Gender Differences in Strategic Behavior in a Triadic Persecution Motor Game Identified Through an Observational Methodology

Abstract

The main objective of the work is to address the effective behavior of girls and boys through Triadic Motor Games (TMG). A chasing game "The Maze" was applied on two class groups with a total of 42 players, 18 girls, and 24 boys, who were 12-and 13year-old secondary school students. An observational methodology was adopted, with a nomothetic, punctual, and multidimensional design. We used a mixed registry system that two expert observers later applied through an observational methodology, obtaining sufficient record-quality levels. THEME was applied to detect temporary regularities, while cross-tabulations and growth trees were applied with the SPSS v.24 tool to reveal whether girls and boys played in similar or distinct ways. The fact that the specific decision groups within the physical education class are different for girls and boys (p < 0.005) is worth reflecting on. The game's TMG complexity was addressed through roles and subroles, giving rise to a certain motor asymmetry in relation to gender, which is an expression of behaviors lacking in playful neutrality. Through a mixed-methods approach, a study was built using observational methodology that reveals more varied motor solutions in girls, while male behavior showed greater specialization of roles and subroles, and the linkage of these solutions with the favorable modification of the marker. Identifying relevant variables when playing TMG allows a better understanding of girls and boys by analyzing their relationships, which are sometimes paradoxical, in a practical context.

Effects of Neuromuscular Training on Motor Competence and Physical Performance in Young Female Volleyball Players

“…Following puberty, males experience natural increases in strength, muscular power, and coordination that are not generally seen in females [35]. Moreover, Pic et al [48] revealed motor asymmetry in relation to gender in this age group, which was the expression of behaviors lacking in playful neutrality. Additionally, a general change in girls posture with maturation causes greater knee valgus and lower neuromuscular control compared to boys [49], which may suggest the need for integration of neuromuscular training programs, including plyometrics and strength training, to improve performance.…”

Association Between Preschoolers’ Specific Fine (But Not Gross) Motor Skills and Later Academic Competencies: Educational Implications

“…However, motor skills do not emerge naturally. They must be learned, practiced, and reinforced (Logan et al, 2012;Pic et al, 2018Pic et al, , 2020. But, this is often forgotten, given the pressure existing in the lower education levels toward instrumental learning.…”

Influence of Traditional Sporting Games on the Development of Creative Skills in Team Sports. The Case of Football

“…Furthermore, few researches, even outside of sport, demonstrated that priming influences creativity in more naturalistic contexts ( Berger et al, 2008 ; Papies et al, 2013 ). In this study, we proposed a method to assess the influence of the environmental factor on motor creativity in representative settings ( Parlebas, 1999 ; Furley and Memmert, 2018 ; Pic et al, 2018 ; Oboeuf et al, 2019 ; Pic et al, 2020 ).…”

“…Creativity can be observed in ecological situations ( Pic et al, 2018 , 2020 ). The “motor situation” is described like “a set of objective and subjective elements that characterize the motor action of one or more players in a given physical environment when performing a motor task” ( Parlebas, 1999 , p. 337).…”

“…We don’t communicate in the same way during a football match or a balle assise game ( Parlebas, 1999 ; Collard, 2004 ; Pic et al, 2019 ). The “framework” ( Goffman, 1974 ) channels motor behavior and helps to understand the strategic choices of players ( Pic et al, 2020 ). The creative player is the one who, in this bundle of constraints, will manage to be unpredictable for the opponent in his communication choices.…”