Time pressure in decision-making: Effects on throwing speed and accuracy in handball jump shots

Abstract

This study examined how delayed decision-making affects speed and accuracy in handball jump throws. Thirty-five experienced male players (age: 24.87 ± 4.57 yr) performed frontal 9 m jump throws under three visual-stimulus onset delays: T1 (0 s), T2 (0.100 s), and T3 (0.250 s). Throwing speed (TS) was measured via radar gun and accuracy via video analysis of hits on corner targets. Data were analysed using Friedman and Cochran's Q tests for condition effects, and binary logistic regression to examine the speed–accuracy relationship. Delayed stimulus onset caused a progressive reduction in TS (χ²(2) = 33.036, p < 0.001, Kendall's W = 0.472). Accuracy was significantly affected (Q(2) = 9.652, p = 0.008, Cramér's V = 0.371), remaining stable between T1 and T2 but deteriorating sharply in T3 (T3 vs T2: p = 0.007). Logistic regression showed that normalized speed did not predict accuracy under T1 or T2 (T1 p = 0.601; T2 p = 0.106); however, under T3, a significant association emerged (OR = 1.164, p = 0.009), indicating the absence of a classic speed–accuracy trade-off. Temporal constraints modulate performance non-linearly: players prioritize accuracy under moderate pressure (T2) by reducing speed, but reach a critical threshold under severe constraints (T3) where both parameters collapse. This interval represents the limit of online motor reprogramming and the breakdown of perceptual-motor coupling. Training should incorporate late-stimulus drills to enhance perceptual-cognitive flexibility and fast-reprogramming capacity under extreme time pressure.