ABSTRACT
The information-processing approach describes behavior as predominantly a hierarchical process, and researchers often use the analogy of a computer to describe the distinct stages that motor control is broken down. The central tenet of the information-processing approach is that when we perform an activity there are a number of mental operations performed by the learner to solve a particular problem or perform a task. Information processing is closely linked to a person’s ability to make decisions quickly and then transfer them into action. This is vital in many sporting situations and, indeed, many activities of daily life. The use of reaction time (RT) as a measure of information processing has a longstanding tradition in human experimental psychology. However, RT is a volatile measure that is sensitive to many variables, and to fully appreciate information-processing theory, coaches and therapists have to fully understand the impact of the variables.
