp movements during single- and dual-task conditions with varying complexity. Reach-to-grasp movement kinematics were assessed in 20 LA-PD, 20 HA-PD, and 20 sex- and age-matched healthy controls under single- as well as easy and difficult dual-task conditions. Assessment of PD patients was performed during both the on- and off-drug phases. The results obtained during dual-task conditions reveal deficits in both reach and grasp components for all three groups (e.g., decreased peak velocity and delayed maximum hand opening). However, these deficits were significantly greater in the PD groups, especially in the HA-PD group. Although dopaminergic medication improved reach kinematics, it had no effect on grasp kinematics. The results of our study indicated that high levels of anxiety may enhance the inefficiency of upper limb motor control in PD patients, especially during high demanding cognitive conditions, and should, therefore, be considered in the assessment and planning of interventions for upper limb function in these patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zahra Nodehi
- Department of Occupational Therapy, School of Rehabilitation Sciences, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Hajar Mehdizadeh
- Department of Neurosciences, School of Advanced Technologies in Medicine, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Akram Azad
- Rehabilitation Research Center, Department of Occupational Therapy, School of Rehabilitation Sciences, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Maryam Mehdizadeh
- Department of Neurosciences, Faculty of Advanced Technologies in Medicine, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.,Cellular and Molecular Research Center, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Elham Reyhanian
- Department of Electrical Engineering, Amirkabir University of Technology, Tehran, Iran
| | - Zakieh Sadat Saberi
- Department of Occupational Therapy, School of Rehabilitation Sciences, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Mahsa Meimandi
- Department of Occupational Therapy, School of Rehabilitation Sciences, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Akbar Soltanzadeh
- Department of Neurology, Shariati Hospital, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Mahtab Roohi-Azizi
- Rehabilitation Research Center, Department of Rehabilitation Basic Sciences, School of Rehabilitation Sciences, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Behnoosh Vasaghi-Gharamaleki
- Rehabilitation Research Center, Department of Rehabilitation Basic Sciences, School of Rehabilitation Sciences, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Mohamad Parnianpour
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Sharif University of Technology, Tehran, Iran
| | - Kinda Khalaf
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Health Engineering Innovation Center, Khalifa University of Science, Abu Dhabi, UAE
| | - Ghorban Taghizadeh
- Rehabilitation Research Center, Department of Occupational Therapy, School of Rehabilitation Sciences, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
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9
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Simpson T, Ellison P, Marchant D, Carnegie E. Effects of Attentional Strategies on Novice Dart Throwing, Quiet Eye Duration and Pupillary Responses. J Mot Behav 2021; 54:1-13. [PMID: 33395561 DOI: 10.1080/00222895.2020.1869681] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/22/2022]
Abstract
This study examined the effects of focus of attention (FOA) instructions on learning a dart throwing task, quiet eye duration (QED) and pupillary responses. Thirty-six novices (M age = 33.6, SD = 19.7) learned using either (a) internal-focus (arm movement), (b) external-focus (target/dart) or (c) control instructions before completing retention and transfer tests 10 days later. FOA strategies did not significantly benefit dart throwing learning or performance. QED was associated with performance in the transfer task, and pupillary constriction occurred during the QED. The content of FOA instructions may have limited anticipated performance benefits and reduced the FOA influence on QED. Pupillary constriction reflected increased cognitive effort during QED, suggesting an important feature of future precision aiming research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thomas Simpson
- Department of Sport and Physical activity, Edge Hill University, Ormskirk, UK
| | - Paul Ellison
- Department of Sport and Physical activity, Edge Hill University, Ormskirk, UK
| | - David Marchant
- Department of Sport and Physical activity, Edge Hill University, Ormskirk, UK
| | - Evelyn Carnegie
- Department of Sport and Physical activity, Edge Hill University, Ormskirk, UK
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10
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Hejazi-Shirmard M, Lajevardi L, Rassafiani M, Taghizadeh G. The effects of anxiety and dual-task on upper limb motor control of chronic stroke survivors. Sci Rep 2020; 10:15085. [PMID: 32934249 PMCID: PMC7492359 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-71845-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/21/2020] [Accepted: 08/10/2020] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
This study was designed to investigate the effects of anxiety and dual-task on reach and grasp motor control in chronic stroke survivors compared with age- and sex-matched healthy subjects (HC). Reach and grasp kinematic data of 68 participants (high-anxiety stroke (HA-stroke), n = 17; low-anxiety stroke (LA-stroke), n = 17; low-anxiety HC, n = 17; and high-anxiety HC, n = 17) were recorded under single- and dual-task conditions. Inefficient reach and grasp of stroke participants, especially HA-stroke were found compared with the control groups under single- and dual-task conditions as evidenced by longer movement time (MT), lower and earlier peak velocity (PV) as well as delayed and smaller hand opening. The effects of dual-task on reach and grasp kinematic measures were similar between HCs and stroke participants (i.e., increased MT, decreased PV that occurred earlier, and delayed and decreased hand opening), with greater effect in stroke groups than HCs, and in HA-stroke group than LA-stroke group. The results indicate that performing a well-learned upper limb movement with concurrent cognitive task leads to decreased efficiency of motor control in chronic stroke survivors compared with HCs. HA-stroke participants were more adversely affected by challenging dual-task conditions, underlying importance of assessing anxiety and designing effective interventions for it in chronic stroke survivors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mahnaz Hejazi-Shirmard
- Department of Occupational Therapy, School of Rehabilitation Sciences, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Laleh Lajevardi
- Rehabilitation Research Center, Department of Occupational Therapy, School of Rehabilitation Sciences, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Mehdi Rassafiani
- Occupational Therapy Department, Faculty of Allied Health Sciences, Kuwait University, Kuwait City, Kuwait.,Neurorehabilitaion Research Center, The University of Social Welfare and Rehabilitation Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Ghorban Taghizadeh
- Rehabilitation Research Center, Department of Occupational Therapy, School of Rehabilitation Sciences, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
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11
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Piras A, Timmis M, Trofè A, Raffi M. Understanding the underlying mechanisms of Quiet Eye: The role of microsaccades, small saccades and pupil-size before final movement initiation in a soccer penalty kick. Eur J Sport Sci 2020; 21:685-694. [PMID: 32580639 DOI: 10.1080/17461391.2020.1788648] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/24/2022]
Abstract
Experts keep a steady final fixation at a specific location just before final movement initiation, the so-called "quiet eye" (QE). However, the eyes are rarely "quiet", and small eye movements occur during visual fixation. The current research investigated the subtle eye movements and underlying mechanisms immediately prior to and during QE. The gaze behaviour of 8 intermediate-level goalkeepers was recorded as they moved (either left or right) in an attempt to predict the future direction of the ball during a soccer penalty kick. Goalkeepers were more likely to predict the direction of the penalty, which was coupled with delaying movement initiation. The temporal sequence of microsaccade rates dropped ∼1000 ms before goalkeepers' final movement initiation. Saccade rates increased, reaching a peak ∼500 ms before final movement initiation, concomitant with microsaccades reduction. Microsaccades predicted the goalkeepers' direction, oriented to the right when goalkeepers moved to the right, and conversely to the left when they moved to the left. Microsaccades may be modulated by attention and appear functionally related to saccadic intrusions. Pupil-size increased proportionally with the lead up to the instance of the penalty being kicked, reaching a plateau at final movement initiation. In conclusion, microsaccades and small saccades could improve the perception of the soccer penalty kick, helping athletes during the period that precedes the critical movement initiation, shifting from covert to overt attention for identifying the useful cues necessary to guide the action.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alessandro Piras
- Department of Biomedical and Neuromotor Sciences, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy
| | - Matthew Timmis
- Cambridge Centre for Sport and Exercise Sciences (CCSES), School of Psychology and Sport Science, Anglia Ruskin University, Cambridge, UK
| | - Aurelio Trofè
- Department for Life Quality Studies, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy
| | - Milena Raffi
- Department of Biomedical and Neuromotor Sciences, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy
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12
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Carnegie E, Marchant D, Towers S, Ellison P. Beyond visual fixations and gaze behaviour. Using pupillometry to examine the mechanisms in the planning and motor performance of a golf putt. Hum Mov Sci 2020; 71:102622. [DOI: 10.1016/j.humov.2020.102622] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/07/2019] [Revised: 04/08/2020] [Accepted: 04/10/2020] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
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13
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Richels KA, Day EA, Jorgensen AG, Huck JT. Keeping Calm and Carrying On: Relating Affect Spin and Pulse to Complex Skill Acquisition and Adaptive Performance. Front Psychol 2020; 11:377. [PMID: 32210890 PMCID: PMC7077610 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2020.00377] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/26/2019] [Accepted: 02/18/2020] [Indexed: 12/29/2022] Open
Abstract
The purpose of this laboratory study involving repeated measures of emotion as 214 undergraduates (58.4% male) learned a complex video game was to address the need for empirical research on dynamic personality constructs by examining how two aspects of affect variability—spin and pulse—explain variance in skill acquisition and adaptive performance. Spin refers to within-person fluctuations in affect pleasantness and activation potential. Pulse refers to within-person fluctuations in affect intensity. Despite research showing high affect variability reflects a personality profile of heighted reactivity to emotionally charged events and poor adjustment, little empirical research has examined their relationships with behavioral outcomes, much less aspects of skilled performance. Compared to traditional measures of personality, which yield weak effects for predicting acquisition and adaptive performance, measures of affect variability hold considerable promise because they, like performance, reflect dynamic within-person phenomena. Accordingly, the main question addressed by this study was whether spin and pulse incrementally explain acquisition and adaptive performance beyond Big Five measures of personality. In general, we expected harmful, incremental effects for both spin and pulse, and hypothesized two mechanisms for these harmful effects: (1) by undermining effort and (2) by undermining the effort-performance relationship. Using a task-change paradigm and discontinuous growth modeling that disentangled adaptation from acquisition, results showed that affect variability, independent of the Big Five, produced harmful effects via both hypothesized mechanisms. Participants higher in affect spin and pulse showed less sustained effort across performance sessions and exhibited lower performance. Furthermore, the harmful effects of spin and pulse were stronger in adaptation compared to acquisition, with pulse showing stronger direct effects on performance during adaptation and spin moderating the effort-performance relationship such that effort was only beneficial during adaptation for those lower in spin. In light of these results, one might question the common advice “keep calm and carry on,” which may not be viable for persons high in affect variability. Accordingly, results are discussed in terms of the need to better understand the specific mediating processes by which high affect variability undermines success across a variety of learning and performance contexts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kelsey A Richels
- Department of Psychology, University of Oklahoma, Norman, OK, United States
| | - Eric Anthony Day
- Department of Psychology, University of Oklahoma, Norman, OK, United States
| | - Ashley G Jorgensen
- Department of Psychology, University of Oklahoma, Norman, OK, United States
| | - Jonathan T Huck
- Department of Psychology, University of Oklahoma, Norman, OK, United States
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14
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Ducrocq E, Wilson M, Smith TJ, Derakshan N. Adaptive Working Memory Training Reduces the Negative Impact of Anxiety on Competitive Motor Performance. JOURNAL OF SPORT & EXERCISE PSYCHOLOGY 2017; 39:412-422. [PMID: 29417874 DOI: 10.1123/jsep.2017-0217] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
Optimum levels of attentional control are essential to prevent athletes from experiencing performance breakdowns under pressure. The current study explored whether training attentional control using the adaptive dual n-back paradigm, designed to directly target processing efficiency of the main executive functions of working memory (WM), would result in transferrable effects on sports performance outcomes. A total of 30 tennis players were allocated to an adaptive WM training or active control group and underwent 10 days of training. Measures of WM capacity as well as performance and objective gaze indices of attentional control in a tennis volley task were assessed in low- and high-pressure posttraining conditions. Results revealed significant benefits of training on WM capacity, quiet eye offset, and tennis performance in the high-pressure condition. Our results confirm and extend previous findings supporting the transfer of cognitive training benefits to objective measures of sports performance under pressure.
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15
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Examining the response programming function of the Quiet Eye: Do tougher shots need a quieter eye? Cogn Process 2017; 19:47-52. [PMID: 29063423 PMCID: PMC5807461 DOI: 10.1007/s10339-017-0841-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/08/2016] [Accepted: 10/11/2017] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Support for the proposition that the Quiet Eye (QE) duration reflects a period of response programming (including task parameterisation) has come from research showing that an increase in task difficulty is associated with increases in QE duration. Here, we build on previous research by manipulating three elements of task difficulty that correspond with different parameters of golf-putting performance; force production, impact quality and target line. Longer QE durations were found for more complex iterations of the task and furthermore, more sensitive analyses of the QE duration suggest that the early QE proportion (prior to movement initiation) is closely related to force production and impact quality. However, these increases in QE do not seem functional in terms of supporting improved performance. Further research is needed to explore QE’s relationship with performance under conditions of increased difficulty.
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16
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Martín A, Sfer AM, D'Urso Villar MA, Barraza JF. Position Affects Performance in Multiple-Object Tracking in Rugby Union Players. Front Psychol 2017; 8:1494. [PMID: 28951725 PMCID: PMC5599788 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2017.01494] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/31/2017] [Accepted: 08/18/2017] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
We report an experiment that examines the performance of rugby union players and a control group composed of graduate student with no sport experience, in a multiple-object tracking task. It compares the ability of 86 high level rugby union players grouped as Backs and Forwards and the control group, to track a subset of randomly moving targets amongst the same number of distractors. Several difficulties were included in the experimental design in order to evaluate possible interactions between the relevant variables. Results show that the performance of the Backs is better than that of the other groups, but the occurrence of interactions precludes an isolated groups analysis. We interpret the results within the framework of visual attention and discuss both, the implications of our results and the practical consequences.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrés Martín
- Instituto de Investigación en Luz, Ambiente y Visión, CONICET - Universidad Nacional de Tucumán (UNT)San Miguel de Tucumán, Argentina.,Departamento de Ciencias Básicas, Universidad Tecnológica NacionalSan Miguel de Tucumán, Argentina
| | - Ana M Sfer
- Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Tecnología, Universidad Nacional de TucumánSan Miguel de Tucumán, Argentina
| | | | - José F Barraza
- Instituto de Investigación en Luz, Ambiente y Visión, CONICET - Universidad Nacional de Tucumán (UNT)San Miguel de Tucumán, Argentina.,Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Tecnología, Universidad Nacional de TucumánSan Miguel de Tucumán, Argentina
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