Managing the cognitive loads associated with judgment and decision-making in a group of adventure sports coaches: a mixed-method investigation

ABSTRACT

This paper expands work on professional judgment and decision-making and examines the coping strategies used by adventure sports professionals to manage the cognitive loads of decision-making. Amixed methodology was employed in which asample of participants completed aPro Active Coping Inventory and asub-group then completed an Applied Cognitive Task Analysis of atypical coaching scenario. The study determines that the participants manage their cognitive load utilising arange of heuristics, avoidance strategies and instrumental support that. includes their communities of practice, anticipation of acute cognitive loads and the development of adaptable plans based on anticipated environmental conditions and client abilities. That plan is modified in response to the actual conditions and client abilities as observed. These strategies reduce the depletion of the coaches’ own cognitive resources by managing the demands. We conclude that the professionals are aware of their cognitive resources and manage its expenditure.

KEYWORDS:

• Proactive coping
• Metacognition
• Anticipatory thinking

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Notes

1. For simplicity, we will refer to coaches and leaders simply as ‘coaches’ from this point.

2. ‘Sandbagged’: describes advice given either intentionally or unintentionally that may result in greater work for the coach.

3. ‘Faffing’: an informal term meaning spending one’s time doing a lot of things that are not important instead of the thing one should be doing.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Loel Collins

Loel Collins has worked as the Director of the National Whitewater Centre and as Head of the Paddlesport Department at the National Mountain Centre in the UK. He is a BCU level 5 Coach in all recreational disciplines (whitewater, sea and surf kayak, canoe) and currently teaches at the University of Central Lancashire in the Institute of Coaching and Performance. His research has focussed on the specifics of coaching adventure sports, understanding judgement and decision-making, teaching, learning and the education of leaders and coaches in dynamic environments.

Dave Collins

Dave Collins has published over 350 peer review papers and 70 books/book chapters. He is a Professorial Fellow at Edinburgh University and Director of Grey Matters Performance. Research interests include performer and coach development, expertise and the promotion of peak performance. Dave has worked with over 70 world or Olympic medallists, plus professional teams and performers. Participant-wise, Dave was excessively average at rugby, American football, martial arts and adventure sports. He is a Director of the Rugby Coaches Association, Fellow of the Society of Martial Arts, ZSL and BASES, Associate Fellow of the British Psychological Society and an ex-Royal Marine.