The Efficiency of a Visual Skills Training Program on Visual Search Performance

Justyna Krzepota, Teresa Zwierko, Lidia Puchalska-Niedbał, Mikołaj Markiewicz, Beata Florkiewicz, Wojciech Lubiński, Justyna Krzepota, Teresa Zwierko, Lidia Puchalska-Niedbał, Mikołaj Markiewicz, Beata Florkiewicz, Wojciech Lubiński

Abstract

In this study, we conducted an experiment in which we analyzed the possibilities to develop visual skills by specifically targeted training of visual search. The aim of our study was to investigate whether, for how long and to what extent a training program for visual functions could improve visual search. The study involved 24 healthy students from the Szczecin University who were divided into two groups: experimental (12) and control (12). In addition to regular sports and recreational activities of the curriculum, the subjects of the experimental group also participated in 8-week long training with visual functions, 3 times a week for 45 min. The Signal Test of the Vienna Test System was performed four times: before entering the study, after first 4 weeks of the experiment, immediately after its completion and 4 weeks after the study terminated. The results of this experiment proved that an 8-week long perceptual training program significantly differentiated the plot of visual detecting time. For the visual detecting time changes, the first factor, Group, was significant as a main effect (F(1,22)=6.49, p<0.05) as well as the second factor, Training (F(3,66)=5.06, p<0.01). The interaction between the two factors (Group vs. Training) of perceptual training was F(3,66)=6.82 (p<0.001). Similarly, for the number of correct reactions, there was a main effect of a Group factor (F(1,22)=23.40, p<0.001), a main effect of a Training factor (F(3,66)=11.60, p<0.001) and a significant interaction between factors (Group vs. Training) (F(3,66)=10.33, p<0.001). Our study suggests that 8-week training of visual functions can improve visual search performance.

Keywords: eye movements; sports vision; training.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Relative changes of visual detecting time in experimental and control groups. Pre- and post-training values are presented as means and ±SEM. A significant difference (p** and at control conditions (Sig_c, p<0.05) is denoted with *. Significant intragroup differences (p<0.05) in the experimental group (Sig_0 vs. Sig_1, and Sig_1 vs. Sig_2) are denoted with (†).
Figure 2
Figure 2
Relative changes of the number of correct reactions in experimental and control groups. Pre- and post-training values are presented as means and ±SEM. A significant difference between the experimental and control group after 2 months of training (Sig_2, p** and at control conditions (Sig_c, p<0.001) is denoted with ***. Significant intragroup differences (p<0.01) in the experimental group (Sig_0 vs. Sig_2) are denoted with (††), and between Sig_1 vs. Sig_2 (p<0.05) are denoted with (†).
Picture 1
Picture 1
White signals (dots) on a black background and critical stimulus constellation in the Signal Test

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