Scheduled for Motor Behavior Posters, Wednesday, April 10, 2002, 12:45 PM - 1:45 PM, San Diego Convention Center: Exhibit Hall


Problem Representations of Olympic Volleyball Players During Serve Reception and Set Situations

Sue L. McPherson, Western Carolina University, Cullowhee, NC and Joan N. Vickers, The University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada

This study examined elite adult volleyball players' (members of Canada’s Olympic and National Team) problem representations during serve reception and set situations (N=7). Verbal reports were collected prior to and during task performance. The goal of the performance task was to forearm pass to a designated target. Each player received float serves by the same individual. A courtside observer scored performance for accuracy (0 to 4). Players were tested individually. This experiment was part of a larger study designed to examine these same players’ gaze behaviors and verbal accounts of these behaviors during the same task (Vickers & McPherson, in preparation). Pretask interviews consisted of 3 questions concerning where they will be looking, and what they will be thinking about following a serve and between serves during the upcoming task. “Why?” and “anything else?” probes followed each question. Performance interviews consisted of an immediate recall (“What were you thinking about during that serve situation?”) and planning questions (“What are you thinking about now?”) every 5 trials. Players were unaware that performance trials were concluded when five 4’s and 0’s were obtained. Thus, players responded to questions 4-6 times during task trials. Each player’s utterances were coded according to a Model of Protocol Structure for Sports (McPherson, 1993) that were categorized into five major concepts. Goals reflected the goal structure of the task or situation. Conditions specified when or under what conditions to apply the action to achieve the goal. Actions referred to a selected action(s) which produce goal related changes in a sport situation. Regulatory concepts specified whether or not an action was carried out. Do concepts specified how to perform an action. Concept content was measured for total, variety, and sophistication. Pretask responses were coded separately according to question. Trial responses were collapsed and coded according to question. Descriptive comparisons of player’s verbal data were conducted. Results indicated 3 distinct problem representations among players. Player’s pretask problem representations were similar to those accessed during the task. Most players accessed specialized visual search, monitoring, and planning strategies prior to and during the task. Players accessed action plan and current event profiles (McPherson, 1999). Action plan profiles were specific to this task and included do concepts and regulation concepts that were employed during the task. Also, current event profiles regarding this task were accessed (e.g., flight characteristics of floater serves, their problems with forearm passing) and used during the task.
Keyword(s): athletics/sports, olympic related, research

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