Set as an Instance of a Real‐World Visual‐Cognitive Task

Complex problem solving is often an integration of perceptual processing and deliberate planning. But what balances these two processes, and how do novices differ from experts? We investigate the interplay between these two in the game of SET. This article investigates how people combine bottom‐up visual processes and top‐down planning to succeed in this game. Using combinatorial and mixed‐effect regression analysis of eye‐movement protocols and a cognitive model of a human player, we show that SET players deploy both bottom‐up and top‐down processes in parallel to accomplish the same task. The combination of competition and cooperation of both types of processes is a major factor of success in the game. Finally, we explore strategies players use during the game. Our findings suggest that within‐trial strategy shifts can occur without the need of explicit meta‐cognitive control, but rather implicitly as a result of evolving memory activations.     

A review of competitive sport motivation research

ObjectivesThe purpose of this review was to synthesise contemporary research on competitive sport motivation (1995–2016) with a view to identifying trends and gaps in sample characteristics, research designs and analytical strategies, and classifying associated topics.DesignNarrative review.MethodFour databases were searched using a focused search strategy, leading to 63 studies that met the inclusion criteria. These were then evaluated in five sections: Theoretical Frameworks, Sample Characteristics, Research Designs, Analytical Strategies and Topics.ResultsA total of 63 studies comprising 12,440 participants were appraised. The average sample size and participant age were 197 and 22.6 years, respectively. Just over half of the studies described their sample as high-level. The majority of studies were quantitative and employed a cross-sectional design. A range of innovative statistical analyses were used, with structural equation modelling being increasingly adopted. In addition to studies focusing on motivation as a stand-alone topic, researchers in the area also investigated its relationship with motivational climate, burnout, doping, perfectionism, injury, and several other related variables.ConclusionsAfter reviewing the body of research on this specific topic area, promising directions for future research are presented. The focused approach particularly seeks to encourage researchers to employ different methodologies, and prioritise underused topics in future research on competitive athlete groups. Furthermore, the review points to several practical implications for competitive sport stakeholders.     

Effects of psychological interventions on competitive anxiety in sport: A meta-analysis

ObjectivesThis study reviewed the effects of psychological interventions on competitive anxiety in sport.DesignMeta-analysis and systematic review.MethodPsycINFO, PsycARTICLES, SPORTDiscus, Web of Science, ProQuest, and Sage databases were searched for experimental studies that fulfilled the inclusion criteria. Risk of bias was assessed using the 12 criteria Cochrane Review Book Group tool. Hedge's g and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated and pooled using a random effects model employing the Hartung-Knapp-Sidik-Jonkman (HKSJ) method.ResultsThe search strategy identified 37 studies which fulfilled the inclusion criteria. The meta-analysis was conducted on 34 studies after removal of outliers. The results showed an overall small to medium-sized effect for psychological interventions on competitive anxiety in athletes (g = −0.42; 95% CI, −0.58 to −0.25). Subsequent subgroup analyses showed that this finding was robust regardless of experimental design, anxiety measure, anxiety type, gender, country, sport, intervention component, intervention delivery method, and intervention duration. The results indicated that the effects might be greater for athletes of higher levels of competition as compared to those from lower levels of competition. Separate meta-analyses also suggested that there were medium to large-sized effects for cognitive anxiety (g = −0.54) and self-confidence (g = 0.55) intensity, and a small to medium-sized effect for somatic anxiety (g = −0.36) intensity.ConclusionThe findings from this review study provide a robust evidence base for the use of psychological interventions to help reduce competitive anxiety in athletes. Future studies need to investigate how psychological interventions might affect the directional interpretation of anxiety symptoms.     

Human dignity and human rights in the philosophy of absolute idealism

The tides of change constantly surface new currents in the world of business. No longer is it sufficient to seek the static positional advantage offered by classical Porterian analysis. This article explores the emerging direction of business strategy as expressed by the concept of evolutionary advantage. It examines first the major forms of business knowledge over the last century, then considers mainstream frameworks for strategic analysis, and offers, as a compelling alternative, the emerging notions of evolutionary development and evolutionary learning. Through application of Evolutionary Systems Design, it is shown how an organization may cultivate strategies for sustainable success.