The Effect of Ocular Dominance in High School Soccer Players on Their Ability to Accurately and Quickly Determine a Foul in Soccer
School Name
Spring Valley High School
Grade Level
11th Grade
Presentation Topic
Psychology and Sociology
Presentation Type
Non-Mentored
Abstract
In soccer, referees have only a short amount of time to make a quick judgement about whether or not to call a foul. The purpose of this experiment was to see if soccer players could accurately and quickly determine a foul or not. This experiment could show that additional officials are needed during a game in order to correctly determine fouls. It was hypothesized that participants would be able to determine fouls faster with accuracy when viewing using their dominant eye when compared to their non dominant eye. Prior to initial experimentation participants were granted informed consent and filled out a Quality of Vision Questionnaire. This examination gave an initial insight into which of the subject’s eyes was dominant and any problems that they experienced in each eye that would attest to a lack in dominance. After these initial examinations were completed by the researcher, experimentation began. To obtain a target time in which to compare data from the experimental trials, the control kept both of their eyes open when looking at photos. The control group was the same group used in the experiment, but they were shown different photos so that data would not be misrepresented and also this gave time for participants to become familiar with the experiment. Participants were timed in how long it took them to come to a conclusion, and their total time was recorded and used in later trials as their target time. Participants accuracy in determining the whether a foul was committed or not was also recorded. Data collected in relationship with accuracy was recorded and statistically analyzed through a the raw data collected by recording accuracy for each trial and totaling the number of accurate calls in each trial. Data collected in relationship with how long it took for the subject to come to a conclusion in relationship with their target time was analyzed through a One-Way ANOVA test, α=0.05. It was found that the data for how long it took for the subject to come to a conclusion was not significant. The data collected related with accuracy supported the hypothesis. The total number of accurate determinations of fouls with the dominant eye totaled more than the total number of accurate determinations with the non dominant eye and control group. Hypothetically one can say that referees would be able to determine fouls better when the play is moving towards their dominant eye, but it is not necessarily true that they can determine these fouls faster depending on which eye they are using.
Recommended Citation
Frierson, Matthew, "The Effect of Ocular Dominance in High School Soccer Players on Their Ability to Accurately and Quickly Determine a Foul in Soccer" (2015). South Carolina Junior Academy of Science. 239.
https://scholarexchange.furman.edu/scjas/2015/all/239
Start Date
4-11-2015 9:45 AM
End Date
4-11-2015 10:00 AM
The Effect of Ocular Dominance in High School Soccer Players on Their Ability to Accurately and Quickly Determine a Foul in Soccer
In soccer, referees have only a short amount of time to make a quick judgement about whether or not to call a foul. The purpose of this experiment was to see if soccer players could accurately and quickly determine a foul or not. This experiment could show that additional officials are needed during a game in order to correctly determine fouls. It was hypothesized that participants would be able to determine fouls faster with accuracy when viewing using their dominant eye when compared to their non dominant eye. Prior to initial experimentation participants were granted informed consent and filled out a Quality of Vision Questionnaire. This examination gave an initial insight into which of the subject’s eyes was dominant and any problems that they experienced in each eye that would attest to a lack in dominance. After these initial examinations were completed by the researcher, experimentation began. To obtain a target time in which to compare data from the experimental trials, the control kept both of their eyes open when looking at photos. The control group was the same group used in the experiment, but they were shown different photos so that data would not be misrepresented and also this gave time for participants to become familiar with the experiment. Participants were timed in how long it took them to come to a conclusion, and their total time was recorded and used in later trials as their target time. Participants accuracy in determining the whether a foul was committed or not was also recorded. Data collected in relationship with accuracy was recorded and statistically analyzed through a the raw data collected by recording accuracy for each trial and totaling the number of accurate calls in each trial. Data collected in relationship with how long it took for the subject to come to a conclusion in relationship with their target time was analyzed through a One-Way ANOVA test, α=0.05. It was found that the data for how long it took for the subject to come to a conclusion was not significant. The data collected related with accuracy supported the hypothesis. The total number of accurate determinations of fouls with the dominant eye totaled more than the total number of accurate determinations with the non dominant eye and control group. Hypothetically one can say that referees would be able to determine fouls better when the play is moving towards their dominant eye, but it is not necessarily true that they can determine these fouls faster depending on which eye they are using.
