Analysis of contextual information sharing during table tennis matches: An empirical study of coordination in sports

Abstract

Abstract This study examined contextual information sharing between table tennis players during competitive interaction (two opponents during singles) and cooperative interaction (two partners during doubles) in a study based on the notion of shared context (Salembier & Zouinar, 2000) and conducted within the semiological framework of the course‐of‐action (Theureau, 2003). Matches were videotaped and players’ verbalizations as they viewed the tapes were collected a posteriori. The analysis and comparison of their courses of action served to characterize the nature and content of the contextual information that was shared between the players during singles and doubles matches. The results revealed alternating forms of sharing (i.e., symmetrical sharing, asymmetrical sharing, and no sharing) and highlighted several processes for regulating contextual information sharing (i.e., inquiry, monitoring, displaying, masking, and focusing). The discussion is organized in three sections: (a) the changes in information that was shared between players during sports interactions, (b) the role of awareness during sports interactions, and (c) the relationship between information sharing and collective effectiveness during sports interactions