Developments and Regressions in Rule Use: The Case of Zinedine Zidane

Zinedine Zidane's "head-butt" of the Italian defender Marco Materazzi in the championship game of the 2006 World Cup provides the context for asking why people make clearly detrimental decisions, even in contexts in which they are experienced and expert. Werner's developmental notion of regression is an essential component of a developmental framework that can be used to understand Zidane's impulsive behavior, as even well-ingrained rules can be overwhelmed by lower developmental behaviors in certain circumstances. In this context, the notion of the development of rule learning and use is more nuanced than the simple attainment of the understanding or even the ability to of a rule in certain situations, but entails the adaptability to flexibly implement the optimal choice of rules in particularly challenging and stressful situations, such as the World Cup final.