Chris Button

Chris ButtonBSc(Hons) PhD(MMU)
Tel 64 03 479 9122
Room 1.25, 55 Union St West
Email chris.button@otago.ac.nz

Background

Associate Professor Chris Button has been at the School of Physical Education since 2003. Previous roles have included the Director of the Human Performance Centre and the Co-Director of LINZ. He has held previous academic posts at Manchester Metropolitan University and Edinburgh University.

As well as carrying out teaching and research, Chris has provided consultancy with several sports providing advice on Biomechanics and Skill Acquisition to the likes of Netball NZ, NZ Football, Motorsport NZ, and the Scottish senior national squads of Badminton, Rifle-Shooting and Golf.

Recent work includes leading theoretical and practical workshops for the World Congress of Sport Psychology, Sport and Exercise Science New Zealand and the Teaching Games for Understanding conferences. Chris is a current co-editor of the Open Sports Sciences Journal (www.bentham.org/open) and the Coaches Information Service website and an Editorial advisor for Sports Biomechanics.

Chris lives on the Otago Peninsular in Careys Bay, with his wife Angela and daughter Melanie.

Papers taught

Dynamics of Skill Acquisition: A Constraints-led ApproachResearch Interests

Dr Button’s research interests include movement coordination and interception skills, skill learning, coaching, decision-making, variability, and dynamical systems theory. He has been the recipient of several research grants from organisations such as SPARC, ACC, and the University of Otago. Chris has published his research in several international peer-reviewed journals, and a common theme of this work is the application of movement science to sport within an Ecological framework. A summary of much of this work can be found in the textbook, ‘Coordination and Control of Movement in Sport: An Ecological Approach’, by Davids, Button & Bennett (2007).

Postgraduate Students

  • Richard Parr: Developmental pathways to sporting excellence. Dr Chris Button, Dr Mike Sam.
  • Luiz Uehara: Examination of the environmental constraints influencing development of Brazilian football players. Dr Chris Button, Dr Josh Newman.
  • Richard Shuttleworth, University of Otago: Exploring the influence of focus of attention during motor learning. Supervisors: Professor Keith Davids, Dr Chris Button.
  • Maree Kelly: The psychological consequences of injury in elite ballet dancers. Dr Chris Button, Dr Ralph Buck, Dr Mike Boyes.
  • Craig Palmer: Training intensity and energy utilisation in middle distance running. Dr Jim Cotter, Dr Chris Button, Professor Andrew Jones
  • David O’Donovan: Coordination variability of elite boccia players. Dr. Chris Button.

Selected Publications

  • Button, C., MacMahon, C., and Masters, R. (2010). “Keeping it together”- Motor Control under pressure. In: Psychology for Physical Performance by D.Collins, A.Button, & H.Richards (Eds.). Elsevier: Oxford. In press.
  • Chow, J-Y., Davids, K., Button, C., Renshaw, I., Shuttleworth, R., & Uehara, L.A. (2009). Chapter 10: Nonlinear Pedagogy: Implications for Teaching Games for Understanding (TGfU). In: TGfU Simply Good Pedagogy Proceedings for the Fourth International Teaching Games for Understanding (TGfU) Conference. Hopper T, Butler J, Storey B (Eds.) Vancouver: PHE Canada. pp. 123-135.
  • Button, C., Moyle, S. and Davids, K. (2010). Comparison of below-knee amputee gait performed overground and on a motorised treadmill. Adapted Physical Activity Quarterly. In press.
  • Rein, R., Button, C., Davids, K., and Summers, J. (2010). Cluster analysis of movement pattern dynamics in multi-articular actions. Motor Control. In press.
  • Dicks, M., Button, C., & Davids, K. (2010). Ecological constraints shape the visuo-motor behaviors of association football goalkeepers in the penalty kick, Attention, Perception and Psychophysics. In press.
  • Rein, R., Davids, K., & Button, C. (2010). Adaptive and phase transition behavior in performance of discrete multi-articular actions by degenerate neurobiological systems. Experimental Brain Research. In press
  • Mascarenhas, D.M.D., Button, C., O’Hare, D., and Dicks, M. (2009). Physical performance and decision making in elite football referees: A naturalistic study. Open Sports Science Journal. 2, 1-9.
  • Chow, J. Y., Davids, K., Button, C., Rein, R., Hristovski, R., & Koh, M. (2009). Dynamics of multi-articular coordination in neurobiological systems. Nonlinear Dynamics, Psychology and Life Sciences, 13(1), 27-56.
  • Barris, S., & Button, C. (2008). A review of vision–based motion analysis in sport. Sports Medicine, 38:12, 1025-1043.
  • Button, C. & Abbott, A.J. (2007). Identifying and developing athletic potential. International Journal of Sport Psychology: Special Issue on Nature-Nurture and Sport Performance, 38:1, 83-86.

To see details of postgraduate students this staff member may be supervising please visit the Postgraduate Profiles section of our website.

Last updated 20 Nov 2009

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