The Relation between the Skill Level and the Sensitivity Involved in Movement Observation

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to investigate, in an experimental setting, the relation between the skill level and the sensitivity involved in movement observation. We selected a ball-throwing task since there is a significant difference in the required skill level for the movement involved in the task among individuals even though such a movement is ordinarily seen in various sports. In experiment 1, 40 participants attempted to throw a ball and were divided into 2 groups on the basis of the temporal phase difference between the elbow and wrist joints during the task of throwing the ball. Group A; skilled: An increase in the joint angular velocity for extension at the elbow is observed earlier than that in the wrist. Group B; unskilled: The relation of Group A is reversed. In experiment 2, a movie comprising 15 sets of stick pictures was created by systematic manipulation of the temporal phase difference on the basis of a skilled thrower's movement referred to as the model, and 20 participants in the 2 groups observed the stick picture movie starring the model and the created movie; the set number at which they detected the differences in their movements was recorded. As a result, Group A participants detected it significantly earlier than Group B participants (p