title: Preparation for action: psychophysiological activity preceding a motor skill as a function of expertise, performance outcome, and psychological pressure.
abstract: Knowledge of the psychophysiological responses that characterize optimal motor performance is required to inform biofeedback interventions. This experiment compared cortical, cardiac, muscular, and kinematic activity in 10 experts and 10 novices as they performed golf putts in low- and high-pressure conditions. Results revealed that in the final seconds preceding movement, experts displayed a greater reduction in heart rate and EEG theta, high-alpha, and beta power, when compared to novices. EEG high-alpha power also predicted success, with participants producing less high-alpha power in the seconds preceding putts that were holed compared to those that were missed. Increased pressure had little impact on psychophysiological activity. It was concluded that greater reductions in EEG high-alpha power during preparation for action reflect more resources being devoted to response programming, and could underlie successful accuracy-based performance.
authors.affiliation: School of Sport, Health & Exercise Sciences, Bangor University, Bangor, UK.
authors.forename: Andrew
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Cooke
authors.forename: Maria
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kavussanu
authors.forename: Germano
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Gallicchio
authors.forename: Adrian
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Willoughby
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: McIntyre
authors.forename: Christopher
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Ring
mesh_terms: D059031:Anticipation, Psychological / Q000502:physiology*; D001696:Biomechanical Phenomena; D005260:Female; D006055:Golf / Q000523:psychology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009048:Motor Skills / Q000502:physiology*; D011597:Psychomotor Performance / Q000502:physiology*; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000523:psychology*; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: EEG; Expertise; Heart rate deceleration; Movement kinematics; Performance under pressure