The purpose of this study was to quantify human dexterity by examining the movement involved in switching between forehand and backhand strokes when a ball moved from side to the other during table tennis. The hitting movements of expert and novice table tennis players were observed when balls were repeatedly moving in the same direction (periodic input condition) and when they were moving in two different directions successively (switching input condition). From the viewpoint of the switching dynamical system (Gohara and Okuyama, 1999a), the repeated movement under the periodic input condition was treated as an attractor, and the switching movement between strokes under the switching input condition was treated as transition of attractors. The dexterity with which movement were completed was quantified in terms of the fractal dimension. The fractal dimension was calculated according to Poincaré maps depicting the trajectories of the midpoint and angular velocities at the shoulder. Data from experts and novices almost reflected transitions of the third-order sequence effect, and the fractal dimensions included non-integers, which indicate that these fractal transitions had fractal properties. However, the fractal dimension of experts was lower than that of novices. The two output patterns corresponding to the two input patterns overlapped more for novices than for experts. The results suggest that the dexterity shown in switching movements can be quantified in terms of the fractal dimension based on the switching dynamical system.

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Effects of explicit and implicit perceptual training on pitch-type (fast or curved-ball) anticipation with probability information prior to pitching motion were investigated. Participants (n=30) were randomly assigned to an explicit or an implicit instruction group, or a control group. They were administered 30 pretest trials, 60 perceptual training trials and 30 immediate retention test trials on the first day, 30 delayed retention test trials, 120 perceptual training trials and 30 immediate retention test trials on the second day, and just 30 delayed retention test trials on the third day. The explicit instruction group was instructed that they would be presented with anticipatory cues, whereas the implicit instruction group was instructed to react intuitively. The control group performed only the pretest and delayed test trials. During the pretest and delayed retention test trials, information on the probability of pitch-type was presented as a percentage, either 50% (chance level), 60%, or 80%, for one second at the start of a movie depicting the pitcher's motion. Results indicated that the level of awareness of anticipatory cues in the explicit instruction group was higher than in the implicit instruction and control groups, indicating that the instruction to react intuitively inhibited the awareness of anticipatory cues. The level of awareness of preceding information about pitch-type probabilities in the 80% condition was higher than in the 60% condition, indicating that the experimental manipulation of preceding information was effective. Anticipatory skill of the explicit instruction group improved after 60 perceptual training trials, whereas improvement of the implicit instruction group was marginally significant after 180 trials. It is concluded that explicit instructions result in faster learning during the perceptual training of novice baseball players.

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This study primarily examines the usefulness of and the gender differences in the Health Action Process Approach (HAPA) to physical activity (PA) among Japanese university students. A total of 1,019 students (age=18-23 years, M=18.73 years, SD=0.64) participated in a selfadministered cross-sectional survey. All participants completed a questionnaire composed of sociodemographic variables (e.g., gender, age), risk perception, outcome expectancy, self-efficacy, behavioral intention, planning, and PA. Data were analyzed using structural and multi-group structural equation analyses. The results indicated that the HAPA model provided a good fit to the data and explained 31% of the variance in PA among Japanese university students. However, the HAPA also revealed several significant gender differences in the standardized path coefficients. These results suggest that the HAPA is a valid model for predicting PA among Japanese university students; however, gender differences in the HAPA should be considered when designing PA interventions.

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The purpose of this study was (a) to examine how post-injury psychological states (competitive motivation, anxiety, impatience, isolation, disappointment, depression, and exhaustion) change in comparison with pre-injury states, and (b) to clarify the change of support provider and support content sought by injured athletes during the three phases of recovery prior to returning to competition. A population of 457 university athletes completed a questionnaire on their post-injury psychological state, the change of social support sought post-injury, and beneficial social support during rehabilitation. Results revealed that injured athletes experienced decreased competitive motivation and increased anxiety, impatience, isolation, disappointment, depression, and exhaustion. Results suggested that injured athletes sought support from “teammate", “student trainer", and “coach" before returning to competition and from “teammate" and “student trainer" during rehabilitation. Regarding support content, “technical advice" and “listening" consistently scored high, and “comforting", “material assistance", and “practical assistance", factors which may influence the state of recovery, decreased as injury improved. Finally, “technical advice" and “evaluation" which may influence post-recovery competitive activity increased as full recovery drew closer.

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Effect of self-talk on motor performance was investigated. High school and junior high school students (N=24) participated in the study. They performed 400 meter timing trials each week for two weeks, such that first week was the baseline trial, and second week was the intervention trial. After the first trial, participants were assigned to one of two groups based on their swimming times: self-talk group (positive self-statements) or control group (thought suppression). In each of two trials, the participants were instructed to swim as easily as possible. After completing each trial, they requested to fill out the questionnaire that asked about their thoughts and perceived exertion rate while swimming, as well as fatigue, anxiety, and depression after swimming. Results indicated no change in the perceived rating of exertion and fatigue among the groups between the two trials. However, the group assigned to self-talk swam significantly faster in the intervention, compared to the baseline trial. Moreover, depression score in the self-talk group decreased significantly after the intervention, in comparison to the baseline. These results show that positive self-statements influence mood and the emotional state, in addition to the physical state and its cognition. The findings of this study suggest the usefulness of using self-talk by participants who aim to improve movements and enhance their performance.

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This study sought to assess orientation to ideal self in an exercise and sports setting by developing the Ideal Self Orientation Scale for Exercise and Sports (ISOSES). In Stage 1 to develop the scale, participants were 170 university students. Principal component analysis revealed 8 items as single principal components, and the scale showed the reliability and validity. Furthermore, a t-test revealed no significant gender difference in scale scores. Participants in Stage 2 were 170 university students. The ideal self for exercise and sports setting was investigated using the KJ method, and results revealed that many students identify athletes with high performance, mental toughness, and sociality as their ideal self. In Stage 3, participants were 167 university students. Logistic regression analysis was performed to examine the influence of the orientation to ideal self on participation in exercise and sports setting. ISOSES scores revealed a significant influence on participation in exercise and sports setting. The present findings suggest that orientation to ideal self promotes exercise and sports participation.

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This article was discussed the application of ecological model through reviewing the researches concerning promoting children's physical activity with environmental and policy intervention. According to the review of Pate et al. (2011), children's physical activity policy is categorized following six area, “physical education in school”, “physical activity-related health education”, “community environmental support”, “school environmental support”, “active transport/urban design”, and “mass media/advertising campaign”. Though precedence research indicated the limitations of policies that focus on “physical activity-related health education” and “community environmental support”, in this article, it refers to the possible strategies for increasing children's physical activity in those two areas. It is expected to increase the application of ecological model for promoting physical activity, it is needed to collaborate with each relevant sectors (i.e. departments of public health, education, recreation, and transportation).

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Motivation research in sport psychology has focused largely on personal motivational factors such as values, expectations and needs. In recent years, however, studies that consider significant others (coach, parents, and peers) as environmental motivational factors are drawing attention. The motivational climate that applies the achievement goal theory proposed by Ames (1992) is a framework that structures the relationship between the athletes and his/her significant others from the viewpoint of motivation. Numerous studies have been conducted since Seifriz et al.ʼs (1992) development of the Perceived Motivational Climate in Sport Questionnaire (PMCSQ). In approximately 20 years, motivational climate research has become widespread not only in Western countries but also throughout the world, which underscores the meaningfulness of motivational climate research findings. Indeed, only motivational climate research can reveal the behaviors of significant others that render the athleteʼs motivation adaptive or maladaptive. In contrast to such vigorous research trends overseas, studies in this area are still developing in Japan. Therefore, this paper will address issues in the motivational climate research conducted in Japan while reviewing the research trends overseas. This paper consists of the theoretical framework of motivational climate, trends in motivational climate research, issues with motivational climate research, and prospects for the future.

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This paper reviews previous studies on the psychological conditions under which athletes and teams show a high level of ability and performance, with an emphasis on leadership. This study presents the main theoretical frameworks in sports leadership research and considers behavioral aspects of coachesʼ leadership. In reviewing the findings regarding the effects of coachesʼ leadership behavior on individual and team outcomes, the focus is on papers published since 2000. Recent leadership studies have also emphasized the coach–athlete relationship, and these studies are introduced here. Finally, topics for future studies are discussed.

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The main goal of sport psychology as a branch of applied psychology is to convey scientific knowledge to the practical or coaching fields related to exercise and sports. The present paper considers the most ideal ways that research can serve the practical field and how it can foster the leadership abilities of the coaches of the extracurricular sports activities in schools. We identify the ways coaches obtain practical knowledge and the problems existing there in. In addition, we discuss the necessity of a cooperative relationship between researchers and practitioners. Finally, a conceptual model that shows the ideal way that research can serve the practical field and the cooperative relationships between researchers and practitioners is presented.

In this model, it is shown that the following two aspects are possible positive outcomes of cooperative relationships between researchers and practitioners; 1) the generation of theoretical knowledge that matches the actual situation of the practical field, and 2) the obtainment of practical knowledge through evidence-based practices. The model further demonstrates that cooperation between researchers and practitioners leads to higher awareness in two areas. These two areas are as follows; 1) methodology derived from theoretical knowledge applied in the practical field, and 2) research subject derived from practical knowledge adopted into research. Therefore, building cooperative relationships between researchers and practitioners for generation of these two areas should be considered when searching for ideal ways that theoretical research can serve the practical field.

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This paper describes the current condition of clinical sport psychology in Japan and discusses subjects that are currently been investigation in this field. Moreover, the validity of the new perspective in sport psychology that was introduced to Japan approximately ten years ago, based on theories of clinical psychology developed in Japan is discussed. Furthermore, a new understanding of the phenomenon of sports that is achieved by applying the methodology of clinical studies to this area is introduced. Additionally, focusing on an individual competitor, an important concept in clinical sport psychology is discussed in terms of increasing the quality of case formulations, thereby facilitating the implementation of the case study approach. Case studies that illustrate how the body and the performance of an athlete can be used as indicators of the athlete's mental processes are discussed. These suggest that an athlete's physicality can be used to develop unique psychological support for athletes.

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There are two theoretical approaches to motor learning: the information processing approach and the dynamical systems approach. In the former, an individual is regarded as a computer that processes information from the environment and produces motor output under the proposition that motor output variability reflects noise in the neural system. Thus, motor learning is a process of reducing such noise by refining the motor program, which leads to the stabilization of the movement trajectory. On the other hand, the dynamical systems approach considers human coordinated movement as self-organized phenomena arising from the interplay of various movement system components. The existence of an intrinsically ordered coordination pattern before motor learning takes place suggests that motor learning is the passage from one organized state to another organized state, rather than from disorder to order. The practice methods derived from these theories and suggestions for future research are discussed.

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Team sports such as soccer, hockey, and basketball are regarded as collective phenomena that generate global game momentum by cooperative and competitive interactions among players. A dynamical system approach that reveals the evolution of dynamics over time from a mathematical concept was recently applied to human movement science, including team sports. The purpose of this study was to discuss how the dynamical system approach provides an effective perspective for understanding the dynamics of team sports, particularly those of two and more than three coupled oscillators. The coupled oscillator system could reveal the rhythmic behaviors of a player or team and the synchronizations among them. Phase transitions such as bifurcation during a game were demonstrated from the relationship between order-control parameters. The symmetric Hopf bifurcation theory was confirmed to be a useful approach to evaluating the synchronization patterns of more than three players. The analysis of team sports from a dynamical system approach will contribute to understanding not only phenomena in sports, but also the dynamics of other human collective phenomena.

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