Perceptual Attunement & Calibration

In ecological dynamics, attunement and calibration are key concepts that describe how athletes refine their ability to perceive and act in their environment to improve movement and performance. Rather than relying on internal models or explicit cognitive processing, athletes learn by interacting with the environment and adjusting their movements based on relevant perceptual information.
 
Attunement refers to the process of becoming more sensitive to the most relevant sources of perceptual information in a performance environment. As an athlete gains experience, they “tune in” to the key information that guides effective movement.
 
How to develop attunement:

• Exploration: Athletes try different motor strategies in dynamic situations
• Perceptual learning: They learn which sensory sources (visual, auditory, haptic) are most useful
• Experience & representative design: Training in contextual environments strengthens attunement

 
Calibration is the process of adjusting movement actions to match an athlete’s changing capabilities or the conditions of the environment. While attunement improves what information is used, calibration ensures the athlete accurately matches actions to that information.
 
How to develop calibration:

• Task variation: Practicing under different conditions helps athletes adjust movements
• Mistakes: Errors provide feedback, allowing athletes to self-organize & fine-tune their actions
• Continual adaptation: Calibration is ongoing as body changes (e.g., force development, body composition, fatigue) or external factors shift (e.g., weather, playing surface)

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