Vol. 45 No. 1 (2013), Sport and Exercise Psychology Abstracts
Vol. 45 No. 1 (2013)

When the quiet eye gets older – perceptual skill in expert and novice basketball players of varying age

Sport and Exercise Psychology Abstracts
Published 2013-11-15
Judith Tirp
University of Oldenburg
Lennart Fischer
University of Muenster
Rebecca Rienhoff
University of Muenster
Bernd Strauss
University of Muenster
Joseph Baker
York University
Jörg Schorer
University of Oldenburg

Abstract

Schorer and Baker (2009) showed that some perceptual skills could be maintained with age. The quiet-eye, defined as the last fixation on a target before starting a final motor action, is a robust phenomenon within perceptual expertise (Vickers, 2007). The aim of this study was to investigate maintenance of quiet-eye in basketball players of varying age and expertise groups. Our first hypothesis considered differences in throwing performance between expertise levels while the second investigated whether throwing results were maintained with age. In a two (novices vs. experts) by two (40-50 vs. 70-80 years of age) factorial design participants were asked to conduct free throws. Throwing results and duration of quiet-eye were the dependent variables. An analysis of variance revealed significant differences in throwing results across the expertise levels, F(1,47) = 107.76, p < .01, ƒ=1.15, and age groups, F(1,47) = 48.29, p < .01, ƒ=1.01. Additionally, the interaction for age group and expertise level was significant, Fs(1,47) = 8.98, p > .01, ƒ=.44. Results for quiet-eye duration showed neither significant differences between expertise level, F(1,41) = 0.46, p = .50, ƒ=.01 , nor for age groups, F(1,41) = 1.98, p = .17, ƒ=.23. The interaction of both factors revealed a medium effect, Fs(1,41) = 3.87, p = .06, ƒ=.31. Our results indicate that free throw expertise can be maintained up to older ages, but skill maintenance cannot be attributed to longer quiet-eye durations, as it is in younger groups. These results indicate that motor behavior might be able to compensate for decreases in perceptual processes involved with throwing performance (cf. Salthouse, 1984).

Acknowledgments: Salthouse T.A. (1984): Effects of age and skill in typing. In: J Exp Psychol: Gen (113), S. 345–371. Schorer, J. &. Baker J. (2009): Aging and perceptual-motor expertise in handball goalkeepers. In: Experimental Aging Research (35), S. 1–19. Vickers, J. N. (2007): Perception, Cognition and Decision Training. The Quiet Eye in Action. Champaign: IL: Human Kinetics.