Perceptual Style and Ball Skill Acquisition

Abstract The purpose of this study was to determine the relationship between perceptual style (field dependence-independence) as measured by the portable rod and frame test and the learning of a ball catching task for three viewing time treatments. Two groups of subjects (N = 45) who satisfied the criteria for field dependence-independence were subdivided and randomly assigned to one of the three viewing time treatments. There were 15 subjects from each of the perceptual style classifications in each of the 150, 250, and 350 millisecond viewing time treatments. The hypothesis of a relationship between perceptual style and learning on the ball catching task was upheld for two of the viewing time treatments (150 and 250 milliseconds). The field independent subjects demonstrated a significantly greater rate and amount of learning than the field dependent subjects for these viewing time treatments. Both field dependent and field independent subjects demonstrated statistically significant improvements in learning with increased viewing.