Efficiency of information processing to include:: Response outcomes.

The idea

Response outcomes describe what a performer actually does after information has been processed, so they are the observable end of the model. In AQA A-Level Physical Education, the chain runs: input from the senses, decision making in the central nervous system, then output as a response. Response outcomes include the accuracy of the movement, its timing, its consistency across repetitions and the speed of the reaction or movement. A closed skill such as a golf putt is judged mainly on accuracy and consistency; an open skill such as a pass in a game is judged on accuracy and timing under pressure. Reaction time is the delay between stimulus and the start of the response, while movement time is how long the action itself takes. A performer with efficient processing shows short reaction time, accurate movement and repeatable outcomes.

What earns the marks

• Response outcomes are the observable results of the input–decision–output sequence, not the internal processing itself.
• Accuracy, timing, consistency and speed of response are the main measurable outcomes of information processing.
• Reaction time is the delay between the stimulus and the start of the response; movement time is the duration of the response itself.
• Closed skills are judged mainly on accuracy and consistency, while open skills are judged on accuracy and timing under pressure.
• Efficient processing produces short reaction time, accurate movement and repeatable outcomes across attempts.

Common mistakes and how to put them right

• Confusing reaction time with movement time.

  Put it right: Reaction time is the delay before the response begins, whereas movement time is how long the response itself lasts.

• Treating response outcomes as internal mental events.

  Put it right: They are observable behaviours such as accuracy, timing and consistency that a coach or test can record.

• Assuming faster is always better.

  Put it right: A fast but inaccurate response is a poor outcome, so speed must be judged alongside accuracy and timing.

• Ignoring consistency: one accurate attempt is not evidence of efficient processing; repeatable outcomes across trials matter.

Exam tips

• Define reaction time and movement time precisely before applying them to a sporting example, because the two are easily confused.
• Use one closed skill and one open skill to show how the criteria for a good response outcome differ.
• When evaluating efficiency, refer to accuracy, timing, consistency and speed together rather than naming only one.
• Link each outcome back to the input–decision–output chain so the answer shows understanding of the whole model.