Effect of Patch-Light Demonstration on Observational Learning of Golf Swing

This is the authors' abstract. We don't add key points for this paper.

Video display of a model has been widely used as an observational learning tool; yet, the use of patch-light techniques that can highlight key features of motion has been seldom used. The purpose of this study was to determine the effectiveness of patch-light display for use in observational learning of the golf swing. Twenty-two novice golf participants were randomly assigned to three groups: video, patchlight, and control. Each participant performed 100 golf pitch shots, and 20 shots 24 hours later (retention). After each 10 shots, participants observed a recorded model perform 10 shots either in traditional video or patch-light format, or waited for a brief time period (control). Participants did not observe the model during retention. The patch-light group was neither more accurate nor more consistent than the video group or control. We believe that the familiarity of the task may have overridden any observational learning effect.