Lesson video

Hi, everyone, and welcome to today's lesson.

I'm Mrs. Brooks, and today we're gonna be looking at the basic information processing model.

Now, this fits within the sports psychology section of the specification, but if I'm honest, it feels a little bit standalone 'cause it's very much about how we are able to do our skills that we need to do when we play sport.

So as we move through today's lesson, I almost want you to have maybe a skill that you're familiar with in your sport and that might really help you apply some of the information I'm going to take you through throughout this lesson.

Now, our outcome of our lesson is that we're going to identify a basic information processing model.

And from that, we're gonna be able to explain each stage of that model.

And that's where our skill might come in 'cause it'll just help us apply that learning to that skill within that sport.

So our keywords.

What do I mean by information processing? Well, essentially it is a word used when we make decisions, and we do that all the time when we play sport or we do physical activity.

And often what that means is we're gathering data from around us, and that's going into our brain and we're doing something with that information, and as a result, we're making a decision and there'll be some element of completion or execution of that skill.

That in essence is what information processing is.

And we just need to learn it as a very basic model, and in that model there are these four stages.

Now, you may want to pause the recording at this point to just make a note of each of those four.

But what we're gonna do in the first part of the lesson is we're gonna go through each stage clearly so you, one, understand what it is.

And then as we build onto the second part of the lesson, we're gonna apply each of those stages to a skill.

So first part is where we understand what that model looks like and be able to describe it, and then second part, when we can try and apply it to skills.

And I've chosen some skills for us to look at, but I would also encourage you to have that skill in your head.

So by that, I mean it could be catching a ball, it could be throwing a ball, it could be hitting a badminton shot, could be making a tennis serve, it could be kicking a ball, it could be making a tackle.

Not all of them, just maybe just have one in your head 'cause that will definitely help you as we go through this.

So as we said, information processing is very much using the datas around us and then picking a suitable skill or movement.

So essentially it is us making those decisions.

And I'm sure if you play or compete in a sport, you're probably thinking now, "Gosh, I do a lot of that all the time.

I'm always making decisions.

Where to run, where to move, how to catch, where to throw it." So there's lots of this going on all the time.

And Jacob is saying, "Are there different stages to this?" And if you think when I spoke about the keywords, there are actually in fact four key stages.

That's our basic model that we need to feel confident to describe.

And you can see it almost looks a bit like a cycle.

So we've got this stage one, we've got a second stage in the middle there, the arrows then port into that third stage, and that cycle almost completes with that fourth stage, and then we're back to stage one again.

And they are very simple stages, and it just allows that in individual to decide what skill to do.

So let's break it down clearly into those four stages.

And we'll start with that first stage, which we refer to as input.

Now, essentially what input is is where you take in information around you.

And often that happens through your sensors.

So let's remember, there are five sensors, but the three that are probably more vital when we talk about sport and physical activity is what we see, what we might hear, and also maybe that touch and feel.

So think about maybe a relay changeover.

In terms of sensors, often they're looking forward 'cause they're trying to do that really quickly.

But when that incoming runner is shouting at them, that provides input, that lets the outgoing runner know that they are approaching and it is time to move.

So they're using that sense of hearing.

Now, if their arm is out behind them, when that baton is placed in that hand, there's that sense of touch or feel, they feel that that's happened and that then tells them that that is their decision to then go on and run as fast as they can.

Now, within that stage, there is an element of selective attention.

So that's basically when the performer has to choose that relevant information.

So if you think if that's a race for our relay runner, they're having to hear their outgoing runner, their incoming runner, sorry, they're waiting to feel that relay baton, but there'll be all kinds of other stuff going on around them.

I mean, what could that be? If there are spectators, there'll be crowd shouting.

There'll be other athletes also maybe shouting, or doing some things for encouragement, or doing their own kind of positive self-talk.

So what that athlete needs to do at that point is they need to be selective in the information that they actually look out for.

And we refer to that as selective attention, and it very much happens in this input stage.

Now, a sport like rugby, we've got our athlete there.

Now, she's gonna have all kinds of information now at this very point, and then she really will need to prioritise the most relevant parts.

But let's look at that image with some detail.

What do you think she's able to see, hear, touch and feel? So those three kind of important senses.

Yeah, I imagine your discussions or your thoughts there are, "Well, she can see her own team, like where they're positioned.

She'll be looking at maybe someone that's maybe trying to tackle her or take the ball from her.

In terms of hearing, I imagine there'll be like her own teammates that might be telling her where she needs to do or what her next move needs to be.

And we can see there she's holding that ball, so there'll be an element of that sense of touch and where she's holding it and how it's close to her body.

And I imagine she might then feel, if someone tries to tackle her, she'll be able to feel that round her lower part of the body." And all that forms that input stage in terms of processing that information.

Now, with that information, you then move on to the second stage of the model, where you have to make some decisions, you have to do something with that information.

And essentially this is all about selecting and you making an appropriate decision or response.

Now, in this stage, the short-term and the long-term memory become very useful.

All right, because you have to use that memory to decide what response you need to make.

So in the long-term memory, that's where your movement patterns are stored.

So for our rugby player, if that is that she's then gonna throw the ball, that movement pattern will be stored in her long-term memory.

And you need to be able to recall that if that is the appropriate response to make.

Now, the short-term memory is used because that will have taken on board what was going on in terms of that information.

So it will help you execute the movement.

So short and long-term memory are important parts of this decision-making process.

Now, Aisha is asking a really good question here, and she wants to know the difference between that short and that long-term memory.

Andeep answers correctly by saying, "Well, that short-term memory, it's called short term for a reason, it can only really retain information for approximately 30 seconds." So for our outgoing relay athlete or our rugby player, that is sufficient time to take on board what those sensors are telling the brain.

But the long-term memory is, in its very words, it's long.

So that's almost got storage that can go back over months, even years.

So that allows our movement patterns to be stored.

So at the point of decision making, we have to recall that movement pattern from our long-term memory and our short-term memory will help us do that because it'll acknowledge that input what those sensors are telling us.

So quick check at this point, which of the following here occurs at the input stage? Five seconds, which are you going to choose? Really well done, we learnt that that's our sensors, but also the time to prioritise that relevant information through selective attention.

We know our long and our short-term memory are very much at that stage two, that decision-making stage.

Moving on to stage three then, we've then got the output.

Now, once we've made that decision, we need to tell our muscles what they need to do, all right? So this stage is very much acknowledging that there needs that time for that information to be sent so that response can be carried out.

Just remember that key learning on our skeletal muscles, they are voluntary, all right? So they only contract when they're instructed to by the brain.

So this output stage acknowledges exactly that, that process of information where those muscles are activated in order to carry out the skill.

So we can see that quite clearly in this image.

There's all our skeletal muscles, it's pretty obvious the ones that have been activated.

Looks to me like that individual is maybe taking a catch or is about to throw the ball, but he's on one leg, so there's an element of the muscles in the legs have been activated to get them into that position.

So another check, short-term memory, is that required at this output stage of information processing? Do we think that's true or false? Absolutely, that is false.

And why is that false? Well, we're now talking about that third stage, the output stage.

And we did talk about short-term memory happening at that decision-making stage.

So at the point of output, that decision has already been made and those muscles are being activated to execute the movement.

So short-term memory is very much in that decision making, not that output stage of the model.

So finally, the bit that kind of concludes the cycle, our fourth stage, is called feedback.

Now, feedback you will have learned about as part of your sports psychology topics, and basically when we have this feedback, it's when we get information after the skill has been executed or completed.

Now, that can take two forms, it can be within you.

So it might be that the receptors in the muscle, you feel how that went.

And we talk about that being intrinsic.

So it's in, it's internal.

You might feel how that movement has taken place.

It could be from others, and we refer to that as external or extrinsic feedback.

So in here it looks to me like this coach is possibly giving some extrinsic feedback.

They may have already tried to be able to hit a ball, they may have felt that, but now the coach is providing some information on how they did that.

And that is a positive thing 'cause that concludes that information processing loop.

So the next time that that model happens again when they have to hit the ball, that might inform certainly that input stage, if not that decision making and that movement pattern that's stored in that long-term memory.

So we have there our feedback, which is either intrinsic or extrinsic.

So of our four stages, input, decision making, output, feedback, which stage relies on that information from receptors in our muscles? Absolutely, that's our final stage, that's our feedback.

And what's been described there is that internal, that intrinsic feedback.

Those receptors, we often refer to that as kinesthesis.

It's when it's getting a feel for the movement and letting our brain know how that was happening.

Okay, so now we've been introduced to our four stages, I would like you to have a go at your first practise task.

The first thing to do is actually draw a basic information processing model, make sure that is labelled, and then for each of those four components, can you make a description of each stage? Pause the recording and come back to me when you're ready.

Welcome back, how did you do? So in terms of the drawing, hopefully you have drawn the four boxes in the same way we can see here, and that they've been labelled accordingly.

Just make a note of the arrows, okay? 'Cause they're kind of showing the chronological order of those stages.

So that first one was input.

A description you could've added there was about those sensors, and also that point of where selective attention takes place.

Moving on to decision making, knowing that that's very much about making that choice.

And that can use that long-term memory.

Remember, that's where those movement patterns are stored, which can be executed by that short-term memory.

Output is very much that activation of the muscles to carry out that response.

And finally, closing off that loop is the feedback.

And part of your description, hopefully we included that that can be both from self, which is intrinsic, but also others, which is extrinsic, and that will inform the input for further processing.

So now we know that basic model, we need to be able to try and apply that to a skill.

So remember, at the very start of the lesson, I tried to encourage you to consider a skill that you are used to executing or performing.

And as we move through now, don't be afraid to be linking this learning to the skill that you've also got in your head.

The skill I'd like us to use though is catching a ball.

Now, there are lots of sports where catching a ball is used.

In this particular instance, we can see from the image there that that female, that lady with the winger tap bib on, looks to me like she is about to catch that ball.

Now, we might be asked to explain the stages of information processing simply for catching that ball.

So it makes sense that we break it down in our four stages.

So our first stage was that input.

Now, there'll be lots going on for that individual.

She'll be taking in lots of information.

What could that information be? Well, it could be that she's using that sight and she's looking at where that ball is coming from.

From that, she might be looking at the speed, the angle where that ball is travelling to, 'cause sometimes it's very common that that might be passed into space, in terms of the space that they're moving into.

It could be that there's also those other senses of listening out to if there's someone nearby.

It might be even if it's a contested game, which netball is a lot currently, it could be that there's that feeling of that defender nearby or on the body, okay? So there's lots of information there.

As well as that though, remember, she's going to be using selective attention because if there's noise from the spectators or noise from others around her, she'll be wanting to block that out 'cause that's quite irrelevant.

What is relevant is how it's coming towards or where it's going, if someone's gonna come and try and take the ball off her or make that interception.

Moving on to that second stage then, that decision making.

We know that's about selecting a response from the memory.

Now, a lot of that will be linked to, if this has happened before, and if that movement pattern is actually stored in that long-term memory.

And there'll be lots of catches that are taken in a netball game, or in our other sports that you're possibly thinking about.

So you might need to kind of just reference if that's happened before.

And if it has, that's good 'cause you can recall that from your long-term memory, and that short-term memory, the bit that's processing that input, will allow that execution to happen.

So quick check at this point.

We have three netballers here.

And they're describing the input, sorry, which one of them is describing the input stage of information processing? So Aisha is saying that she could see the position of the ball when it was released by her teammate.

Sam is saying that she could hear the defender close to her.

And Andeep's saying that he caught the ball and he took the ball quite high above his head.

So which of these are describing the input stage? Well done, it was actually both Aisha and Sam.

So we could see that Aisha's talking very much about that sense of seeing, on sight, whereas Sam's saying she was aware of what was going on around her in terms of information, in terms of what she could hear.

Whereas Andeep very much is talking about that output stage, the fact that he's already caught the ball at that point, so that skill has been executed, and we know that that's the output stage of our model.

Which is a nice link into that third bit of application, which is when we talk about output.

So once you've made that decision, remember, it's about sending the information to the correct muscles to be able to catch the ball.

Now, that could be the muscles in the arm, so that catch is successful.

But in a lot of cases, that might involve the legs and the body moving to catch the ball.

It's not always that common that we catch the ball standing still.

We might jump for it, we might be driving into space for it, and those muscles in the legs are going to be activated so you can move to the ball at the right time and still take that catch.

So that all would fit within our output stage of information processing.

And finally, that close of the loop, that feedback, that can be intrinsic.

So for our netball player, once she's caught the ball, how might that be? Well, she's going to have a sense of how the catch did feel, in the real first instance, whether she's even caught the ball, all right? And that will be very much kinesthetic.

Those muscles, those receptors will let the brain know how that catch felt.

She'll also be able to see where the ball went.

And if she didn't catch it, there's some internal feedback by just knowing where the ball landed as a result.

Now, at that stage as well, she might be getting extrinsic feedback, so feedback from others.

It could be if that catch is successful, her team members acknowledge that and say, "Well done," and give that praise.

Or if it's successful or unsuccessful, the coach might provide a bit of information about her body position and whether it was correct or incorrect to receive the catch.

And that's coming from someone else, so that's an extrinsic type of feedback.

But that will then inform her about when she catches the ball again 'cause she will go through that loop again, and that feedback can be really informative for that loop as it keeps happening.

So we've got our netballers again, and they're now making a description, but which one of 'em is describing intrinsic feedback? Aisha tells us that she misread the ball, and actually she caught it, but she sensed that she was quite off balance.

Sam said that her teammate gave her a little bit of information and told her that she moved too early to receive the ball, so that meant the defender was quite close to her.

And Andeep said that he hadn't dropped the ball, so his coach acknowledged that by saying, "Well done." Which of them is describing intrinsic feedback? Absolutely, it's Aisha, because we can see she's using that kinesthesis, that feeling of, "I did catch the ball, but I was a little bit off balance," and that possibly had a bit of an impact in terms of what she did next.

Whereas Sam and Andeep are both sharing with us examples of extrinsic feedback.

Now, now we've been able to apply that model to a skill, and it might be that, as I went through that, you were linking it to your own skill, we've been given a question here using the command word analyse.

So we're being asked to analyse how a badminton player uses the different stages of information processing to perform a smash.

So you can see in the image here that that athlete at the back of the court is about to jump and smash that shuttlecock in order to try and win a point.

So this is an example of an extended question where that command word is being analyse.

So before we tackle this and be able to answer it as best we can, I want you to consider how you will approach the question.

Now, something you could consider to help you do it in a positive way is you might then, first of all, give the knowledge.

So we know there are the four stages.

So that could be a brief description, like we did in that first part of the lesson, of that stage.

The question has specifically asked us to talk about a smash shot in badminton.

So then the apply could be where you make that link to that sport and skill.

And then because the command word is analyse, the final bit is where you then say what impact that would have on doing that smash shot.

So a really simple way of approaching this is to think of the rhyme, "Know, apply, say why." And we've learnt throughout the lesson that there are four stages to our information processing model.

Therefore what works really well here is four know, apply, say-why paragraphs.

So you can keep it really focused on each stage.

Have a go at that, pause the recording and come back to me when you've done.

Welcome back, how did you do? Did that know, apply, say why help you form those four paragraphs? And the way you could've approached that is, so if we look at the input stage, for example, you can see how we've got the knowledge first here by saying that that's the first stage, and that might use that sense of sight.

Okay, then linked that to the fact that they might be making a judgement on the flight and the speed.

So that's applying it specifically to badminton, but also the smash.

You can see they've done a bit more application there in terms of they might hear that shout.

But then we've got impact.

So selective attention is used at this point, and that has a positive impact because it means that that player is able to block out other visual stimuli, so that could be the net, the lights, might also be able to block out any sound.

All right, so we can see there how our know, apply, say why is really beneficial to work through that command of analyse.

And then it provides a really good structure for the next paragraph, which would've been on decision making.

So you can pause the recording at this point and just look at that example and how that compares to you.

Does it have the know? Is it linked to the smash? Is that impact around long and short-term memory? Likewise for output is that knowledge around it being that third stage, and very much about that activation of muscles.

For the application, do you link that to the muscles that are actually being activated? We saw our badminton athlete in the air, so those muscles in the legs have been activated to get him into that position and be able to jump.

His arm position, his arm and the upper body was also into a position ready to hit that shuttlecock at its highest height.

And finally, there will be that analysis of that feedback.

Did you acknowledge the knowledge of what that is and the fact that that could be that very outcome of the shot? Impact of that is it could be intrinsic, so he will feel or he'll see where that shuttle has landed.

Or it could be that it's extrinsic, it could be the coach or even his mixed doubles partner, she was at the front, near the net, and it could be that she's providing some feedback in terms of how that smash was executed.

All of which will no doubt inform that in part, that model again, for when he has to do a smash shot, maybe in that same rally, that same point, that same match.

So this is something that's happening constantly over and over and over again.

So well done for attacking our extended question.

What we can do now is just summarise that basic information processing.

And hopefully you feel confident there that that's very much around taking in that information and doing something with it, making a decision.

And we learnt clearly that there are four stages, that input, which is that when you receive that data and that information.

Decision making, making that response.

Output, once that response has been chosen, letting those muscles know that they have to execute that action.

And finally, knowing that that loop is completed by feedback being given, which can then help with future improvements, we know that can be both intrinsic and extrinsic.

I have really enjoyed taking you through the basic information processing model.

Really hope it's been useful, and I look forward to seeing you on the next lesson.