AN EVALUATION OF TIME MOVEMENT ANTICIPATION AMONG FEMALE ATHLETES OF VARIOUS SPORTS

Abstract

Anticipation in sport is the ability of the athlete to make decisions and to act ahead of time (Surkov, 1982). (Taylor 2016) noted that expert advantage in utilising informative cues for anticipation remains stable across sports, the cues that are most important or relevant for effective anticipation varies depending on the type of sport. Zhu ( 2012) mentioned that there is great potential in using technology-based assessment to overcome the limitations of traditional measurement methods. The Vienna Test System (VTS) developed by Schuh-fried GmbH (Moedling, Austria) is one such computerized system that is able to analyse many different sport psychology-related constructs. ZBA (Time/ Movement Anticipation Test) that measures time and movement anticipation ability, in which a green ball moves at a certain trajectory and suddenly disappears after a while. Participants are required to indicate where the ball hits the target line and the point on the target line where the ball will pass. The present study focused of highlighting possible differences in time and movement anticipation of visual stimuli movement. For this 45 university female athletes aged between 19 to 24 years with a mean and SD of 22.73± 2.14 of various sports (i.e. cricket, football and hockey; N=15 from each), ZBA was measured for mean deviation time (MDT)-slow and mean deviation time (MDT)-fast. ANOVA results revealed no significant difference among female athletes of different sports when considered on the score of MDT-slow (F(2,42)= 2.99, p= .061). But in MDT-fast significant differences was found (F(2,42)= 6.98, p= .002). Post-hoc test of Tukey HSD reveals significant difference in time movement anticipation between football and hockey group, also in football and cricket group.