Changes in the visual search strategies during motor learning

2004 Fiscal Year Final Research Report Summary

• Project/Area Number: 15500412
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Single-year Grants
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Physical education
• Research Institution: Osaka University
• Principal Investigator: HASHIZUME Ken Osaka University, Department of Health and Sport Sciences, Associate Professor, 健康体育部, 助教授 (50156270)
• Project Period (FY): 2003 – 2004
• Keywords: motor skill / motor learning / eye mark recording / visual-search strategies / comments / instruction

Research Abstract

The aim of the present study was to examine the hypothesis that visual search strategies of a learner changed with motor learning. Before and after learning period (10 or 11 practice sessions of 15min each), while subjects viewed a video picture reflected on screen which showed 6 tennis servers hitting a ball, their eye movements were measured by an eye mark recorder and analyzed. Subjects were assigned to comment on characteristics of each serve. The mean viewing duration shortened significantly with the practice. Before learning period, subjects moved their eyes around the head mainly (35% of the total fixation point) and tended to comment on whole body motion (35% of the total comment number). After learning period, learners had longer fixation duration on the ball thrown in the air, the right arm with a tennis racket and knee. The comments on trajectory of the ball, displacement of body's center of gravity, motion of the right arm with a tennis racket and knee significantly increased. In control subjects, the visual search patterns (viewing duration and location) were different from those seen in learning group. The comments on motion of the ball, arm and knee did not increase. These results suggest that motor skill learning contributed to acquire the player-specific visual search strategies.