Effort instructions and preparation time in basketball head fakes: A secondary ex-Gaussian analysis of fake-production costs

This secondary analysis examined how try-harder instructions and preparation time influence fake-production costs in basketball head fakes. Using an openly available dataset with 40 male players (22 novices, 18 experienced), ex-Gaussian parameters (mu, tau) of initiation-time distributions were analyzed for passes with and without head fakes across three interstimulus intervals (0, 500, 1000 ms) and two instruction conditions (Standard, Effort). Fake-production costs (Fake - Pass) were computed per condition and analyzed with linear mixed-effects models and within-subject effect sizes. Results showed large fake-production costs in mean RT at 0 ms that were reduced or eliminated at longer ISIs, regardless of instruction. Effort instructions had a limited impact on mean costs but selectively reduced tau-based variability costs, particularly for novices at long ISIs. These findings suggest that preparation time primarily mitigates coordination demands, whereas effort mobilization decreases attentional lapses, especially when deceptive actions are not yet fully automatized.