ABSTRACT
This chapter looks at the role of contextual information in expert anticipation. It presents research that has demonstrated the importance of contextual information in anticipation, over and the availability of kinematic cues. The chapter reviews research that has identified the specific sources of contextual information shown to influence anticipation as well as associated research surrounding the ‘congruence effect’. It examines the dynamic interaction between contextual information and kinematic cues during expert anticipation, with reference to empirical work. The chapter highlights suggestions for future research to extend understanding of how anticipation is shaped by context. The ability to utilise contextual information to guide anticipation may be particularly useful when the relevant kinematic information available is limited or ambiguous. Significant effort has been invested in identifying the specific sources of contextual information that impact upon anticipation across a range of sports. Such sources include player positioning, shot sequencing, game score, and knowledge of an opponent’s action tendencies.
