

The Perception & Action Podcast
Rob Gray
Exploration of how psychological research can be applied to improving performance, accelerating skill acquisition and designing new technologies in sports and other high performance domains. Hosted by Rob Gray, professor of Human Systems Engineering at Arizona State University, the podcast will review basic concepts and discuss the latest research in these areas.
Episodes
Mentioned books

Nov 23, 2015 • 8min
14D - Sports Science Shorts: Are Running & Finishing a Marathon the Same?
Is Pearl Izumi right: “marathons have changed from a race to run to a box to be checked”? Is Associative or Dissociative Attention better for running and how does it depend on pace?
Articles/links:
http://community.runnersworld.com/topic/pearl-izumi-ad-campaign?reply=54776376858447655
Attentional focus in endurance activity: new paradigms and future directions
A social-cognitive perspective of perceived exertion and exertion tolerance
Marathon Training Academy podcast
More information:
http://perceptionaction.com/
My Research Gate Page (pdfs of my articles)
My ASU Web page
Podcast Facebook page (videos, pics, etc)
Twitter: @Shakeywaits
Email: robgray@asu.edu
Credits:
The Flamin' Groovies - Shake Some Action
Mark Lanegan - Saint Louis Elegy
via freemusicarchive.org

20 snips
Nov 19, 2015 • 53min
14C – Interview with Keith Davids, Sheffield Hallam University, Constraints-Led Approach to Skill Acquisition
In this podcast, Rob Gray interviews Keith Davids, a Professor of Motor Learning at Sheffield Hallam University. They discuss topics such as the constraints-led approach to skill acquisition, ecological psychology, team coordination, and designing for exercise and health promotion. Some of the key points include the application of the constraint-led approach in sports, the role of coaches in creating learning environments, and the importance of conducting a proper task analysis in sports science and psychology.

Nov 17, 2015 • 12min
14B - On the Advantage of Being a Lefty in Sports, Cooperating with Automated Cars
News: Why is it so difficult to play against left-handed opponents in sports? Will you drivers be ready when automated cars need them to take over?
Articles:
Skilled players' and novices' difficulty anticipating left- vs. right-handed opponents' action intentions varies across different points in time
What determines the take-over time? An integrated model approach of driver take-over after automated driving
More information:
http://www.perceptionactionpodcast.libsyn.com/
My Research Gate Page (pdfs of my articles)
My ASU Web page
Podcast Facebook page (videos, pics, etc)
Twitter: @Shakeywaits
Email: robgray@asu.edu
Credits:
Mr & Mrs Smith – Left Handed Right Handed Blues
JC Brooks & The Uptown Sound – Bad News
Andy Wagner – Driver’s Seat
via freemusicarchive.org

Nov 16, 2015 • 13min
14A - Sports Science Shorts: Review of See to Play, The Eyes of Elite Athletes
My Review of the book “See to Play, The Eyes of Elite Athletes” by Dr Michael Peters. Do I see eye to eye with his views on the role of vision in sports?
Articles/links:
http://www.amazon.com/See-To-Play-Elite-Athletes/dp/1938008006
More information:
http://perceptionaction.com/
My Research Gate Page (pdfs of my articles)
My ASU Web page
Podcast Facebook page (videos, pics, etc)
Twitter: @Shakeywaits
Email: robgray@asu.edu
Credits:
The Flamin' Groovies - Shake Some Action
Mark Lanegan - Saint Louis Elegy
via freemusicarchive.org

Nov 10, 2015 • 29min
14 –Technique Change
Making adjustments to a heavily practiced, well established skill can be one of the most difficult tasks required of an experienced athlete. Although there can be several situations in sport for which this is required (e.g., rule or/and equipment changes, advancement to a higher level of play), there are a dearth of empirical studies that have examined the processes underlying successful technique change. In this episode, I explore what is involved in: opening an athlete’s performance black box to get the new technique in place and then hiding the key so that it is resistant to the effects of pressure.
Research confessions: Why aren’t practitioners reading our papers?
Links to articles discussed:
Switching tools: perceptual-motor recalibration to weight changes
Two methods for recommending bat weights
On the fragility of skilled performance: what governs choking under pressure?
Refining and regaining skills in fixation/diversification stage performers: the Five-A Model
A case study of technical change and rehabilitation: Intervention design and interdisciplinary team interaction
Sources, topics and use of knowledge by coaches
To What Extent do the Findings of Laboratory-Based Spatial Attention Research Apply to the Real-World Setting of Driving?
Tim Tebow video:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?t=22&v=4deYMDDxC34
More information:
http://www.perceptionactionpodcast.libsyn.com/
My Research Gate Page (pdfs of my articles)
My ASU Web page
Podcast Facebook page (videos, pics, etc)
Twitter: @Shakeywaits
Email: robgray@asu.edu
Credits:
The Flamin' Groovies - Shake Some Action
June & Jean Millington – One for Change
Lame Drivers – Change Your Mind
Junk Boys – No Change
Benji Cossa –Time for a Change
Farmertan - Ugly Truth
via freemusicarchive.org and jamendo.com

Nov 9, 2015 • 9min
13D - Sports Science Shorts: The Effect of Cold Weather on Sports Performance
Ice, Ice Baby! As the thermometer keeps dropping what effect will the cold weather have on the perceptual-motor abilities of athletes?
Articles/links:
Effects of moderate cold on performance of psychomotor and cognitive tasks
A Meta-Analysis of Performance Response Under Thermal Stressors
Interactions between cold ambient temperature and older age on haptic acuity and manual performance
http://espn.go.com/video/clip?id=12137030
http://archive.advancedfootballanalytics.com/2007/11/nfl-home-field-advantage-by-climate.html
http://archive.advancedfootballanalytics.com/2008/01/cold-weather-effect-on-scoring.html
More information:
http://perceptionaction.com/
My Research Gate Page (pdfs of my articles)
My ASU Web page
Podcast Facebook page (videos, pics, etc)
Twitter: @Shakeywaits
Email: robgray@asu.edu
Credits:
The Flamin' Groovies - Shake Some Action
Mark Lanegan - Saint Louis Elegy
via freemusicarchive.org

Nov 5, 2015 • 4min
P&A Podcast going LIVE!
The Perception & Action Podcast is going LIVE and I want you to be involved (or at least just watch). On Wednesday November 11, 2015 at 9AM AZ/8 AM PST I will host my first live discussion on the general topic of skill acquisition using blab.im. My co-host for this topic will be performance advisor and coach for the NFL, Shawn Myszka.
Blab.im is a new platform which allows up to 4 people to video chat. The fun thing is that people can jump in an out for as long as they like and "fill the seats" around the discussion table. There is also a chat room for people to get side discussions going and/or ask questions.
To subscribe so you will be notified when we do go live please go to:
https://blab.im/rob-gray-the-perception-action-podcast-live-skill-acquisition-in-sports-1
For more information please see:
http://perceptionaction.com/live/
If you can't make the live event the audio will be used to create a future podcast episode and the video will be posted on http://perceptionaction.com/live/
Finally, I will be hosting more of these in the future so if you have topic ideas and/or would like to be a co-host please contact me.
More information:
http://perceptionaction.com/
My Research Gate Page (pdfs of my articles)
My ASU Web page
Podcast Facebook page (videos, pics, etc)
Twitter: @Shakeywaits
Email: robgray@asu.edu
Credits:
The Flamin' Groovies - Shake Some Action
via freemusicarchive.org

Nov 3, 2015 • 1h 4min
13C – Interview with Shawn Myszka, Movement Mastery, NFL Skills Trainer
A discussion with Shawn Myszka, movement skills trainer for the National Football League. We discuss connecting research and practice, technique change, dealing with injury, choking under pressure and look at the constraints lead or dynamic systems approach to skill acquisition.
More information about my guest:
https://footballbeyondthestats.wordpress.com/
http://www.optimizemovement.com/sq/35323-movement-mastery-intro
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCI0sfP6vEMuR-EyC673uplg
More information:
http://perceptionaction.com/
My Research Gate Page (pdfs of my articles)
My ASU Web page
Podcast Facebook page (videos, pics, etc)
Twitter: @Shakeywaits
Email: robgray@asu.edu
Credits:
The Flamin' Groovies - Shake Some Action
Lo Fi is Hi Fi - I’m on a Talk Show
Mark Lanegan - Saint Louis Elegy
via freemusicarchive.org

Nov 2, 2015 • 9min
13B - Sports Science Shorts: My Head Training Journey Part 2
The second installment of My Head Training Journey where I examine whether a smart phone app can improve sports performance. Does the luge game race to the finish or going flying off the track? My first episode on this topic can be found here: http://perceptionaction.com/11d
Articles/Links:
http://headtrainer.com/#/
As soon as the bat met the ball, I knew it was gone”: Outcome prediction, hindsight bias, and the representation and control of action in expert and novice baseball players
Visual and skill effects on soccer passing performance, kinematics, and outcome estimations
More information:
http://perceptionaction.com/
My Research Gate Page (pdfs of my articles)
My ASU Web page
Podcast Facebook page (videos, pics, etc)
Twitter: @Shakeywaits
Email: robgray@asu.edu
Credits:
The Flamin' Groovies - Shake Some Action
Mark Lanegan - Saint Louis Elegy
via freemusicarchive.org

Oct 29, 2015 • 13min
13A - Halloween Special: Superstitious Rituals in Sports
How prevalent are superstitious rituals in sports e.g., always wearing the same socks, eating the same meal or listening to the same music on game day? Do they serve actually serve a purpose?
Articles:
Superstitious behavior in sport: Levels of effectiveness and determinants of use in three collegiate sports
Superstitious Behavior Among American and Japanese Professional Baseball Players
More information:
http://www.perceptionactionpodcast.libsyn.com/
My Research Gate Page (pdfs of my articles)
My ASU Web page
Podcast Facebook page (videos, pics, etc)
Twitter: @Shakeywaits
Email: robgray@asu.edu
Credits:
Port City Music – Night Terrors
Out of Orion – Horror House
Little Debbie – Halloween Instrumental
Aritus –Path of Witches
Shrink - Fearworks
Blik – Halloween Rendezvous
Nightfall-Psicodreams
Lullaby for the Darkness - Psicodreams
Monk Turner –Halloween Night
via freemusicarchive.org