EURECA 2013 – An Application of Research Methodology Framework Relating Cognitive Ergonomics to Sport Science
An Application of Research Methodology Framework
Relating Cognitive Ergonomics to Sport Science
Terence Foo Kai Wai, Praveena Nair Sivasankaran
School of Engineering, Taylor’s University, Malaysia
[email protected]
Abstract— Golf is considered among the most difficult sports to
master as it does not only require physical capabilities, but also
mental abilities. Therefore, mental behaviour will play a vital
role in affecting a golfer’s performance. Factors such as mood,
nutrition, lifestyle, course layout, game skills and club selection
were categorized to study the impact on each individual factors
and how it influence a golfer’s mental processing during the
game.
Keywords— Cognitive ergonomics, mental behaviour, stress, golf
performance, optimization techniques, design of experiment,
response surface methodology.
1. Introduction
Ergonomics is defined as a system-oriented discipline that applies
theory, principles, data and design methods to optimize human wellbeing and the overall performance of a system. Ergonomics is
categorized into many different sub-categories such as physical
ergonomics,
cognitive ergonomics,
neuroergonomics
and
organizational ergonomics [1]. For this research, cognitive
ergonomic will be the main interest of study as it is highly correlated
with golf. Golf is a slow pace game which involves not only physical
abilities, but also mental abilities. During a golf game, mental
abilities are very crucial as golfers often deal with attention
distribution, decision making, concentration, mental stress, and
mental processes. Therefore, the mental behaviour is a determinant
key which affects the outcome of golf performance. The
experimental factors involved for this research are categorized as
a)
b)
c)
d)
e)
f)
mood
nutrition
lifestyle
course layout
club selection
game skill
2. Research Methodology
This
research
study
consists
of
experimental
and
computational/numerical nature where results will be obtained
through experimental questionnaire follow by statistical analysis
using State-Ease software for design of experiment (DOE). A
number of participants with category of junior male elite golfers were
selected to participate in a specially designed questionnaire.
Information of participants will be stated as anonymous and the
results will be handling with care to protect the privacy of
participants. This research study will be conducted with ethical
guideline from American Psychological Association’s 2002 Ethical
Principles of Psychologists and Code of Conduct [3]. Data from the
questionnaire were then computed and analyzed with Stat-ease
software. D-optimal analysis consists of 2 primary grouping, which
is categorical and numerical factor. A categorical factor is qualitative
value which has a fixed and non absolute measurement where
numerical factor is a quantitative value with absolute measurement.
Thus the entire sub category has been input according to numerical
and categorical as shown in Fig. 1.
Fig. 1 Numerical and Categorical Factors for D-optimal design
A number of junior male elite golfers were selected to participate in a
specially designed questionnaire to study the behaviour of each
golfer towards the experimental factors. Later on, the data were
collected and analyzed using optimization techniques. Optimization
techniques were performed using Stat Ease design expert software
with response surface method (D-optimal) to provide an optimal
solution based on the experimental result gathered [2]. The optimal
solution was obtained based on the combination of numerical and
categorical factors induced in the software stimulation. Hence, the
optimal solution provides a prioritize factor which a golfer can
improve on it. By improving the proposed optimal factor, it also
improves decision making, concentration and ability to handle stress.
Thus, it improves a golfer’s performance and scores with a better
mental behaviour.
The outcome of this stimulation provides an optimal solution with an
overlay plot describing the importance of each categorical factor
affecting the golfers. Other than that, ANOVA table will be
presented with F values to represent the significance of the inputs
variable. ANOVA simply means analysis of variance where it
computes all the statistical data to study the variation of different
factors. It is a significant study as it provides an understanding of
interaction between each numerical and categorical factor. Hence,
when the F value is determined from the software, level of
significance of each factor can be prioritize. The theoretical
calculation of F value is usually presented in a ratio where
𝐹𝐹 =
𝑆𝑆𝑆𝑆𝑚𝑚𝑚𝑚𝑚𝑚𝑚𝑚𝑚𝑚 /𝑑𝑑𝑑𝑑 𝑚𝑚𝑚𝑚𝑚𝑚𝑚𝑚𝑚𝑚
𝑆𝑆𝑆𝑆𝑒𝑒𝑒𝑒𝑒𝑒𝑒𝑒𝑒𝑒 /𝑑𝑑𝑑𝑑𝑒𝑒𝑒𝑒𝑒𝑒𝑒𝑒𝑒𝑒
𝐹𝐹 =
137
𝑀𝑀𝑀𝑀𝑚𝑚𝑚𝑚𝑚𝑚𝑚𝑚𝑚𝑚
𝑀𝑀𝑀𝑀𝑒𝑒𝑒𝑒𝑒𝑒𝑒𝑒𝑒𝑒
(1)
(2)
EURECA 2013 – An Application of Research Methodology Framework Relating Cognitive Ergonomics to Sport Science
The initial calculation for F value is the sum of mean square over the
degree of freedom shown in equation 1 [4]. Thus it can be simplified
to the ratio of mean square of model over the error as shown in
equation 2 [4].
Table. 2 questionnaire survey for mood factor
3. Results and Discussion
Table. 1 ANOVA table with F value for nutrition factor
Table1 shows the ANOVA table computed using response surface
method D-optimal mode. F value computed by the software is
calculated using the theoretical equation shown in equation 1 and 2.
Table 1 indicates F value of 0.352 which is considered significant.
This can also be interpreted that the questionnaire survey shows
participants are fair enough in giving a significant amount of
attention to nutrition which results in nutrition not being a point to be
considered for optimizing purpose. Hence , it can be conclude that
participants is aware of nutrition factors such as the amount of food
and water consumed during the golf game as well as supplements
and nutritious food consumed in their daily life which helps to
maintain a healthy physical build. Therefore, nutrition is the least
likely factor to affect the golfer’s performance.
Results from the questionnaire indicated that majority of the golfer is
having difficulty in handling stress and often feel frustrated during
the game. This is a significant contribution to the poor performance
of a certain golfers as mental behaviour plays an important role to the
outcome score. On the other hand, lifestyle also has a vital impact to
cognitive behaviour. Results show that majority of the golfers do not
have enough rest as they often engage with training. This will lead to
exhaustion of physical which indirectly affecting mental processes as
well. Hence the overlay plot produced an accurate result for
optimization as compared to actual experimental data.
4. Conclusions
In summary, Overlay Plot and ANOVA table provides a clear picture
of the importance and significance level of each categorical factor.
The results obtained from the software clearly reflect the general
behaviour and response of the participants as compared to the
experimental result gathered. Hence, golfers can improve on the
suggested significant factor. By overcoming the usual behaviour,
golfers will also improves their mental abilities such as better stress
management, proper planning and effective decision making during
their game. Thus, when golfers have good mental processes, his golf
performance will surely improve as well.
Acknowledgment
I would like to appreciate and thank my supervisor Ms Praveena for
supporting me with this research. Other than that, I would like to
thank all the participants who took part in the questionnaire survey in
order to make this research happen.
References
Fig. 2 Overlay Plot shows the level of significance between each categorical
factor
The overlay plot indicates the interaction and priority sequence of all
the categorical factors. Mood and lifestyle has the highest value of
2.5 as shown in figure 2. This indicates that these 2 factors have the
highest priority for optimization. The value on the plot shows the
sequence of significance level needed for optimization. Nutrition was
not fitted into the graph because it is the least important factors and
not required for optimization. Therefore, mood and lifestyle has the
highest influence to a golfer’s performance and it is required to be
improved.
138
[1] Jose. Canas, Boris B. Velichkovsky and Borris M. Velichkovsky, “Human
Factors and Ergonomics”, pp.3-4, University of Granada, Spain,
KurchatovReasearch Institute, Moscow, Russian Federation, Dresden
University of Technology, Germany.
[2] Maters Raymond H.& D.C. Montgomery, “Response Surface
Methodology: process and product optimization using designed
experiment” A Wiley-Interscience Publication, 2002
[3] Bill Altermatt, “Ethical Responsibilities to Participants”, updated on
November 2011
[4]Paul J.Holmes, “The ANOVA table”, MARK5000 Statistical Methods in
Marketing.