Research article - (2012)11, 542 - 550
Field of Vision Influences Sensory-Motor Control of Skilled and Less-Skilled Dart Players
Rebecca Rienhoff1,, Joseph Baker2, Lennart Fischer1, Bernd Strauss1, Jörg Schorer1
1Institute of Sport and Exercise Sciences, University of Muenster, Germany
2School of Kinesiology and Health Science, York University, Canada

Rebecca Rienhoff
✉ Institute of Sport and Exercise Sciences University of Muenster, Germany
Email: rebecca.rienhoff@uni-muenster.de
Received: 18-04-2012 -- Accepted: 27-06-2012
Published (online): 01-09-2012

ABSTRACT

One characteristic of perceptual expertise in sport and other domains is known as ’the quiet eye', which assumes that fixated information is processed during gaze stability and insufficient spatial information leads to a decrease in performance. The aims of this study were a) replicating inter- and intra-group variability and b) investigating the extent to which quiet eye supports information pick-up of varying fields of vision (i.e., central versus peripheral) using a specific eye-tracking paradigm to compare different skill levels in a dart throwing task. Differences between skill levels were replicated at baseline, but no significant differences in throwing performance were revealed among the visual occlusion conditions. Findings are generally in line with the association between quiet eye duration and aiming performance, but raise questions regarding the relevance of central vision information pick-up for the quiet eye.

Key words: Perception, expertise, information-processing, eye-tracking.

Key Points
  • Investigation of throwing performance and quiet eye duration in dart throwing under several vision conditions
  • First investigation using a dynamic occlusion paradigm, manipulating field of vision in situ
  • Replication of previous findings concerning throwing performance and quiet eye duration
  • New insights about the role of central (and peripheral) vision concerning the quiet eye phenomena








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