"Transfer is in the overlap between the human and the information" - a conversation with Dr Andrew Wilson

In this episode I reconnect with Dr. Andrew Wilson, Reader in Psychology at Leeds Beckett University and a leading voice in ecological psychology in sport. We delve into the fascinating world of affordances, skill development, and the complex challenge of transfer of learning in sport. Andrew brilliantly explains how our traditional understanding of skill acquisition often misses the mark, and why an ecological approach offers a more complete picture of how humans actually learn and develop skill. Three Key Takeaways: The overlap between training and performance contexts that enables transfer of learning is primarily in the information about affordances. When designing practice, focus on ensuring the right information is present rather than prescribed movement patterns. Variability in movement and practice isn't noise to be eliminated but rather a crucial signal that helps develop adaptable, creative performers. The best athletes aren't those who repeat identical movements but those who can respond to dynamic, ever-changing affordances. The ecological approach to coaching might benefit from being framed as an "affordance-led approach" rather than "constraints-led," highlighting how affordances define what counts as functional movement and serve as the primary constraint on motor abundance. Join my learning group 'The Guild of Ecological Explorers' by heading to and clicking the 'join a learning group' button. Become a supporter of this podcast: . Ready to explore these ideas further? Join The Guild of Ecological Explorers – a community of practitioners committed to deepening their understanding of ecological dynamics and constraints-led approaches. Head to and click the 'Join a Learning Group' button to become part of this transformative conversation

You can listen to "Transfer is in the overlap between the human and the information" - a conversation with Dr Andrew Wilson online on Radio and Podcast. Open the player on this page to stream the available audio.

"Transfer is in the overlap between the human and the information" - a conversation with Dr Andrew Wilson is an episode from The Talent Equation Podcast by Stuart Armstrong.

This episode is 92:16 long.

This episode was published on May 15, 2025.

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