READ AND REACT: EFFECTS OF TASK COMPLEXITY ON MOTOR SKILL EXECUTION

Abstract

Performance in team sports requires players to both observe their game environment and proceed with technical skill. This case study evaluated if changing the complexity of a perceptual-motor task caused technical performance changes. Kinematic data were collected and analysed for 34 handballs across four levels of complexity using visual and auditory stimuli (simple-response, choice response, choice response with distractor, choice response with cross modality distractor). Kinematic differences were found between the simple response and choice response task for six out of 10 parameters. Although differences occurred, the effect of distractor stimuli on handball kinematics was unclear. The cognitive complexity of a task may affect technical performance and therefore has implications for biomechanical testing environments.