Ecological Dynamics Perspective Research Articles

How did you perform? Investigating football players' perception of self-regulated passing performances under auditory noise environments.

This paper deals with the question on how sport performances may be influenced by internal, emotional processes, which stem from outside feedback. In terms of methods, players' subjective performance ratings for four experimental auditory cue conditions were examined; these included both 'positive' and 'negative' stadium noise, 'no (auditory) conditions,' and a control/'baseline' condition. This resulted in a qualitative-analytic data set that was obtained succeeding each auditory cue condition using a unique football training machine (i.e., known as 'Footbonaut'). Without having received any coaching/performance feedback, players were asked to rate and individually comment on their perceived performance ratings for each experimental auditory condition. Findings indicate stronger and more significant correlations between auditory conditions and subjective ratings compared to the non-auditory condition and its subjective rating. Furthermore, data provides initial insight into players' emotional experiences during each of the practice conditions. These noteworthy findings on players' abilities to accurately judge their performances based on selfmonitoring and intrinsic feedback are discussed from an Ecological Dynamics perspective, linked to a Nonlinear Pedagogy for coaching. Here, representative and affective learning designs for skill learning and performance preparation are presented. Finally, a hypothetical catalyst effect of auditory stadium noise on subjective performance rating is proposed.

Современные теоретико-методологические подходы к изучению когнитивных аспектов спортивного мастерства: анализ зарубежных исследований

<p>The article examines foreign modern theoretical and methodological approaches to the study of cognitive aspects of sports performance. A classification of approaches is presented, based on the type of tasks, the phenomenon under consideration, and the explanation of the cognitive differences between athletes and the control group. Expert performance approach, cognitive component skill approach, and ecological dynamic approach are discussed, including their theoretical foundations, key results, and employed paradigms. The expert performance approach assesses perceptual-cognitive abilities utilizing context-specific stimuli derived from photographs or videos of sporting scenarios. This approach underscores the significance of domain-specific knowledge and practical experience in achieving a high level of proficiency in sports. The cognitive component skill approach delves into the fundamental cognitive mechanisms underpinning sporting expertise by employing cognitive paradigms in laboratory settings. The ecological dynamics perspective posits that a crucial cognitive skill for athletes is the ability to perceive affordances, defined as opportunities for action determined by environmental constraints, and to effectively translate perceived affordances into motor execution. The article discusses the advantages and limitations of each approach and provides criteria to guide the development of research concepts and sports testing methods.</p>

Coach education as ‘leading out with an experienced other’

ABSTRACT Mentoring to support coach development has gained traction over the past decade or so. A common criticism in this area is the shortage of research that captures the complex reality of interactions between mentees and mentors. In this critical commentary, we conceptualise this complexity, weaving together the authors’ lived experiences as mentors and mentees, framed by an ecological dynamics perspective. Here, the mentoring relational process will be explored through the framework of education as educere (Latin: “to lead out”) and the role of the “experienced other”. An ecological dynamics rationale is centred on using “guidance without specification” and “attentive dwelling”, fostering an evolving correspondence between coach and coach developer. As the mentoring relationship deepens, mentors can assist coaches in the ongoing search and exploration of their coaching landscape wit h a “knowing as we go” ethos.

Ecological dynamics approach in physical education to promote cognitive skills development

The aim of this paper is to carry out a theoretical transposition of the principles of the ecological dynamic approach in the field of physical and sports education, aimed at defining educational approaches capable of promoting an effective acquisition of cognitive skills, through the practice of physical activity and sport. Physical education, according to an ecological dynamics perspective, considers the performer a complex adaptive system, which interacts with the environments in a functionally integrated way, underlining the interrelationship between motor processes, cognitive and perceptive functions. The cognitive area of Life Skills (Cognitive Life Skills, CLS), divided by the WHO, into decision making, problem solving, creative thinking and critical thinking processes, can be framed as an intrinsic part of goal-directed behaviour influenced by functional constraints determined by individual-environment interaction. Therefore, physical and sport activity practiced according to the principles of the ecological dynamic approach can be configured as an elective tool to promote the development of cognitive skills. In this article, the relevant theories of ecological dynamics are discussed and recent empirical data on the perceptual-cognitive processes which are activated through the practice of physical education and sport are described to underline the potential of such practices for the development of cognitive skills. The development of this specific theoretical transposition represents a starting point for the definition and experimentation of ecological dynamic interventions designed with the aim of investigating the effects of physical and sporting activity on the development of cognitive skills for life.

Biomechanical insights on Tennis Canada’s skill fundamental phases: Ecological dynamics, force generation and reading gameplay

Using an ecological dynamics perspective and informed by a game-based approach to coaching tennis, this paper applies a biomechanical analysis to Tennis Canada’s five fundamental skill phases, namely recovery, impact point, set-up, hitting zone and grip, along with tactical concepts of time, space, force, and risk. The intent of this paper is to locate, within the player reading gameplay, the biomechanical principles for force generation in tennis strokes that inform Tennis Canada’s five fundamental skill phases. We suggest that these fundamentals can be effectively employed during gameplay so that force can be considered a part of tactical awareness. From a game-based approach we consider gameplay as referring to a player’s ability to read the emerging patterns of play, as critical to successful application of biomechanical principles to stroke mechanics. We propose that perception-action coupling ideas from ecological psychology, guided by the 4R model of read, respond, react, and recover for the stroke movement cycle, promotes both novice and advance tennis players ability to play tennis. The goal of this paper is therefore to help the tennis teaching professional combine ideas from sports pedagogy, biomechanics, and motor learning into the coaching of tennis players, so that their tennis players can experience the flow of forces from a well-played point.

Why did it make sense at the time? Applying an ecological dynamics perspective to analyse local rationality

Increasingly, a compassionate and curious approach to patient safety recognises the importance of recognising local rationality, asking why decisions made sense at the time they were made. This approach enables increased learning and removes the potential judgement resultant from hindsight bias. The guidance from safety science literature as to how to most effectively learn from this perspective, however, is lacking. Ecological dynamics is a methodology utilised in high-performance environments, where they seek to understand decision making in dynamic, complex environments. This paper explores how ecological dynamics can provide a method to enable organisations to learn more effectively from patient safety events when understanding local rationality. A framework is provided to enable organisations to shift from a response that invokes blame to one that generates rich learning and improvement opportunities, which could be used alongside or incorporated within other systemic methodologies currently used such as SIEPS 2.0.

Decision-making assessments in youth team invasion game athletes: A systematic scoping review

Decision-making is critical to team invasion game performance. As such, understanding how to measure and develop it is important to researchers and practitioners. However, due to the abundance of assessments available in this area, the optimal use of these assessments is still unclear. The current systematic scoping review summarises and examines the quality of reporting of the available literature on decision-making assessments that can be used in the context of youth team invasion games. It uses an ecological dynamics perspective to evaluate the extent to which the included decision-making tasks adhered to principles of representative task design, specificity of perception and action components and constraints present in each task. The results revealed that soccer was the most frequently studied invasion game (70% of studies). While realistic task (85% of studies) and individual constraints (68% of studies) were often present in decision-making tasks, environmental constraints received far less attention (9% of studies). About one-third of studies were situated on either end of the controlled laboratory in situ study continuum (controlled laboratory = 35%, in situ = 33%). In total, 39% of studies coupled sport-specific perception and action components. Furthermore, studies that implemented sport-specific perception–action coupling featured much smaller sample sizes than those without. The findings of this systematic review can aid researchers and practitioners who want to measure decision-making skill in youth team invasion game athletes by allowing them to make informed choices about which assessment to use based on the extent to which an assessment matches a set of pre-determined criteria.

How functional movement variability facilitates successful skill adaptation during the volleyball attack

From an ecological dynamics perspective, careful manipulation of task constraints can provide opportunities for action, exploited by functional movement variability of participants. The constraints-led approach (CLA) induces functional movement variability in practice designs, supporting athlete performance in satisfying task constraints and finding performance solutions to achieve intended task goals. Young male volleyball players were randomly assigned to either a traditional approach (TA) or CLA practice group. Selected spatial-temporal movement coordination variables were recorded, to explore their relations to successful performance outcomes in the attacking phase. Binomial logistic regression was used to verify the association of spatial-temporal movement variables with the percentage of successful attacks. Six spatial-temporal variables were included, and a manual backward stepwise regression was used to remove those which did not contribute to the best predictive model of successful performance. After a 6-week intervention programme, the CLA practice group displayed a significantly higher percentage of successful attack actions, when facing the opposition block. The TA group showed a small increase in successful attack actions after the intervention. The final binomial logistic regression model revealed that the variables ‘lateral deviation of the participants’ centre of mass’ at the planting step and ‘longitudinal deviation of the participants’ centre of mass’ at point of ball contact were the main predictors of successful attacking outcomes. To overcome the opposition's block in volleyball, infusing functional variability in a CLA task design, promoted superior performance in practice. Presumably, greater movement pattern variability emerged in participants to satisfy performance constraints in successful volleyball attacks.

The impact of augmented feedback (and technology) on learning and teaching cricket skill: A systematic review with meta-analysis.

Augmented feedback, including that provided using technology, can elicit multifaceted benefits on perceptual-motor learning and performance of sporting skills. However, current considerations of the applied value in supporting learning and teaching cricket skill is limited. This systematic review with meta-analysis aimed to understand the role and effectiveness of feedback-involved interventions on skill-based performance outcomes in cricket-related research. Six electronic databases were searched (SPORTDiscus, CINAHL, MEDLINE, Scopus, Web of Science and PsycINFO). Of 8,262 records identified, 11 studies met inclusion criteria; five of which were included in meta-analyses. Given no studies with an isolated feedback intervention-arm were identified, the two meta-analyses explored anticipation-based studies consisting of an intervention that included augmented feedback; positioned with respect to the key motor skill concepts of perception (anticipation accuracy) and action (performance success). Despite results highlighting improved performance outcomes for the feedback-involved intervention groups, with a large effect size for improved anticipation accuracy (Hedge's g = 1.21, 95% CIs [-0.37, 2.78]) and a medium effect size for overall performance success (Hedge's g = 0.55, 95% CIs [-0.39, 1.50]), results were not statistically significant and should be interpreted with caution given the wide confidence intervals. Considering the small number of studies available, in addition to the lack of isolated feedback protocols, further research is warranted to thoroughly explore the impact of augmented feedback on skill-based performance in cricket. Beyond the meta-analyses, the review also explored all included studies from an ecological dynamics perspective; presenting future avenues of research framed around evaluating the applied value of using augmented feedback (mediated with or without technology) for learning and teaching skill in cricket. Trial registration The protocol was preregistered with Open Science Framework (osf.io/384pd).

Learning to coach: An ecological dynamics perspective

A constraints-led approach (CLA), based on an ecological dynamics rationale for athlete learning and development has been applied to analyses of individual and team sports. To date, such an approach has yet to be applied to the learning of coaches. Here, we propose how applying a CLA in education and professional development programmes can shape emerging behaviours of coaches as they interact with constraints of representative environments to adapt their practice. A core concept within ecological dynamics for coach education is the conceptual differentiation between knowledge of (direct perception) and knowledge about (indirect perception) the environment. Current coach education and development practices focus primarily on the acquisition and transmission of knowledge about, which over-relies on provision of (abstract) verbal and visual augmented corrective information found in manuals. Reconsidering coaches’ behaviours as emerging under constraints provides a coach developer opportunities to identify and manipulate key individual, environmental and task constraints. This approach guides attention to relevant and alternative affordances (opportunities for action) when coaching, and promotes continuous self-regulation of coach learning, supported by an experienced mentor. Learning to coach through a CLA could result in an extensive appreciation of multiple sources of knowledge, resulting in a continuously deepening fit between the coach and their performance environment. An ecological perspective of a coach learning to adapt to the constraints of a performance environment offers an alternative to current formalised coach development practice.

An ecological dynamics perspective on designing urban nature environments for wellbeing and health-enhancing physical activity

The latest World Health Organization report on green and blue space and mental health (2021) calls for greater, and better, urban nature environments, i. e., “wilder” urban parks, tree-laden sidewalks, and overall presence of nature in the urban environment. Evidence shows that living close to and interacting with nature promotes benefits to numerous health and well-being indicators. The present article narratively reviews what are the aspects of urban nature environments that enhance health and wellbeing markers, which aspects are preferred among users and visitors of urban nature environments, and how can the benefits for health and wellbeing be understood from a theoretical perspective. Finally, guided by the ecological dynamics framework, suggestions are put forward on how designers and planners of urban nature environments can consider affordances to promote physical activity behavior, health and wellbeing; and how exercise and health researchers and professionals may channel the interaction of individuals with the nature environment in their interventions and programs.

Exploration of the moderator effect of cultural diversity on team performance across 45 professional football leagues: An ecological dynamics perspective on cross-cultural research

ObjectiveTo investigate the moderating effect of cultural diversity on team performance in professional football worldwide through the lens of ecological dynamics and cross-cultural psychology. Designand Method: Based a sample of 23,186 matches played by 728 teams across 45 leagues during the 2020/21 season, two sets of moderated regression analyses were conducted to examine the effect on sporting results of the interaction between teams’ cultural diversity, their dominant playing style and market value. In addition to bivariate correlations, a total of 16 ordinary least squares (OLS) regression models were designed to test 5 hypotheses. A new theoretical model, the Integrative Categorization-Intentionality Model (ICIM), was proposed to explain four key findings. FindingsCDI’s role as a statistically significant cross-cultural moderator was confirmed in relation to all three styles of play: possession-based (ß = −0.08, p < 0.05), constructive attacking (ß = −0.30, p < 0.01), and defensive (ß = 0.28, p < 0.05), the respective models explaining 35.6%, 34% and 35% of the variance. Results showed that cultural heterogeneity contributes to goal scoring in teams reliant on the first two styles, whilst defensively-oriented teams were more likely to improve performance with increasing cultural homogeneity. Moreover, the positive effect of cultural heterogeneity on sporting outcomes was more likely in less affluent teams. Finally, empirical evidence revealed a link between enhanced performance and a higher proportion of domestic defensive players in defensively oriented teams (ß = −0.11, p < 0.05), and, similarly, between a higher proportion of foreign offensive players in offensively-oriented teams (ß = −0.27, p < 0.01). ConclusionsThe study has practical implications for scouting/recruitment of players when strategizing on team cultural and functional composition, as well as for coaches in terms of designing suitable training practices gauged to match and develop multicultural teams’ diverse skill set, or more generally, in relation to managing multicultural teams.

An ecological dynamics approach to motor learning in practice: Reframing the learning and performing relationship in high performance sport

For practitioners working in high performance sport, the primary goal is to ensure that precious preparation time is utilised efficiently, effectively and resourcefully to provide maximal impact on the performance potential of the individual or team. To achieve this goal, there is a need to treat athlete learning and development as an integral part of performing with a key focus on increasingly aligning the relation between the perfomer(s) and their environment, which may differ according to practice and performance (Button et al., 2020b). This article critiqued the weaknesses and limitations of traditional learning approaches in sport, seeking to highlight instead the value of adopting a contemporary ecological dynamics perspective, informing how practitioners should design practice to support a greater connectivity between the contexts of performance and learning.

Self-regulation of learning in sport practices: An ecological dynamics approach

Self-regulation of learning (SRL) in sports has received much attention from sport sciences researchers. Zimmerman's theory of SRL is frequently used in sport psychology, which, in turn, is derived from the social cognitive theory of self-regulation developed by Bandura. Despite all the contributions to the domain of expertise in general, and sport in particular, this approach has limitations for the understanding and evaluation of SRL in sport performance. Alternatively, we discuss an ecological dynamics perspective of SRL, emphasizing the transactional relationship established between performers and environment as an alternative to attribute to metacognition the explanation for goal directed behaviour, as they self-regulate their performance behaviours. We also discuss methodological consequences for capturing SRL in sport performance guided by an ecological dynamics framework.

"Feels Good to Get Wet": The Unique Affordances of Surf Therapy Among Australian Youth.

Increasing prevalence rates of mental health problems among adolescents is an issue of growing concern. Surf therapy is a novel intervention that may provide tangible benefits to address this problem. Congruent with the ecological dynamics perspective (EDP), the existing research postulates that surf therapy yields psychological benefits in part due to the unique affordances of immersion in a blue space such as the ocean. Evidence worldwide has validated the use of surfing as a therapeutic mediator to achieve positive change, however, no such research has been conducted on Australian adolescents. The current study aimed to evaluate the impact of the Waves of Wellness (WOW) Foundation's 8 week surf therapy program on mental health outcomes in Australian at-risk youth. The study employed a mixed-methods design to examine the experiences of participants. Nine adolescents (Mage = 14.9; SD = 1.2; 8 female) participated in the quantitative stage, with four completing the qualitative interview. Results indicated positive changes in resilience, self-esteem, social connectedness, and depressive symptoms post-intervention, however, improvements were not maintained at follow-up. Participants unanimously agreed that the program normalised their experiences with mental health through the unique leaning environment and fostered personal growth through mastery experiences and the development of healthy relationships. The EDP provided the most compelling explanation of the results denoting that benefits arise from the reciprocal relationship between individual, task, and environment. Despite the small and heterogenous sample, the findings provided preliminary evidence of the efficacy of surf therapy among Australian youth and offer a potential starting point for further research utilising larger more diverse samples.

Effects of manipulating specific individual constraints on performance outcomes, emotions, and movement phase durations in Rugby Union place kicking.

Place kicks present valuable opportunities to score points in Rugby Union, contributing almost half of all points scored at international level. From an ecological dynamics perspective, place kickers adapt to interacting task, environmental, and individual constraints in performance environments. The aim of this study was to analyse effects of specific manipulations of individual constraints (fatigue; expectation for success) on place kicking performance, movement phase durations, heart rate and self-reported emotions. Under representative task and environmental constraints on an outdoor training pitch, 12 experienced, male place kickers completed four testing sessions under every combination of manipulated high/low expectation for success and manipulated levels of high/low acute fatigue. Within each session of 12 place kicks, performance outcomes from three kicking locations of varying difficulty were recorded. ANOVA revealed a two-way interaction between fatigue and expectation manipulations on mean success percentage (p<0.05), with higher success under low fatigue + low expectation (M±SD=58±13%) and high fatigue + high expectation (M±SD=56±14%), compared with separate manipulations of high expectation (M±SD=49±14%) or high fatigue (M±SD=51±14%). There were no significant effects on any movement phase durations. Manipulating expectation significantly heightened mean heart rate (p<0.05) and influenced emotions reported by place kickers, including higher anger scores when there was high expectation for success. Coaches are encouraged to integrate place kicking into representative game scenarios in practice environments to faithfully represent key performance constraints (e.g. fatigue; expectation for success) in preparing kickers for competitive situations.

Learning and Expertise in Mineral Exploration Decision-Making: An Ecological Dynamics Perspective.

The declining discovery rate of world-class ore deposits represents a significant obstacle to future global metal supply. To counter this trend, there is a requirement for mineral exploration to be conducted in increasingly challenging, uncertain, and remote environments. Faced with such increases in task and environmental complexity, an important concern in exploratory activities are the behavioural challenges of information perception, interpretation and decision-making by geoscientists tasked with discovering the next generation of deposits. Here, we outline the Dynamics model, as a diagnostic tool for situational analysis and a guiding framework for designing working and training environments to maximise exploration performance. The Dynamics model is based on an Ecological Dynamics framework, combining Newell’s Constraints model, Self Determination Theory, and including feedback loops to define an autopoietic system. By implication of the Dynamics model, several areas are highlighted as being important for improving the quality of exploration. These include: (a) provision of needs-supportive working environments that promote appropriate degrees of effort, autonomy, creativity and technical risk-taking; (b) an understanding of the wider motivational context, particularly the influence of tradition, culture and other ‘forms of life’ that constrain behaviour; (c) relevant goal-setting in the design of corporate strategies to direct exploration activities; and (d) development of practical, representative scenario-based training interventions, providing effective learning environments, with digital media and technologies presenting decision-outcome feedback, to assist in the development of expertise in mineral exploration targeting.

An ecological dynamics approach to ACL injury risk research: a current opinion

ABSTRACT Research of non-contact anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury risk aims to identify modifiable risk factors that are linked to the mechanisms of injury. Information from these studies is then used in the development of injury prevention programmes. However, ACL injury risk research often leans towards methods with three limitations: 1) a poor preservation of the athlete-environment relationship that limits the generalisability of results, 2) the use of a strictly biomechanical approach to injury causation that is incomplete for the description of injury mechanisms, 3) and a reductionist analysis that neglects profound information regarding human movement. This current opinion proposes three principles from an ecological dynamics perspective that address these limitations. First, it is argued that, to improve the generalisability of findings, research requires a well-preserved athlete-environment relationship. Second, the merit of including behaviour and the playing situation in the model of injury causation is presented. Third, this paper advocates that research benefits from conducting non-reductionist analysis (i.e., more holistic) that provides profound information regarding human movement. Together, these principles facilitate an ecological dynamics approach to injury risk research that helps to expand our understanding of injury mechanisms and thus contributes to the development of preventative measures.

Can Exergames Be Improved to Better Enhance Behavioral Adaptability in Older Adults? An Ecological Dynamics Perspective.

Finding effective training solutions to attenuate the alterations of behavior and cognition in the growing number of older adults is an important challenge for Science and Society. By offering 3D computer-simulated environments to combine perceptual-motor and cognitive exercise, exergames are promising in this respect. However, a careful analysis of meta-analytic reviews suggests that they failed to be more effective than conventional motor-cognitive training. We analyzed the reasons for this situation, and we proposed new directions to design new, conceptually grounded, exergames. Consistent with the evolutionary neuroscience approach, we contend that new solutions should better combine high level of metabolic activity with (neuro)muscular, physical, perceptual-motor, and cognitive stimulations. According to the Ecological Dynamics rationale, we assume that new exergames should act at the agent–environment scale to allow individuals to explore, discover, and adapt to immersive and informationally rich environments that should include cognitively challenging tasks, while being representative of daily living situations.

Physical Literacy - A Journey of Individual Enrichment: An Ecological Dynamics Rationale for Enhancing Performance and Physical Activity in All.

Internationally, governments, health and exercise practitioners are struggling with the threat posed by physical inactivity leading to worsening outcomes in health and life expectancy and the associated high economic costs. To meet this challenge it is important to enhance the quality, and quantity, of participation in sports and physical activity throughout the life course to sustain healthy and active lifestyles. This paper supports the need to develop a physically literate population, who meaningfully engage in play and physical activity through the development of functional movement skills in enriched environments. This is a shift away from reductionist approaches to physical activity engagement and maintenance to an ecological dynamics approach that focuses on enrichment to support functional movement skill learning and development. This is an embedded approach to physical literacy that allows learners the space and time to “explore–discover” (ecological psychology) within environments that will lead to a concomitant self-organization of highly intricate network of co-dependent sub-systems (anatomical, respiratory, circulatory, nervous, and perceptual-cognitive) resulting in functional movement solutions for the performance task and enduring positive adaptations to subsystems supporting the physical literacy journey across the life course. “Explore-discover adapt” is at the heart of two contemporary learner-centered pedagogies: Non-linear Pedagogy (NLP) and the Athletic Skills Model (ASM). Both emphasize the importance of enrichment experiences from an early age, and throughout life course, and both appreciate the inherent complexity involved in the learning process and the importance of designing a rich and varied range of athletic, participatory experiences that will support the embedded development of physical literacy leading to ongoing physical activity for all. The final part of this paper will demonstrate the potential of an ecological dynamics approach for supporting the concept of physical literacy by providing a roadmap for a reliable and valid measurement of physical literacy when considered from both an ecological dynamics perspective and the phenomenology understanding of physical literacy.