剣道競技における熟練選手の能動的反応選択と防御者の遅延反応

抄録

The purpose of this study was to examine differences in the response selection of collegiate kendo players (mid- and high-level skill groups, n=9 for both groups) during matches from complex viewpoints. First, the subjects reported their own skill (or waza) knowledge utilized during practices and matches, and then participated in matches with players of the same group. We analyzed their thinking processes and frequencies of utilization of skill knowledge as processing contents, as well as the consequent processing times and starting times of defenders’ appropriate reactions to the response selection. Although differences in the thinking processes and processing times of the two groups were not significant, the high-level skill group utilized their skill knowledge more frequently and delayed the defenders’ appropriate reactions. The reported thinking processes, i.e., those that could be verbalized, reflected effective thought processes such as brief thinking. The processing times, which we expected to be significantly different between the two groups, were influenced by time variabilities produced by the players themselves, as they must utilize various processing methods in different match situations. Analysis of the processing contents also showed that the high-level skill group selected actions actively and frequently by using their skill knowledge to anticipate situations and assess non-immediate environmental information. This processing mode led to tactical “active response selection”, which we believe is an important factor in the creation of 100-ms delays in the appropriate reactions made by defenders, delays that translate into points scored. Such active response selection, which differs from passive processing of environmental information, i.e., the “passive response selection” that has been reported in highly skilled players in other sports studies, indicates that the processing mode in response selection changes according to the characteristics of a sport. Also, the mid-level skill group adopted passive response selection more frequently. Consequently, we suggest that 1) kendo players should aim towards active response selection, 2) should acquire effective skill knowledge, and 3) should utilize this knowledge actively and frequently in response selection.