Contextual Factors and Decision-Making in the Behavior of Finalization in the Positional Attack in Beach Handball: Differences by Gender Through Polar Coordinates Analysis

• Main Authors: Juan A. Vázquez-Diz, Juan P. Morillo-Baro, Rafael E. Reigal, Verónica Morales-Sánchez, Antonio Hernández-Mendo
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Frontiers Media S.A. 2019-06-01
• Series: Frontiers in Psychology
• Subjects: mixed methods; systematic observation; polar coordinates; beach handball; decision making
• Online Access: https://www.frontiersin.org/article/10.3389/fpsyg.2019.01386/full

The aim of this study was to analyze, in the framework of the mixed methods, the relationship of different contextual factors with the decisions shown in the finalization of the positional attack in beach handball. For this reason, a polar coordinates analysis was carried out, by gender, using as focal behaviors the simple and double goal, and the loss of possession of the attacking team, which are considered decisive in assessing the success of the decisions at the end of the positional attack. These focal behaviors have been linked to criteria that characterize the attack situation such as the minute, the score, the numerical balance, the defensive system and the duration. A total of 24 sessions were observed with the HOISAN computer software, using an ad hoc designed tool. The model of observation used was punctual, multidimensional, and nomothetic. The observation unit used for the positional attack from when the specialist gains control of play until the possession changes. The results obtained showed that an advantage of goals scored and the numerical balance situations of the teams modulate significantly the appropriate decision made by both categories. However, they also indicated differences in the flow of pairing behaviors for both categories in some aspects. Specifically, it has been observed that a longer duration of the attack in the female category has been linked significantly to a successful performance and the results also show that an elaborated attack is related to successful behaviors. In the male category, it has been observed that the technical fouls made by the attackers increase in the last minutes of the match. Likewise, as regards the to the opposing team’s defensive system, the results in the male category are related to successful behaviors before any of them; whereas, in the female category, when playing against a defensive pressure system, the results relate more to errors during the performance of the pass and reception. The use of polar coordinates for the estimation of technical-tactical relations allows, from a psychological point of view, determine the techniques and procedures of psychological intervention that optimize the action resources of the players individually and the team as a collective.