Computerized Cognitive and Psychomotor Battery

Computerized Cognitive and Psychomotor electric bombardmentThe primary goal of this excogitate was to develop and validate the computerized cognitive and psychomotor battery for the sharp shooters. In set out to make up the ravelify, task digest were carried out. For the experts in the field of psychology, run throughd shooters and coaches were interviewed in the army marksmanship training center. ground on that learnings and abilities require for the shooters were set. In fix to quantify those dexteritys eight streamlets were identified i.e. Reasoning, visualization, shifting of guardianship, childly reaction cartridge h dodderinger, complex reaction time, sustained attention, Eye- pop off Co-ordination and noetic stamina (to with stand the match pressure). Initially the test protocols and essential were developed and those were discussed with the softw ar experts. The softwargon professionals prepargond the test software by using OPENGL and MYSQL software pack ages. After computerized the battery, institution process were started. In erect to imbibe the psychometric properties, the engage has carried out in two phase. In the first part of the research was focused on the validation of cognitive and psychomotor battery and in the second part validation of egotism reported psychological humour exfoliation.In order to establish the psychometric properties of perceptual and motor battery around 650 samples were compile from shooters in IMA and legions Marksmanship unit. To establish the reliability, test retest method employed to investigate the temporal stability, for this 45 shooters were collected from Army marksmanship Unit (8 months time interval) (Mean age 24.2 SD 3.8 Average grade of obtain in shooting 3.5) . boilers suit the correlation was sustain, the lowest value was obtained in simple reaction time (See table No).For rests of the surmounts temporal consistency was moderate level. Apart from that pair sample t test s used to check the consistency of the give in the two levels. There was no essential oddment betwixt the mean test and retest degrees mean scores. This findings go fors the test battery is maintaining adequate temporal consistency.To involve the elemential rigour, exploratory factor summary was carried out. Findings shows that three factor were emerged and it explains 60.2 %. In factor I argument and perceptual style test is loaded (), Factor II Vigilance, Eye dedicate Coordination and shifting of attention is loaded and in Factor 3 simple and choice reaction time is loaded (). The tests loaded on factor I, it measures logical reasoning and decision making of an indivual, and both(prenominal) the tests are non communicative matrix test, which may be the cause of loading both the test in Factor I.In the second factor, Sustained attention Shifting of attention and Eye hand Coordination are loaded, theoretically it was non expected the psychomotor test shared common var iance with the test that measures attention and concentration. In the Eye hand coordination test subject has to focus and move the ballock with the help of the Joystick, and to perform the task the subject is non only required psychomotor skills only if the subject has to concentrate and focused the task, which may be the cause of loading this test in Factor II.In the Factor III, the tests measures the psychomotor skills (simple and Choice reaction time) are loaded. To cross validate the latent social system emerged in the exploratory outline, a rive confirmative factor analysis were carried. Two competing rides were developed but the results shows that the three dimensional oblique model is adequately fitting the data.After factorial lustiness, to establish the predictive rigour of cognitive and psychomotor battery, separate set of data were collected from the participants of talent shooting rival and shooters performance appraisal data from the training institute. And t o establish the cogency, t-test and discriminant analysis were carried out to predict how far the battery is predicting the performance of the shooters. In the talent shooting competition around 415 IMA cadets were participated in the shooting competition, in this only 397 cadets were under gone cognitive and psychomotor battery. After competition only 17 cadets were recommended for shooter sport. Results of the analysis reveals shows that in that respect is a evidential difference between the recommended and non recommended shooters in cognitive and psychomotor skills. especially reasoning ability, spatial visualization, handy steadiness, reaction time and sustained attention of recommended shooters (N=17) importantly different from than the below non recommended shooters and this indicated that they are better in cognitive and psychomotor abilities (except divided attention) than non-recommended shooters.To upgrade validate the battery, performance appraisal reports were certa in. Trainer and coaches assessed the shooters, establish on the performance in the national and international competitions, based on those shooters were rated as below modal(a) and above average shooters. Data were collected from 50 experienced shooters finally 36 pistol shooters (mean age 23.1 and SD 3.25) reports were received for validation, in these 11 shooters were rated as below average and 25 shooters as above average shooters. Results shows that above average shooters are better in sustained attention and handsteadyness. In the discriminant analysis, both the variables explain 25.4% of the variation in the dependent variable and it correctly classify 75 % of respondents into Above average or below average shooters. general predictive accuracy of the discriminant hunt is called the hit ratio. Non Recommended shooters were classified with jolly better accuracy (76%) than recommended shooters (72.7 %).Overall the cognitive and Psychomotor test are meaningfully predicting t he performance of the shooters. Particularly in the novice shooters, parameters link up to perceptual style, choice reaction time and handsteadyness play a major factor for predicting the performance. These parameters (except handsteadyness) are measuring the constructs cerebrate to logical reasoning and decision making. It may be due the participants are not experient shooters they are novice, while shooting they required more than cognitive resources, because they are in the learning phase. But in the skilled shooters (experienced shooters) sustained attention and Eye hand coordination is significantly predicting performance. Basically these constructs are measuring the alertness and psychomotor coordination, this may be due to the shooters are experienced and they are in the automatic phase, so they are not required practically cognitive resources to perform the task. Findings of this study partially support the Ackermans theory of skill ripening. tally to Ackermans (1988) theory of skill development predicts differential relations of cognitive and psychomotor to different phases of skill development. When participants are learning the task, cognitive variables should own a higher stir on performance than psychomotor variables, with the opposite relation when participants are in the practice phase.Further to search is at that place any difference between the different categories of shooters in cognitive and psychomotor abilities. For this, test were administered to slow and quick shooters, in this category particularly trap and skeet shooters has to hit the desist moving tar have in the different direction, for this task, the shooter has to be scanty cautious, proper Psychomotor coordination and quick reaction time is required, but the findings of the study shows that the rapid shooters mean score of shifting of attention, handsteadyness and reaction time is slightly better than the slow shooters, but its not statistically significant.As a par t of this research ,to explore how training and experience in shooting competition im rears on perceptual and motor skills, in order to answer this question , newly inducted (less than flipper courses ) and experienced shooters (more than five years ) were identified and administered the psychomotor battery. Results show that there is no statistically significant difference between the groups in the cognitive and psychomotor abilities. It revealed that training, movie and experience in shooting are not better much in cognitive and psychomotor skills. From this we can infer that, if the skills are not improved much in training and experience, better it can be identified in the induction level to make successful shooters, but further in-depth longitudinal study has to be carried out to support this finding. Overall the validation study reveals that cognitive and psychomotor skills are significantly contribute for shooting performance.Apart from the cognitive Psycho-motor abilitie s, emotional component plays a rattling role in shooting sports performance. He/she may be technically competent and innate aptitude for shooting but if he is not able to control the emotion and with stand the match pressure, he/she will lose the game. The adjacent part of the research is focused on the construct of mental staying power. Although mental humor is a broad term that has been associated with a variety of mental skills, little has been done to quantify mental humour for research and assessment purposes. The current study is conceptually based on the available literature and previous concepts believed to be related to mental toughness. The next part describes the method used to establish a mental toughness questionnaireThe second part of the research focused on development and validation of Mental Toughness Questionnaire (MTQ), for that available literature and concepts to be related to mental toughness were explored, based on that initially 120 items were generated , subsequently which were decrease to 100 items based on expert opinion. Consequently, the same was subjected to items analysis (item kernel correlation and factor loading) and it finally reduced to 40 items.Further to explore whether the mental toughness scale is uni-dimensional or multidimensional in nature, and to study the latent structure of the questionnaire, principal component factor analysis was employed. In the factor analysis, three factors were emerged and its explained 45.4 % of variance and it termed as egotism confident, self control and resilience and to cross validate the latent structural model, confirmatory factor analysis was carried out ,which rejected the alternative models ( uni-dimensional three dimensional orthogonal and second order factor model) and supported the three dimensional oblique model.In order to establish the reliability of the tool, Test retest reliability (r = 0.635) and internal consistency reliability (r = 0.912) was established. Apart fr om the face and content validity and to establish criterion validity, coincidental, construct and predictive validity were identified. In the concurrent validity the mental toughness tool is significantly correlated (0.683**) with the existing mental toughness scale and to establish the construct validity both convergent and divergent validity were established. In the convergent validity it is related with the theoretically relevant constructs (i.e. Resilience, Hardiness, neuroticism and positive Negative affectivity) and for divergent validity its not correlated with the theoretically irrelevant constructs.Further to refer how far the mental toughness scale is predicting the efficiency of the shooters performance. For this predictive validity is established with the following criterias i.e. adept Novice shooters, shooting score in the competition and successful unsuccessful shooters in the competition.In order to establish the predictive validity, the tests were administered to the expert and novice shooters. Finding shows that mean mental toughness score for expert shooters (M = 174 SD =?) was significantly different from Novice shooters (M=162, SD=.54) and indicated that Expert shooters being more mentally tough than Novice (t = -5.666, df = 279.4p Apart from that, further analysis carried out to identify how far the mental toughness scale is predicting the shooting performance, for that the MTs score has correlated with the shooting score. Findings show that both the variables are significantly positively correlated and in the stepwise regression, mental toughness factor I (Self confident) explains 4.6% variance in shooting score. Martin and Gill (1991) open self-confidence to be significantly and positively related to distance rill performance, but fix no significant family between cognitive anxiety and running performance. Similarly Hardy (1996b) and Parfitt and Pates (1999) found that self-confidence accounted for a significant proportion of performance variance over and above that accounted for by cognitive anxietyAnalyses of variance revealed that mean mental toughness score of Successful shooters (Medal recipient) is significantly higher than the average and below average performers.In order to see whether is there any influence of age, gender and experience of shooter is related with mental toughness. Adams Nicholls et.al. (2009) reported that there is a significant relationship between mental toughness and gender, age and sporting experience.According to age, evidence from developmental sports psychology research found young and old adults differ in their self perception social influence pauperism and self regulation with regard to sports participation (Weiss 2004).Therefore the role of development factors much(prenominal) as age could influence the mental toughness. Findings of the results showed that there is a significant relationship with age and mental toughness (0.243*). In particular, it appears that when people get older they improve in overall mental toughness, and more specifically in their levels of commitment, emotional control and life control. These findings have significant implications for the development of mental toughness. Clough et al. (2002) have suggested that mental toughness is a trait-like spirit characteristic, and Golby and Sheard (2004) have suggested genetic links. But, our findings suggest that life experience may well be an important factor in determining mental toughness levels.In respect of competitive experience, Connaughton Waedey, Hanton and Jones (2008) reported that competitive experience was a crucial factor in the development of mental toughness among athletes. The result of the study shows that there is no significant relation between the shooting experience and mental toughness. It reveals that the training imparted for the shooters and the experience they gained from the shooting exposer is not significantly improved the mental toughness. Age and years of experience are of course fast related variables (r = .79 in this study). Therefore learning experiences and/or biological changes office be responsible for the small changes in the attributes underlying mental toughness. In order to further study whether the shooting experience is improving the mental toughness or not ,a small longttitunel study was conducted to check whether is there any changes in mental toughness after induction in to training and the participation in national and international events. Around 20 participants samples were selected and administer the test during the Young blood competition, in these only 11 participants were selected and inducted for training in Army marksmanship unit. After that participants undergone training and participated competitions, one year after again the MTS data collected from the same candidates to check there is any improvement in MTs, findings revealed the mean mental toughness score is improved slightly after undergone t raining and participation in competitions but its not statistically significant.Further exploratory analyses examined the relationship between gender and mental toughness. But the result of the study shows that, no gender differences were found on the scale, but previous studies (Nicholls et al., 2009 Findlay Bowker, 2009) suggest that males would have higher mental toughness than females. amicable pizzazz is the disposal for individuals to pose themselves in generally favorable light. Edwards (1957) defined the construct as a tendency to provide socially desirable responses to statements in self-description. Marlowe Crowne (1960) defined it as a tendency to give culturally sanctioned and approved responses. capital of Mississippi (1984) saw it as a tendency to describe oneself in name judged as desirable and to present oneself favorably. These definitions indicate a style of responding that is separate from the specific personality content dimension to be measured by a psycho logical test. A potential problem for a self-report personality scale is whether an elevated score represents a high score on the tests content dimension or a tendency to present oneself favorably. Various methods exist for coping with social desirability in self-report inventories. First, a forced-choice format could be used for the test. Response options for any test item would then be matched for social desirability. Second, test items could be selected for a scale based on those items being more strongly illustration of the psychological construct of interest than social desirability. Third, test instructions could be tailored to reduce the likelihood that test takers will respond in terms of social desirability. Fourth, social desirability could be statistically distant from the score generated on the test. Fifth, the questionnaires under investigation are correlated with a complaisant Desirability Scale and consequently demonstrating that the questionnaires under investigat ion do not correlate with the social desirability scale or if they do, that the correlations of these questionnaires with another(prenominal) variables of interest are not significantly attenuated when scores from genial Desirability Scale are partialled out ( Mummendey, 1981). To identify the social desirability of this tool the 40 items of the newly constructed Mental toughness scale was administered with the Social Desirability Scale 17 (Strber, 1991) on a sample of 281. The Social Desirability Scale 17 was developed because some items the Marlowe-Crowne Scale was found to be inapplicable to the present day. The scale has high reliability ( = .80). It shows a convergent correlation of r = .68 with the Marlowe-Crowne Scale. The correlation between the two test was found to be statistically significant (r = -.001). Finally, the MTS score was positively correlated(r=0.29, p.001) with the SDS-17 Score. moreover its magnitude was relatively small with social desirability accounte d for only 7.5% of scale variance.This finding suggests that mental toughness assessment and training may prove valuable in enhancing performance and retention of the shooters