Sport Psychology and/or skill acquisition Project title : "An exploration of elite sailors' visual search strategies".  Duration of one year  (with scope for support in year two subject to satisfactory progress and funding) Applications are invited for an MPhil studentship at the University of Chichester to begin in September 2016. The University of Chichester will provide a fee waiver to cover the cost of the full course fee for the 2016/17 academic year. The Royal Yachting Association (RYA) will provide a GBP 2000 contribution that can be accessed by the student to support travel and other ongoing costs. The successful candidate will be partly based at the University of Chichester and partly based at the British Sailing Team's Performance Unit in Portland, Dorset.  Research question: Visual perception skills play an essential role in Olympic Sailing, as a fundamental part of the decision-making process that is undertaken while racing. Despite the importance of visual perception skills when racing, there is a dearth of research in this area (e.g. Pluijms, Canal-Bruland, Hoozemans & Savelsbergh, 2015; Pluijms, Canal-Bruland, Hoozemans, van Been, Bocker & Salvesbergh, 2016). Indeed of the two known studies, findings are contradictory. For example, Plujims et al. (2015) found that better performances were associated with gazing to the tangent point during rounding. However, Pluijms et al. (2016) found that in constantly changing environments, focus of attention is not a significant predictor of sailing performance. Furthermore, research has already provided support for individual differences in visual perception related to individuals' movement time (Dicks, Davids & Button, 2010). In light of these confounding initial findings, further research is required to enhance, and provide clarity, in our understanding of the visual strategy and decision making process used by sailors. Using eye-tracking technology this research project will aim to a) identify the visual cues used and individual differences in elite sailors using a representative task design and b) identify whether the same cues and individual differences are identified using video-based stimuli. Main learning opportunities, tasks and activities Exposure to a high performance environment and the opportunity to learn and work alongside the psychology team working with the British Sailing Team.  Experience data collection and analysis using eye tracking technology with top level Olympic athletes and coaches. Project and Partner Organisations: This MPhil programme of research forms part of an on-going collaborative project between the Royal Yachting Association (RYA, British Sailing Team), and the University of Chichester.  Criteria: Applicants should hold a good honours degree (i.e., minimum 2:1) in Sport & Exercise Psychology, Sport & Exercise Science (with a Psychology bias), Skill Acquisition or Psychology. Applicants should be able to demonstrate the necessary experience or potential to successfully complete a higher degree by research. Informal enquiries should be directed to Dr Jenny Smith

Interview date 21 July 2016

University of Chichester, College Lane, Chichester, West Sussex PO19 6PE