Simulation study of a decision-making model of squash competition, phase two: Testing the model through the use of computer simulation

This study aims at verifying the inner validity and logic of a squash competition decision-making model through the use of computer simulation. The model defines the cognitive-decisional strategy of the defending player (D) when selecting a motor reaction in response to his opponent's shot. Computer simulation of the model was carried out on a PDP-10 computer using a recent version of UCI-LISP. Protocol analysis data pertaining to the nature of the information D processes when awaiting the attacking player's shot were fed into the simulation program in order to examine the extent to which the model can reproduce decisions reached in various defensive contexts. Simulation results reveal that the proposed model can account for a substantial part of the variation in the speed and accuracy of D's motor reaction in real sport situations. Several factors like time pressure, expectancies, uncertainty, recency and familiarity of the relationship between signal and response appear to affect D's motor response via the cognitive-decisional strategy employed by the defending player. Particular discrepancies observed between simulation results and decisions reached by expert players in specific defensive situations nevertheless indicate that the decision rule utilized within the present model needs to be refined. In this regard, several issues are discussed and suggestions for further simulation studies are put forward in order to account more precisely for the various features characterizing the defensive player's motor reaction in real sporting context.