ABSTRACT
This chapter explores the concepts of preparation and practice, and the development of habitual responses to specific triggers and environmental conditions. It considers the importance of representative task design, the links between preparation and performance, and how to maximize this transfer from practice to performance. Preparation for the performance environment is a crucial aspect of the actual performance itself. This concept of preparation is related to but also different from the notion of skill learning through deliberate practice. Habits are generally described in psychology as the learning of sequences of actions that have become automatic responses to specific situations, which may be functional in order to satisfy specific needs, or to obtain certain goals. Implementation intentions specifying the replacement of a habitual response with an alternative response in a critical situation can overrule habits.
