Laterality in Sports

Dr. Florian Loffing is a senior lecturer at the German Sport University Cologne. He obtained his PhD in Sports Psychology and is a sports scientist with interest in laterality and perceptual-cognitive expertise. Dr. Loffing utilizes mixed methodological approaches including lab-based experiments, interviews, and archival studies to understand sports performance psychology. He brings 16 years of experience to the project. Norbert Hagemann is currently Full Professor for Sport Psychology at the University of Kassel (Germany). He received his PhD from the University of Muenster for his thesis “Heuristic problem solving strategies of team coaches”. Prof. Hagemann is studying the cognitive processes underlying how athletes perform in training and competitive situations. The focus is particularly on their perception and attention processes. Prof. Hagemann has been working on the topic of laterality for several years. This research has been supported by several research grants from the German Research Foundation. He publishes and reviews regularly papers in high-impact international peer-reviewed Journals. Bernd Strauss, born 1959, is currently Full Professor for Sport Psychology at the University of Muenster, Germany (since 1998). He obtained his PhD from the University of Kiel (Germany) in 1992 with a thesis about complex problem solving. He had been the former president of the German Society of Sport Sciences (2003-2009). Currently he is president of the German Sport Psychology association. Bernd Strauss published more than 20 books, and more than 70 peer-reviewed papers. Currently he is Editor-in-chief (in collaboration with Nikos Ntoumanis, AUS) of the Journal “Psychology of Sport and Exercise” published by Elsevier. His main research interests are focused on expertise in sports (perception, attention, laterality), social psychology (self concept, influence of audiences on performances, sports spectators) and research methodology. Clare MacMahon is a senior lecturer and Head of Sports Science at Swinburne Institute of Technology in Melbourne, Australia. She has an undergraduate degree in Psychology from McGill University, and post graduate degrees in Human Kinetics and Human Biodynamics from the University of Ottawa, and McMaster University. In her work on sport expertise, with an interest in decision making and the cognitive components of performance, Clare has conducted research in labs in Canada, the US, Belgium, Germany and Australia, working alongside world leaders in the area. Her work has been funded by the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada, and the Australian Research Council.

• 1. Laterality in Sports: More Than Two Sides of the Same CoinSection A. Laterality – An Important and Often Disregarded Topic2. Origins, Development, and Persistence of Laterality in Humans3. In Fencing, Are Left-Handers Trouble for Right-Handers? What Fencing Masters Said in the Past and What Scientists Say Today4. Measurement of Laterality and Its Relevance for Sports5. Laterality and Its Role in Talent Identification and Athlete Development6. Perspectives From Sports MedicineSection B. Motor Control and Learning7. What Can We Learn About Cognition From Studying Handedness? Insights From Cognitive Neuroscience8. Laterality of Basic Motor Control Mechanisms: Different Roles of the Right and Left Brain Hemispheres9. Effector Transfer10. Near Misses and the Effect of Attentional Asymmetries on Sporting PerformanceSection C. Performance in Sports11. Laterality in Individualized Sports12. Performance Differences Between Left- and Right-Sided Athletes in One-on-One Interactive Sports13. Biomechanical Considerations of Laterality in Sport14. Laterality Effects on Performance in Team Sports: Insights From Soccer and Basketball15. Skill Acquisition in Left- and Right-Dominant Athletes: Insights From Elite Coaching

"...an extremely well-written and thought-provoking book that explains more complex issues in sports performance, rehabilitation, injury prevention, and neurocognition in a very readable format...While the book is geared toward individuals in an academic setting, it can be useful for individuals in a variety of fields such as kinesiology, physical therapy, rehabilitation, neuropsychology, and sports performance." --PsycCRITIQUES