Research in sport and performance psychology has established new evidence that has had a demonstrable impact on enhancing professional judgement and decision making (PJDM) expertise in hyperdynamic environments, both inside and outside sport. Research hubSport-Related ResearchResearch expert(s)Dr Amanda MartindaleProfessor Dave CollinsHugh RichardsResearch centre/groupHuman Performance Science Research GroupWhat was the problem?Hyperdynamic environments are characterised by time-pressured decision making, uncertainty, ill-defined and competing goals, high stakes, and stressful field conditions. It is especially important to understand decision making in these complex, hyperdynamic environments to inform and enhance how professionals form judgements and make decisions about their practice.The researchers identified potential partners who could benefit from enhanced understanding of decision-making in hyperdynamic environments, including: sports coaches, crime scene examiners and organ retrieval teams.What did we do?Introducing professional judgement and decision making (PJDM) to applied sport psychology and sports coachingCollins and Martindale were among the first to promote the need to explore how applied sport psychologists and sports coaches form judgements and make decisions about their practice. Their body of work (published from 2005 onwards) coined the term “professional judgement and decision making” (PJDM) and promoted the concept as a way of advancing training, evaluation, and practice for professionals. Applying PJDM research to hyperdynamic environments outside sport What happened next?Impact inside the world of sportThe PJDM research has been applied and had impact to advance sports coaching policy and practice to develop more than 3,000 practitioners’ judgement and decision making, who in turn provide courses to more than 25,000 individuals across the UK each year. Examples include work with the UK Strength and Conditioning Association to incorporate the PJDM approach into its multi-tier accreditation process for members, work with the UK’s national outdoor centre Plas y Brenin in Wales to enhance the training for its sports practitioners, and work with the Outward Bound Trust to apply PJDM approaches.UK Strength and Conditioning AssociationPlas y BreninThe Outward Bound Trust The strong evidence base… enables us to move beyond the simple competency frameworks which have dominated work in British coaching. …[The PJDM research] also offers very practical and face-valid methods through which these aspects can be operationalised, taught and evaluated. Executive Officer, UK Strength and Conditioning Association Impact outside the world of sportThe research has also had significant impact outside of the world of sport supported by ESRC Impact Acceleration Account grants. For example, the Scottish Police Authority Forensic Services embedded PJDM in its standard operating procedures and internal training programmes to enhance professional judgement among 120 crime scene examiners who make vital decisions at approximately 25,000 crime scenes across Scotland each year.Scottish Police Authority Forensic Services We have been able to harmonise our initial approach to complex and major incidents which has strengthened and simplified team-working dynamics, and improved effective deployment of resources from different areas [and] has standardised our contribution to the Police investigation, [as] evidenced by positive feedback from our Criminal Justice partners. Head of Scene Examination, Scottish Police Authority Forensic Services The Vanguard Study… developed an entirely new evidence base which allowed clear decisions to be made about implementation. …This study was a landmark in establishing the role of performance research in shaping retrieval practice. UK Clinical Lead for Organ Retrieval with NHS Blood & Transplant Related study programmesApplied Sport Science (BSc Hons)Performance Psychology (MSc)Strength and Conditioning (MSc) This article was published on 2024-10-07
