The document discusses information processing and memory in the context of sports performance. It outlines the key stages of information processing as stimulus identification, response selection, and response programming. It describes two main information processing models - the Welford model and the Whiting model. It explains the characteristics and functions of short-term memory and long-term memory, and how information is moved between these stores through selective attention, chunking, and mental rehearsal.

1. LEARNING OBJECTIVE
TO UNDERSTAND
INFORMATION PROCESSING
AND LINK TO A SPORTS
CONTEXT Lesson Outcomes
By the end of this lesson you should
be able to:
Outline the basic stages of
recognised information processing
models
Explain the stages involved in the
memory process
Apply information processing models
and memory storage to a sports
context
Do now task
1 Minute challenge. Label
yourself 1 and 2. 1 go first of a
minute without hesitation about
information storage and
memory linking to sport.
Number 2’s follow with 1
minute with no repetition.

2. Questions ?/8
1. What are the characteristics and functions of
‘short-term memory’? (3)
2. Name the 2 information processing models?
(2)
3. Name 3 ways a performer can improve shot
term memory and move information to the
long term memory? (3)

3. Processing information
Information processing occurs in 3 different stages.
1. Stimulus identification:
The performer will pick out important cues from the
environment. i.e. pick out the flight of the ball.

4. Processing information
2. Response Selection:
This is the decision making phase. The performer must
decide what to do with the stimulus identified.
i.e. The performer
will have to decide
whether to move
their feet into
position.

5. Processing information
3. Response Programming:
Finally, the performer must instruct his muscles to move
accordingly so the catch can be executed. This is done via
the brain and the nervous system communicating.

6. Information Processing Models
There are various models that represent the information
processing process. The 2 main models for study are:
The Welford Model
Display
(Environment)
Environmental
information
detected and
identified
Selective
Attention
Effector
mechanisms
and muscular
execution.
Response
Intrinsic and
Extrinsic
FEEDBACK

7. Information Processing Models
Whiting identifies three stages:
• Perceptual mechanisms
(sensory input)
• Translator mechanisms
(decision process)
• Effector mechanisms (action)
The Whiting Model

8. Task1: Read the following list as quickly as possible. Use a stopwatch
to time yourself.
PURPLE
RED
GREY
GREEN
BLUE
PINK
ORANGE
BROWN
YELLOW
GREY
RED
BLACK
BLUE
GREEN
PURPLE
BROWN
YELLOW
PINK
ORANGE
BLACK

9. LIST 2
Task 2: Time how long it takes for you to say the colours that you see.
BLUE
GREEN
PURPLE
BLACK
ORANGE
BROWN
RED
YELLOW
BROWN
PINK
GREY
BLUE
PURPLE
BROWN
RED
GREEN
BLACK
ORANGE
GREY

10. LIST 3
Task 3: Time yourself reading the words on the following list as quickly as you can.
PURPLE
BLACK
ORANGE
BLUE
PURPLE
BROWN
RED
GREEN
BLACK
ORANGE
GREY
BLUE
GREEN
BROWN
RED
YELLOW
BROWN
PINK
GREY
BLUE
Task 4: Compare your results. Use the theory of information processing to
explain why the time increased when reading list 2 and list 3.

11. Senses and Kinaesthesis
All senses are used in sport.
Vision: this is used to track the flight of the ball.
Hearing: Transmitted and
interpreted in similar way to
visual images.

12. Senses and Kinaesthesis
Proprioception: This is how we know how our body is
orientated in space. It allows us to feel racket or ball and
react accordingly.
3 Components of Proprioception:
Touch: Weight of a tennis shot.
Equilibrium/Balance: Maintain stability in order to perform
a skill.
Kinaesthesis: A sense that tells the performer what
position their body is in.

13. Memory
Once information is processed it can be stored and used in
similar situations. The information is filtered using
SELECTIVE ATTENTION. This is necessary to avoid
information overload.
Short-term sensory store;
This area of the brain which
receives information and holds it
for a short time (less than 1
second) prior to processing.
If the information deemed
unimportant is lost and forgotten
and replaced by new
information.

14. Selective Attention
This is the process of sorting our relevant bits of information
that we receive. Attention passes the information to the
short-term memory which gives time for conscious analysis.
A good performer can
focus totally on an
important aspect of
their skill.
Irrelevant information
will be disregarded.

15. Memory
The information is filtered using SELECTIVE ATTENTION.
This is necessary to avoid information overload.
Short-term memory;
This part of the brain
keeps information for a
short period (20 - 30
seconds).
It can hold between 5
and 9 separate items of
information at any one
time.

18. Short Term Memory
If not used the information it is lost or passed on to the long
term memory for permanent storage.
Once the information has been logged into the long-term
memory.
It remains there for a long time. The long-term memory has
an unlimited capacity and can store a lifetime of
information.

19. Long Term Memory
The Memory System diagram
Learning to ride a bike will have
been stored in your LTM, you will
not have forgotten how to years
later.
The information is stored in the
long-term memory in the form of
a motor programme.
There is a two-way relationship
between the short-term memory
and the long-term memory.
Information can be moved from
one to the other when needed.
Display
Short Term
Sensory Store
Selective Attention
Short term
memory
Long Term
Memory

20. Coding information in the long term memory
Movement patterns can be stored in the long term memory
and used by the performer when needed.
The coach can enhance this process by making the player
practise the task repeatedly.
During such practices
the coach should offer
praise and
reinforcement,
because we tend to
remember pleasant
experiences.

21. Coding information in the long term memory
Skills are more likely to be remembered if they are
associated with other items already stored in the memory.
i.e. Learnt tennis skills are
similar to other racquet sports
and can be used to help
develop new skills.

23. Improve STM – Move to LTM
Mental Rehearsal
Mental rehearsal involves going over the task in your mind. It
stimulates the brain and the associated muscles and so
helps to store information in the long-term memory.
Demonstrations and
explanations should be
clear so performers do
not recall inaccurate
information.

25. Chunking
Information can be stored in the memory more easily if it is
broken down into small pieces, so that the relevant
information can be focused on.
When giving
feedback to a
performer, the coach
should present the
information in small,
relevant parts, rather
than giving all the
information at once.

26. 01278892300

27. Chaining
A coach should link the information given to the performer.
The first part of the task should be presented before going
on to subsequent movement elements.
This process of
chaining will help
to preserve the
task in the
memory in the
correct order.

29. 1. What are the characteristics and functions of
‘short-term memory’? 3 marks
 A. Information enters from STSS
 B. Only selective attended items enter
 C. Limited capacity
 D. Retrieves information from LTM
 E. Memory trace/schema/motor programme
 F. If not practised/reinforced then lost
 G. Limited duration/seconds
 H. Working memory/decision making
 I. Transfers to LTM
 J. Effector system from STM

30. 2. Name the 2 information processing models?
(2)
A. Welford
B. Whiting

31. 3. Name 3 ways a performer can improve
shot term memory and move information to
the long term memory? 3
A. Chaining
B. Chunking
C. Mental rehersal

32. LEARNING OBJECTIVE
TO UNDERSTAND INFORMATION
PROCESSING AND LINK TO A
SPORTS CONTEXT
Lesson Outcomes
By the end of this lesson you should
be able to:
Outline the basic stages of
recognised information processing
models
Explain the stages involved in the
memory process
Apply information processing models
and memory storage to a sports
context
Do now task
1 Minute challenge. Label yourself
1 and 2. 1 go first of a minute
without hesitation about
information storage and memory
linking to sport. Number 2’s follow
with 1 minute with no repetition.

33. Motor Programme Theory
What is a motor programme?
Motor programme:
A set of movements, stored in the long-term memory,
that specify the components of a task or skill.
As a skill is practised, images are
built up in the long-term memory
and stored. Internal and external
feedback help to check errors
and amend performance.
The result is the storage of a
perfect image that can be called
upon for future use.

34. Motor Programmes
Motor programmes can be developed from an early age
by practice.
Such basic motor programmes become the foundation
for more complex motor programmes at a later stage.
The problem with motor programmes is that they cannot
be used for open skills because of the continual changes
in the environment.

35. Reaction, Movement and Response Time
Information processing takes only a fraction of a second.
If the mechanisms could be sped up this would then allow
for a fraction of a second more time to assess the situation
and select appropriate actions.

36. Reaction, Movement and Response Time
Reaction Time: It is the time taken from the presentation of
the stimulus to the onset of the movement.
Movement Time: is the
time it takes to complete
the task from start to
finish.
Response Time: is the time taken from the presentation of
the stimulus to the completion of the task. (reaction time +
movement time).

37. Reaction time and its influences
Reaction time is influenced by a number of factors.
Discuss with a partner for 2 minutes? List the factors
you come up with.

38. Reaction time and its influences
1. Number of STIMULI
The more choices available, the slower the reaction will be.
A simple reaction time can be very fast because it involves
only one choice to one stimulus.
The relationship
between reaction time
and the number of
choices is not linear.
The rate of increase in
reaction time decreases
with increasing choice.
Hicks's law
No of choices
Reaction time

39. Hicks's law states that, although having more choices
makes performance slower, the rate of increase in reaction
time decreases as the number of choices increases.
e.g. a goalkeeper faced with two attackers might rush out and pressure
the player with the ball. This increases the players choices; he has to go
around the goalkeeper, pass to his team-mate or shoot. The decision
making could cause him to hesitate.

40. Reaction time and its influences
2. Experience
A player's experience will affect the reaction time.
Experienced players can anticipate the bounce of a ball and
get there first.
Anticipation, or the
ability to pre-judge a
stimulus, is a major
influence on
reaction time.

41. Effector Anticipation:
Guessing what your opponent is going to do is easier if
you can get a feel for the way the pitch or court is playing.
Tennis grass courts are very different to clay courts.

42. Perceptual Anticipation:
Anticipation can also be improved by gaining prior
knowledge of the opponents from your coach, or by
watching the opponents before you play them.
Receptor Anticipation:
Players can also gain information on their opponents
during the game by looking at the way they play and the
stance or the grip on the ball.

43. Reaction time and its influences
3. Gender & Age:
Men tend to react faster than women but women retain their
ability to react quickly until much later in life. Ageing slows
the reactions of both men and women.
4. Performance enhancing drugs:
Performance-enhancing drugs can affect reaction time.
There are many cases of athletes using drugs to enhance
reaction time.

44. Improving reaction time
There are two theories that explain reaction time:
Single-Channel Hypothesis
The single-channel
hypothesis suggests that a
stimulus is processed
along a single nerve track
and that the brain can only
process one stimulus at a
time.
The single- channel hypothesis implies that any other
stimulus must wait for the one before it to be processed.

45. Improving reaction time
There are two theories that explain reaction time:
The psychological refractory period
It suggests that only
one stimulus can be
processed at a time,
and if a second
stimulus is presented to
the performer before
the original one is
processed, then an
unavoidable delay will
occur.
S1 S2 R1 R2
This delay is known as the psychological refractory
period.

46. Plenary
1. Reaction time may be an important factor in the
effectiveness of skill performance.
(i) What is meant by the terms reaction time, movement
time and response time? (3)
(ii) Give three important factors which affect response time.
Use practical examples to illustrate your answer.
(6)
Exam Style Question.