Abstract
Video-based training has long been used in sports to enhance athletes’ perceptual-cognitive skills, such as decision-making and anticipation. Traditionally, these sessions have relied on various types of fixed screens (e.g., television screen, projectors, tablets, etc.) for the video presentation. However, recent technological advancements have introduced more ecologically valid presentation modalities, such as 360° video (360°V). Emerging evidence suggests that 360°V may be more effective than fixed-screen (FS) for training perceptual-cognitive skills, though the mechanisms underlying this advantage remain unclear. This study tested the hypothesis that 360°V enables different visual search strategies compared to FS. Thirty-five participants (18 varsity basketball players, 17 novices) wore an HTC Vive Pro Eye headset and viewed the same 25 basketball video clips in 360°V and FS modes while their eye and head movements were recorded. Visual events were categorized post-hoc using an algorithm adapted from Larsson et al. (2015). Compared to FS, 360°V elicited an increase in smooth pursuits, visual scanning, and head movements (p < 0.001), alongside fewer and shorter visual fixations and saccades (p < 0.001). These effects were not significantly modulated by expertise (p > 0.07). Together, these results demonstrate marked differences in the visual search strategies used in both modalities, with 360°V potentially better reflecting real-world visual behavior. This supports the use of 360°V as a more ecologically valid tool for perceptual-cognitive training in sports, particularly for decision-making under dynamic conditions.
