ABSTRACT
Scientists and laypeople alike continue to argue over the roots of human achievement. Researchers examining the role of hereditary characteristics typically examine these relationships using twins and/or members of a family. The benefits of practice for skilled performance occur through the learning of task-specific skills. Numerous factors affect the quality of interactions between athletes and their practice environments, ranging from broad, environmental variables to more proximal, immediate influences. In addition to improving study design and conceptual models, several recent developments by researchers in this area highlight intriguing areas of future research. Researchers studying skilled athletes face unique constraints; for instance, the study designs typically have to use small samples that are difficult to track long term. Even when long-term studies are done, there is little follow-up with athletes who leave the sport, which makes ‘loss to follow-up’ analyses difficult.
