Estimating effects of perceptual information and associative knowledge on passing decisions in real-world and scenario conditions

Steiner, Silvan; Gehri, Stefan; Müller, Samuel (February 2018). Estimating effects of perceptual information and associative knowledge on passing decisions in real-world and scenario conditions. In: 10. Jahrestagung der Sportwissenschaftlichen Gesellschaft der Schweiz (SGS). Abstractband (pp. 52-53). Magglingen: BASPO Eidgenössische Hochschule für Sport Magglingen

Introduction
Findings from scenario-based investigations indicate that athletes use perceptual information of the current game situation and associative knowledge about their team members to decide where to play the ball (Steiner, submitted). Open passing lanes, loose defense by opposing players, spatial proximity to the ball carrier and positions in front of the ball carrier are perceptual information that increase team member’s odds ratio (OR) to receive passes. Associative knowledge about a team member’s high soccer-related skills additionally increases the OR for passes to this team member. While the effects of the perceptual information have been replicated with real game data, it is yet untested whether the effect of associative knowledge generalizes to real world passes. The aim of this study is to estimate the relative effects of athletes’ associative knowledge about their team members on passing decisions in real world competitions and game scenarios.
Methods
Twenty-eight male athletes (M = 24.13 years, SD = 4.91) playing in the 1. League of the Swiss Football Federation (SFV) participated in the study. 170 passes were analyzed. All passing situations were graphically illustrated. Athletes looked at the graphic scenarios and stated to what team member they would pass the ball. They then rated their team members on the SFV’s four TIPS items (technique, game intelligence, personality, quickness). The items served as indicator items for a latent variable representing the athletes’ associative knowledge about their team members. Variables about the openness of passing lanes to team members, their defensive coverage by opposing players, their spatial proximity to the ball carrier and their position to the ball carrier (in front vs. behind him) were computed. Binary logistic regressions were run to estimate the effects of the perceptual information and the associative knowledge on passing decisions in real and scenario conditions.
Results
Associative knowledge showed significant effects on passing decisions in real and scenario conditions (OR = 1.95; OR = 1.84, both p’s <.05). Pseudo R2 measures were low for both models (NK = 0.009 and 0.007). When the variables representing perceptual information about the current game situation were introduced in the regression model, the effects of the associative knowledge disappeared. In the real condition, open passing lanes, spatial proximity and positions in front of the ball carrier significantly related to passing decisions (ORpalane = 1.83, p < .05; ORsprox = 0.07, p < .001; ORpos = 3.34; p < .001; NK = 0.164). In the scenario condition, all variables representing perceptual information had significant effects on passing decisions (ORpalane = 4.79, p < .001; ORsprox = 0.19, p < .001; ORpos = 3.87; p < .001; ORdecov = 1.22, p < .05; NK = 0.171).
Discussion/Conclusion
Passing decisions seem to depend more on perceptual information about the current positioning of the team members than on the athletes’ associative knowledge about their team members, both in real game situations and in corresponding game scenarios.

Interest & Impact

Downloads

0 since deposited on 13 Mar 2018
0 in the past 12 months

Citations

5 Citations in Web of Science ®
6 Citations in Scopus

Search

in Google Scholar™

Services

Actions (login required)

Edit item

Actions (login required)

Edit item