Identifying the critical time period for information extraction when recognizing sequences of play

The authors attempted to determine the critical time period for information extraction when recognizing play sequences in soccer. Although efforts have been made to identify the perceptual information underpinning such decisions, no researchers have attempted to determine "when" this information may be extracted from the display. The authors manipulated the duration of film sequences during the recognition phase to identify this critical time window. In an initial viewing phase, skilled soccer players watched action sequences lasting 5 s, while in a subsequent recognition phase they viewed either the entire 5-s clip or the final 3 or 1 s of each sequence. The authors predicted that for the structured viewing sequences recognition performance would be most accurate in the 3-s condition, whereas for the unstructured sequences performance was expected to become more accurate with longer exposure. The data supported the authors' predictions for the structured sequences. Skilled players were more accurate on the structured sequences in the 3-s viewing condition than the 5- (d = 1.47) or 1-s (d = 1.74) condition. No significant differences were observed between the 1- and 5-s (d = 0.23) conditions. The finding that recognition performance for structured sequences is enhanced when limited to viewing only the final 3s of an attacking sequence is important in understanding expert performance and anticipation in soccer. The results supported the proposal that in soccer, and tentatively in other similar sports, structure only emerges at discrete moments preceding a critical event. Additional research is necessary to determine whether these findings generalize to other sports and even across alternative play patterns. (Contains 2 figures.)