Dissertations / Theses on the topic 'Perceptual skills'

The current body of work aims to apply Processing Efficiency Theory (PET) and Attentional Control Theory (ACT) to novel dynamic settings by examining how anxiety influences perceptual-cognitive and perceptual-motor skills. Sporting domains and fall-risk in older adults are studied. Applying ACT to a tennis anticipation paradigm examines whether state anxiety influences processing efficiency and the use of contextual information during anticipation. Processing efficiency was reduced under anxiety, while overall response accuracy was unchanged. Furthermore, skilled performers were seemingly less able to utilise contextual information when anxious. Studies in Chapters 4 and 5 sought to test the predictions of PET and ACT compared with those of Reinvestment Theory (RT) in the field of fall-risk in older adults. In Chapter 4, trait anxiety, alongside increasing dual-task demands, produced processing and motoric inefficiencies through reduced visual planning and mean gait velocity. Furthermore, greater and more variable gait velocity reductions were found in those with higher trait anxiety. By contrast, greater reinvestment levels were associated with poorer visuospatial recall, higher stepping accuracy, plus larger and less variable gait velocity reductions. Chapter 5 further investigates the motoric inefficiencies observed in anxious older adults’ gait. The influences of trait anxiety, movement specific reinvestment, and falls efficacy on body segmental control during adaptive turning are studied. Trait anxiety and falls efficacy were mainly shown to influence differing facets of turning behaviour, though both were associated with greater coupling of body segments (en-bloc rotations), whereas, limited support was offered for RT. Overall, PET and ACT were supported when applied to these new dynamic domains. However, discrepancies are discussed due to testing theoretical hypotheses in more representative environments.

Full thesis Submitted in fulfilment of the requirements for the degree Master in Education in the Faculty of Education and Social Sciences at the CAPE PENINSULA UNIVERSITY OF TECHNOLOGY 2014
This study investigates the quality of Grade R teachers’ subject knowledge of Visual Perceptual Skills (VPS). This knowledge includes their competence in visual-training design, which they need in order to give their learners access to early reading. Literature reviewed covers areas pertaining to the knowledge specialization required by Grade R teachers in order to impart VPS to young learners in the pre-reading or pre-alphabetic phase. These areas are: Visual Perception (VP), cognitive development, early reading, teacher knowledge and the Grade R policy framework. The mainly qualitative data collected over a period of ten months was derived from various potential or actual sources of teacher subject knowledge of VP. The most important source was the existing knowledge base of the four Grade R teachers in the sample. The connections between the data provided a picture of the accuracy and explicitness of the VP conceptual-content in the sources. For the Grade R teachers to be competent in visual training design, they would need suitable subject knowledge capacitation in VP. The findings revealed that training undergone by most Grade R teachers is VP deficient; the Grade R curriculum is VP vague; teacher training requires more infusion of Grade R curriculum; the regional Grade R diagnostic test is VP rich, albeit semi-concrete and not concrete in the assessment activities’ learning levels; finally, the Grade R teachers in the sample are highly motivated, and they are hungry for professional development. Key words: subject knowledge; Visual Perceptual Skills (VPS)/Visual Perception (VP); visual-training design; pre-reading/pre-alphabetic phase; professional development.

The complexity of dynamical systems (spanning brain, body and environment) can yield complex adaptive behaviors from non-linear interactions of individuals in space and time. A lack of reliable instruments to assess these varying behaviors results in inferences of how changes in behavior occurred over an extended period of time rather than being based on direct scientific measures. The aim of this study was to develop a scale of complexity and perceptual-cognitive skills' assessment in the sport soccer and to evaluate structural and criterion reliability. Based on the embodied cognition literature, the construct of this scale was identified with three dimensions to assess perceptual-cognitive performance of players when acting within different levels of complex team synergies. A sample of 10 soccer coaches - group A (n = 5 coaches; M = 24 yrs professional coaching experience) and group B (n = 5 coaches; M = 1 year of amateur coaching experience) were recruited to participate in the study. A total of 100 clips of 10 previously recorded soccer matches were analyzed in two assessment periods with one month between the end of the first assessment and the beginning of the second. This resulted in a combined total of 1000 measures used for the study. The results demonstrated that high skilled coaches were more reliable in the complexity dimension (r = 0.87) and also in the decision making dimension (r = 0.79) than low qualified coaches (r = 0.79) and (r = 0.71) respectively; and the complexity dimension was more stable across trials between professional and amateur coaches in the first data collection i (r = 0.79) and second data collection (r = 0 .73) than the decision making dimension (r = 0.50) and (r = 0.43) respectively. These findings indicate that this scale is reliable across applications and at different times with high and low qualified coaches. The use of the scale may be useful for identifying elements of emerging complexity at the team-fractal-player level; determine a perceptual-cognitive profile in athletes; and to better understand complex tactical dynamics in soccer.

The aim of this field study was to investigate the relationship between visual perceptual processes and drawing ability in Year 7 students in the Australian Capital Territory. A random sample of five classes from five High Schools, consisting of 113 year 7 students, was tested for their ability in representational and memory drawing, and a sample of good drawers was chosen by a panel of five Independent judges. The drawing ability of the "Good" Drawers Sample was tested by means of Field's Visual Information Transformation Test (VIT), and the visual perceptual processes were tested using MacGregor's Perceptual Index.(MPI) A statistical analysis of the ranked scores was made using the Kruskal Wallis Analysis of Variance, the Spearman Rho rank order correlation, and the Mann Whitney U Test.

Purpose: The primary aim of this research study was to establish whether a relationship exists between the visual-motor integration subtest when measured with the Beery-Buktenica Developmental Test of Visual Motor Integration, 4th edition, and the copying and eye-hand coordination subtests, when measured with the Developmental Test of Visual Perception, 2nd edition. The secondary aim of this research study was to establish whether handedness and gender have an effect on the relationship between these three perceptual-motor skills. Method: This retrospective cross-sectional study used retrospective data collected over a four-year-period, between 2009 and 2012, at a private occupational therapy practice in Tshwane East. The total sample size consisted of 106 participants that were referred for occupational therapy evaluations during the time period. The sample was divided into subgroups for grade, handedness and gender. Multivariable regression analysis was used to establish whether a relationship exists between visual-motor integration, copying and eye-hand coordination. Random-effects generalised least squares regression analysis was used to establish the effect of handedness and gender on the relationship between visual-motor integration, eye-hand coordination and copying. Results: Results indicated reasonable agreement between the subtests of visual-motor integration and copying. Poor agreement was established between the subtests of visual-motor integration and eye-hand coordination, and the subtests of copying and eye-hand coordination. Statistically significant relationships were established between visual-motor integration, eye-hand coordination and copying for the total sample and subgroups of Grade R and Grade 1. Shared variance of 52.1% was established between the visual-motor integration and the copying subtest. The relationship between visual-motor integration and eye-hand coordination weakened for Grade 1 participants. This was also observed in the relationship between copying and eye-hand coordination. No statistically significant results were obtained for handedness and gender with regard to the relationships between visual-motor integration, eye-hand coordination and copying. Conclusions: The results of the study indicated the importance of using all three subtests during occupational therapy evaluations. In view of the statistically significant relationships that were found to exist, the tests proved mutually supportive during occupational therapy evaluations. The negative relationship between visual-motor integration and eye-hand coordination for Grade 1 participants may be related to handwriting competency. Handedness and gender differences could not be related to the three perceptual-motor subtests. Limitations: Firstly, the study population and study setting posed limitations toward generalisability. Secondly, the retrospective study design proved some limitations pertaining to the measurement instruments, data collection tools and re-scoring of the measurement instruments. Recommendations: For more meaningful interpretations the study population should include children without developmental or school-related difficulties. This would aid toward better generalisability. A retrospective study design should be selected with caution. KEYWORDS: Perceptual-motor skills, visual-motor integration, eye-hand coordination, copying, handwriting, handedness, gender, Beery-Buktenica Developmental Test of Visual Motor Integration 4th edition, Developmental Test of Visual Perception 2nd edition.
Dissertation (MOccTher)-- University of Pretoria, 2016.
Occupational Therapy
Unrestricted

Current military operational environments are highly improvised and constantly evolving, threatening the lives of U.S. warfighters. For instance, since 2001, 60% of all hostile casualties and 65% of hostile injuries in the Middle East theater have been attributed to improvised explosive devices (IEDs). IEDs are powerful physical weapons, and the stressful atmosphere they, and other operational challenges create, can also result in a range of psychological dysfunctions, including anxiety, depression, alcohol abuse, and Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). Not only are these issues concerning for mental health reasons, they are also problematic in terms of combat performance. Extreme arousal (i.e., stress) negatively affects performance through the suppression of cognitive and physiological resources, which inhibits verbal, perceptual, and motor performance. Perceptual abilities are particularly susceptible to the effects of acute hyperarousal, and the degradation of these abilities may limit warfighters’ threat detection skills. Therefore, military researchers are interested in whether and how the visual perceptual field is changed under stress, and the Services are making predeployment training programs a priority, in an attempt to mitigate these concerns. This dissertation first outlines the cognitive processes related to visual perceptual abilities and how these processes are negatively affected by acute arousal. Current training programs in perceptual skills and stress tolerance are then described, along with recommendations for areas of improvement within the status quo. Based on these recommendations, an experimental procedure and five hypotheses were designed to assess training effects on visual perceptual skills and performance under stress. Experimental outcomes suggest that participants who were trained using a novel integrated perceptual skills plus stress resilience (“perceptual resilience”) program performed faster and with higher accuracy during a stressful threat detection task than participants trained using a perceptual skills-only program and participants trained using an existing status-quo knowledge trainer. Participants in this perceptual resilience training group also reported lower feelings of acute stress and anxiety immediately post-task than the two other training groups who did not receive the stress resilience training component. Based on these outcomes, implications for future military-specific training development, study limitations, and recommendations for future research is presented.

This study examined the use of cognitive skills by 5-year-old Alaskan Native children on a standardized testing instrument. The Wechsler Preschool and Primary Scales of Intelligence (WPPSI) were administered to 23 boys and 17 girls of predominantly Tlingit, Tsimshean, and Haida ancestry. A standardized parent interview was used to collect bio-demographic data. Mean scores for the sample displayed significant differences between the Performance and Verbal scales, with the strongest performance in the Spatial subtests, and lowest in the Sequential subtests. Scores were significantly associated with variables representing culture-specific self identity and behavior, but were most strongly associated with family size. Factor Analysis suggested a distinct three factor structure consisting of (1) a Performance-Spatial, (2) a Verbal-Semantic, and (3) a Sequential factor. Variability in the use of cognitive skills, non-verbal behavior, and selective attention are viewed as unique cultural adaptations which can impede interethnic communication, creating negative outcomes in the education of American Indian and Alaskan Native children.

O presente estudo teve como principal objetivo perceber em que momento da aprendizagem da leitura o processamento da orientação de estímulos em espelho, enantiomorfos (e.g., b-d), se torna automático. Participaram na investigação 60 crianças sem dificuldades na leitura, sendo 20 do 2.º ano de escolaridade, 20 do 3.º ano e 20 do 4.º ano. Os alunos realizaram uma tarefa de priming, na qual tinham que decidir se a sequência de letras do estímulo alvo era ou não uma palavra - tarefa de decisão lexical. Explorou-se o efeito da orientação da letra pela comparação do efeito de priming em 4 condições – controlo, idênticas, espelho e rodadas – no processamento de letras reversíveis e irreversíveis. Os resultados sugerem que o processo de automatização da discriminação da orientação das letras em espelho parece não estar automático ainda no 4.º ano de escolaridade, ao contrário das rotações no plano que são processadas automaticamente logo no 2.º ano de escolaridade; Abstract: The main objective of the present study was to understand at what point in reading acquisition the processing of the orientation of mirror letters, i.e. enantomorphic stimuli (e.g., b-d) becomes automatic. Sixty children with no reading difficulties were testes: 20 2nd-graders, 20 3rd-graders and 20 4th-graders. The students were tested on a priming task in which they had to decide whether a presented sequence of letters was a word or not– lexical decision task. Orientation processing of letters was explored comparing the priming effects across four conditions – control, identity, mirror and rotated – for reversible and non-reversible letters. The results suggest that orientation discrimination of mirror letters may not be automatized in the 4th-grade, which contrasts to the automatic processing of plane rotations in the 2nd-grade.

In today s complex combat environments, troops are often faced with increasingly challenging tasks different from those experienced in the past. Warfighters must be trained in adaptive perceptual skill sets, such as search strategies that enable them to detect threats across any number of environmental, cultural, and situational conditions. The goal of the present study was to explore how advanced technology, specifically eye tracking, can be used to increase understanding of perceptual processes such as search and detection and provide tools that can be used to train search skills. Experiment 1 examined a method of diagnosing perceptual performance in order to be able to identify the perceptual root cause of target detection deficiencies and how these impact overall target detection performance. Findings indicate the method can be used to pinpoint where in the perceptual process a target miss originated, whether due to ineffective search strategy, inability to detect the subtle cues of the threat or inability to recognize these cues as indicative of a threat. Experiment 2 examined the training effectiveness of providing trainees with process level tailored feedback which incorporates elements of expert and trainee scan patterns. Findings indicate that providing trainees with elements of either expert or trainee scan patterns has the ability to significantly improve the search strategy being employed by the trainee. This work provides strong support for the use of eye tracking based perceptual performance diagnosis methods and training strategies in improving trainee search performance for complex target detection tasks.
Ph.D.
Department of Psychology
Sciences
Psychology PhD

O presente estudo investigou se as dificuldades das crianças disléxicas na leitura estão relacionadas com défices no processamento da orientação de estímulos visuais. A amostra foi constituída por 12 crianças disléxicas no final do 4.º ano, e dois grupos de controlo: 12 crianças de final de 4.º ano emparelhadas em idade cronológica e 11 crianças de final de 2.º ano emparelhadas em idade de leitura. As crianças realizaram duas tarefas experimentais igual-diferente onde tinham que assinalar letras ou figuras que tivessem a mesma forma, na tarefa de orientação independente, ou a mesma forma e a mesma orientação, na tarefa de orientação dependente. As crianças disléxicas tiveram dificuldade em identificar como diferentes, pares de letras ou figuras espelhadas, tal como as crianças mais novas, o que não aconteceu com as crianças com a mesma idade cronológica. Os resultados sugerem que as crianças disléxicas têm dificuldade com a orientação quando é necessário esta ser tida em conta; Establishment of the suppression of perceptual invariance mechanism in dyslexic children: an experimental study with children of the 1st cycle of Basic Education Abstract: This study investigated if the difficulties of dyslexic children in reading are related to deficits in processing the orientation of visual stimuli. The sample included 12 dyslexic children at the end of the 4th grade, and two control groups: 12 children also at the end of the 4th grade, matched on chronological age, and 11 children at the end of 2nd grade matched on reading age. The children performed two same-different experimental tasks which required them to identify the letters or figures that had the same shape - independent orientation task - or the same shape and the same orientation - dependent orientation task. Dyslexic children performed worse than chronological controls and similar to younger children when they were required to explicitly identify as different pairs of mirrored letters or figures. The present data suggests that dyslexic children may have some deficit in processing the orientation of visual stimuli.

Law enforcement officers can come into conflict with suspects when they need to act fast under time pressure. Improving such a decision¬-making skill is a challenge in a police academy. Academies can train future officers in correct psychomotor responses to attacks by a suspect. However, the ability to anticipate such attacks, and thereby make more appropriate defensive and control responses, is often assumed to come only with experience. The purpose of this study is to investigate the perceptual–cognitive sub-skill of attack recognition, which contributes to the anticipation that police officers should have in order to handle potentially violent situations appropriately, and thus take the situation under control without using extreme or lethal force. This study examines the feasibility of using the temporal video-occlusion method as a training tool to accelerate the law enforcement officer’s performance by de-coupling the perception–action link and concentrating on the perceptual–cognitive aspect of the full defensive and control performance. Once the video-occlusion task is calibrated and validated to differentiate expert from non-expert performers, then instructional designers and trainers can be confident is repurposing video-occlusion research method by employing instructional strategies such as deliberate practice and progressive difficulty to train law enforcement trainees and officers.

Thesis (MA)--Stellenbosch University, 2015.
ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Children in preschool are at an optimal time for the development of gross and fine motor skills. Children who enter into preschool with developmental delays struggle to keep up with their peers. These developmental delays often perpetuate into later school years, with negative effects. Visual-motor integration (VMI) is a hugely important skill that children need to develop before formal schooling commences. It forms the basis for academic skills like reading and writing, as well as many sport skills. Having a VMI and/or gross motor development delay can affect a child’s academic experience greatly. When referring specifically to reading and writing, many underlying gross motor processes occur simultaneously to enable the child to perform tasks successfully. Success in the classroom depends a great deal on developed VMI and gross motor skills. Research shows investigation into various factors that account for differences and delays in motor skills. Socio-economic status is mentioned as a factor that can negatively affect VMI and gross motor skills development. Gender differences have also been known to be a reason for varying success in VMI or fine motor skills and gross motor skills. It is most important that delays and differences in VMI and gross motor skills success should be the focus of preschool education curriculums. The purpose of the current study was to improve the VMI skills of children who presented below average VMI skills scores. The Beery-Buktenica Developmental Test of Visual-Motor Integration 6th Edition (DTVMI) was used to measure the participants VMI skills, and the Test of Gross Motor Development 2nd Edition (TGMD-2), was used as a measure of gross motor skills. The supplemental tests of the DTVMI, as well as the subtests of the TGMD-2, were performed. Two preschools were conveniently selected to participate in the study, one from a high socio-economic background and one from a low socio-economic background. Of the total participants initially tested (N=77), only a small number (N=23), scored below average VMI scores and continued to participate in the study. From these participants (N=23) an experimental (n=12) and a control group (n=11) were randomly selected. The experimental group participated in a 14-week intervention programme, two sessions per week each with a duration of 45 minutes, that focused on the underlying gross motor processes that relate to reading, writing and VMI skills. After the 14 weeks the participants were tested again to measure the effects of the intervention programme. All data collected were statistically analysed.The most relevant result found in the current study showed that participants from the low socio-economic school showed significantly lower VMI skills than participants from the higher socio-economic school. No differences in VMI skills were found between the genders. Overall in both VMI and gross motor skills the intervention programme was beneficial to the participants, although these results were not found to be statistically significant. This study emphasises that the disparities in VMI skills between children from low- and higher socio-economic backgrounds should be addressed before they enter school. This will ensure that these differences become minimised. This study suggests that gross motor activities can be beneficial to VMI skills of preschool children. More research is needed to fully determine the potential of gross motor intervention programmes in improving academic skills such as VMI.
AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Voorskoolse kinders bevind hulle in ʼn optimale periode van groot- en fynmotoriese ontwikkeling. Kinders van hierdie ouderdom met ontwikkelingsagterstande sukkel om op skool by hulle eweknieë by te bly. Hierdie ontwikkelingsagterstande duur gewoonlik voort tot in latere skooljare met negatiewe implikasies. Visueel-motoriese integrasie (VMI) is ʼn baie belangrike vaardigheid wat kinders voor hulle formele skooljare in aanvang neem, moet ontwikkel. Dit vorm die basis vir akademiese vaardighede soos lees en skryf, asook vir baie sportvaardighede. ʼn Kind se akademiese ervaring kan baie nadelig deur ʼn VMI en/of groot motoriese ontwikkelingsagterstand beïnvloed word. Met spesifieke verwysing na lees en skryf, moet baie onderliggende groot motoriese prosesse gelyktydig plaasvind om die kind in staat te stel om take suksesvol uit te voer. Sukses in die klaskamer is grootliks van ʼn ontwikkelde VMI en groot motoriese vaardighede afhanklik. Navorsing toon ondersoeke na verskeie faktore wat vir verskille en agterstande in motoriese vaardighede verantwoordelik is. Sosio-ekonomiese status word beskou as een van die faktore wat VMI en groot motoriese ontwikkeling negatief kan affekteer. Dit is ook bekend dat geslagsverskille ʼn rede vir variërende sukses in VMI- of fyn motoriese- en groot motoriese vaardighede is. Dit is van uiterste belang dat agterstande en verskille in VMI- en sukses met groot motoriese vaardighede die fokus van voorskoolse opvoedkundige kurrikulums moet wees. Die doel van die huidige studie was om die VMI vaardighede van kinders met ondergemiddelde VMI vaardigheid tellings te verbeter. Die Beery-Buktenica Development Test of Visual-Motor Integration 6th Edition (DTVMI) is gebruik om die deelnemers se VMI vaardighede te bepaal en die Test of Gross Motor Development 2nd Edition (TGMD-2) is gebruik om hulle groot motoriese vaardighede te bepaal. Die aanvullende toets van die DTVMI, asook die sub-toets van die TGMD-2, is uitgevoer. Twee voorskoolse skole, een uit ʼn hoë sosio-ekonomiese- en een uit ʼn lae sosio-ekonomiese omgewing is met ʼn gerieflikheidsteekproef geselekteer om aan die studie deel te neem. Van die totale aantal deelnemers (N-77) wat aanvanklik getoets is, het slegs ʼn klein aantal (N=23) ondergemiddelde VMI tellings behaal om met die studie voort te gaan. Vanuit hierdie deelnemers (N=23) is ʼn eksperimentele- (n=12) en ʼn kontrole groep ewekansig geselekteer. Die eksperimentele groep het aan ʼn 14-week intervensieprogram, twee keer per week, wat elk 45 minute geduur het, deelgeneem. Die intervensieprogram het op die onderliggende groot motoriese prosesse wat net lees, skryf en VMI vaardighede verband hou, gefokus. Na afloop van die 14 weke is die deelnemers weer getoets om die effek van die intervensieprogram te bepaal. Al die ingesamelde data is statisties verwerk. Die mees relevante resultaat wat in die huidige studie gevind is, dui daarop dat die deelnemers van die lae sosio-ekonomiese skool beduidende laer VMI vaardighede as die deelnemers van die hoër sosio-ekonomiese skool getoon het. Geen verskille in VMI vaardighede is tussen die geslagte gevind nie. Alhoewel die resultate nie statistiese betekenisvol was nie blyk dit dat in geheel beskou die intervensieprogram, in beide VMI- en groot motoriese vaardighede, voordele vir die deelnemers ingehou het. Die huidige studie beklemtoon dat die verskille in VMI vaardighede tussen kinders vanuit lae- en hoë sosio-ekonomiese agtergronde aangespreek moet word voordat hulle in skole toegelaat word. Dit sal verseker dat hierdie verskille tot die minimum beperk word. Hierdie studie suggereer dat groot motoriese aktiwiteite voordele vir die VMI vaardighede van voorskoolse kinders kan inhou. Verdere navorsing is nodig om die potensiaal van groot motoriese intervensieprogramme op die verbetering van akademiese vaardighede soos VMI ten volle te verstaan.

Many studies of children's learning in Art education have focused on the young child working in two-dimensional processes. This study examined ways in which emerging-adolescents worked three dimensionally with clay. The purpose of the study was to discover whether the introduction of adult models of three-dimensional form would affect the way the child perceived and constructed threedimensional form. These models were presented as perceptual frames of reference related to the problem confronting the child. The development of perceptual differentiation skills and perceptual, manipulative and conceptual modes of learning underpin this investigation. Four intact classrooms of 12 year olds were studied and the results were examined by a panel of judges. A rating scale devised by the author was applied to each model. The scale was designed to measure five aspects of three-dimensional form. Results indicated that three-dimensional art works made by adults do affect aspects of the way children approach visual problem solving. Implications for the use of such frames of reference in the art classroom and indications of associated motivational and attitudinal changes are presented in the study.

Perceptual speech and voice analysis is an essential skill for all speech-language pathologists, but it is a difficult skill to teach. Even the reliability for experienced experts is variable. Some training literature and practices in speech-language pathology suggest that imitating pathological voices may be useful for developing perceptual judgment. Evidence from other fields suggests that motor experience influences perception. Until now the link between production and perception of voice quality has not been addressed. The purpose of this pilot study is to test the hypothesis that imitating pathological voice samples would improve the perceptual discrimination abilities of naïve, inexperienced listeners. Three expert listeners rated 25 voice samples using a perceptual voice evaluation scale, the Grade, Instability, Roughness, Breathiness, Asthenia, Strain Scale (GIRBAS) (Dejonckere et al., 1996), and identified anchor samples for the training protocol. These expert ratings were used to develop summary expert ratings that served as a comparison for the naïve listener ratings. Two groups of naïve undergraduate listeners received training in evaluating voice quality and in administering the GIRBAS. They completed a pretest, a training session, a homework session, and a post-test. During each activity, they rated 6 voices and provided a confidence rating for their scores. The experimental group imitated the voice samples during the study, and the control group completed the training without supplemental motor experience. It was hypothesized that both listener groups would have improved accuracy and confidence levels between the pretest and post-test, with a larger improvement for the experimental group. Data suggested that training improved naïve listener accuracy and confidence levels and that this improvement was maintained for at least seven days after the initial training. Post-test accuracy for both groups was approximately the same. Imitation did not improve the accuracy of ratings, although those subjects had higher confidence levels. The data supported previous research that found that training improved the accuracy of perceptual voice evaluations. However, the hypothesis that imitation could improve perceptual ratings was not supported by this study and bears further investigation due to the small sample size.

In this study , the idea that authenticity should be integral to graphicacy research was advanced. That is, graphicacy researchers should use graphical stimuli that most closely approximate graphs as they might be encountered in the real world (i.e., in text books, newspapers, journals, etc.). It was contended that because of the lack of task authenticity and experimental control inherent in past studies of the analytical tasks and perceptual skills underlying graph reading, there was a need for further study of these issues . To this end, a 24-item graphicacy test was devised, such that key graphical elements and specifiers were more tightly controlled across test items and more closely approximated graphs as they might appear in a real-world setting. An analysis of data revealed strong support for the independence of analytical tasks and basic perceptual skills, when single test items were considered . However, when the data from basic perceptual skills were collapsed across analytical tasks, there was moderate performance overlap among the different perceptual skills. When analytical tasks were collapsed across perceptual skills, there was little performance overlap among analytical tasks. The other critical issue that was studied was the ranking of basic perceptual skills and analytical tasks according to the judgment accuracy associated with them . When all factors are taken into account, this study's ranking of basic perceptual skills was inconsistent with the predictions of the basic perceptual skills model. Conversely, this study's ranking of analytical tasks was moderately supportive of the analytical tasks model. In addition to (and in light of) other analyses performed and explanations rendered, alternative, more compact conceptions of analytical tasks and perceptual skills were advanced as well as the conclusion that when the levels of authenticity and experimental control are increased, the basic perceptual skills model may not predict graph reading in a satisfactory way.

Istoriškai ir tradiciškai vaiko globa visada buvo jautri ir aktuali visuomenės problema, kuri neatsiejama nuo gailestingumo ir altruistinės pagalbos artimui. Statistika rodo, kad kasmet vis daugiau vaikų iš nedarnių šeimų suteikiama valstybės globa (Pabedinskienė, 2004). Valstybė, ratifikavusi Jungtinių Tautų Vaiko teisių konvenciją, įsipareigoja užtikrinti visapusišką paramą vaikui, sudaryti visas reikiamas sąlygas sėkmingai pastarojo socializacijai. Pastaruoju metu mūsų šalyje dėmesys yra sutelktas į globos namų auklėtinių socialinę integraciją visuomenėje. Tam turi reikšmės priimti Vaiko teisių apsaugos pagrindų (1996), Vaiko globos (1998) įstatymai, Vaiko globos organizavimo nuostatai (2002), akcentuojantys būtinybę suteikti visą reikiamą pagalbą sėkmingai šių vaikų adaptacijai ir integracijai visuomenėje (Raudeliūnaitė, Paigozina, 2009). Šiame kontekste didelis reikšmingumas suteikiamas asmens socialiniams įgūdžiams, nes pastarųjų ugdymas pagerina asmens socialinio funkcionavimo galimybes, sudaro sąlygas jam efektyviai dalyvauti visuomeninėje veikloje, tapti pilnaverčiu visuomenės nariu. Šio darbo tyrimo objektas - globos namų jaunesniųjų paauglių (12-14m.) socialiniai įgūdžiai. Tyrimo tikslas - ištirti vaikų globos namų specialistų nuomonę apie globos namų jaunesniųjų paauglių (12-14m.) socialinių įgūdžių raiškos ypatumus. Tyrime dalyvavo 82 respondentai, tyrimui panaudotas klausimynas, skirtas vaikų globos namuose dirbantiems specialistams. Tyrimas buvo atliktas... [toliau žr. visą tekstą]
Historically and traditionally, a child care has always been a sensitive and urgent public issue, which is inseparable from compassion and altruistic aid to a close person. Statistics show that every year more and more children from dysfunctional families, are given the state custody (Pabedinskienė, 2004). A Member which has ratified the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child, is committed to ensuring full support for the child, creating all necessary conditions for successful socialization. Recently, our country is focusing on social integration in society of children, who are living at care homes. The Child Rights Law on the basis (1996), the Child Care Law (1998), the Child care organization policies (2002), has a great significance for this, emphasizing the need to provide all necessary assistance to these children, taking care of successful adaptation and integration in society (Raudeliūnaitė, Paigozina, 2009). In this context, great significance is given to an individuals social skills, because of their education a child improves an individuals social functioning capabilities, he is enable to effectively participate in social activities as well as fully in our society. The object of the study is - young adolescents (12-14 years), who are staying at care home social skills. The aim of the study is - to explore child care home expert opinion about the young adolescents (12-14 years) peculiarities of social skills. For this study a questionnaire was used to... [to full text]

This study involved the effects of a perceptual motor enrichment program upon the motor skills of a six year old boy with cerebellar brain damage, who, with a control group of ten normal six year olds, was given a pre-test of motor skills. He and a child from the control group participated in a perceptual-motor enrichment program. The motor skills of both subjects were tested halfway through the program. Following the program, the experimental child, the control child, and the control group were post-tested on their motor skills. The testings showed that the greatest gains in motor skills were obtained by the experimental child, followed by the control child. The control group displayed little increase in motor skill performance.

The purpose of this study was to measure the effects of specially designed instructional strategies utilizing an art criticism model upon the perceptual differentiation and compositional drawing skills of college students. The an elementary art education course.All subjects received instruction in the studio activities of drawing and painting during the ten week treatment period. The three experimental groups received additional instruction in art criticism.Instrumentation consisted of the Group Embedded Figures Test, a standardized measure of perceptual differentiation, and the Student Composition Rating Scale, a measure developed by the investigator to quantify judgments of five expert judges on compositional skills displayed in drawings. Each instrument was administered as a pre- and post-test for all groups.Three null hypotheses were tested which maintained no significant differences for perceptual differentiation or compositional drawing skills among the three experimental sample consisted of 86 students enrolled in four sections of groups or between the experimental and control groups. A fourth null hypothesis maintained no significant difference between field-dependent and field-independent subjects on compositional skills displayed in drawing. These hypotheses were tested using multivariate analysis of variance and covariance. The .05 level of confidence was established. Inter-rater reliability was computed and found to be high for pre- and post-test SCRS measures.Findings and Conclusions1. All groups experienced gains in skills of perceptual differentiation. This result suggests that involvement in concentrated art activities, whether limited to studio activities, or coupled with the more cognitive aspects of art criticism, has the potential for increasing the visual perceptual skills of college students.2. The experimental groups significantly outperformed the control group on compositional drawing skill.This result suggests that the art criticism model did assist in the development and utilization of compositional strategies.3. No significant difference was found in perceptual differentiation or compositional drawing skills among the three various approaches to the implementation of the art criticism model. It would appear that student involvement with the structured analysis matrix determining factor, rather than the focus of criticism, or the degree of student involvement.4. Students who display greater skills of perceptual differentiation also display greater utilization of compositional strategies in drawing. This finding supports earlier contentions regarding the relationship between perceptual differentiation and art production.

Thesis (M Sport Sc (Sport Science)-- University of Stellenbosch, 2010.
ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The purpose of this study was to determine the effects of a perceptual-motor training programme on the coincident anticipation timing and batting performance of university club cricket players. The intervention programme focused on developing players‟ visual attention and concentration. Vickers‟ (2007) Three-Step Decision Training Model was used to structure the training sessions. The study followed a repeated measures experimental design with three groups (experimental, placebo, and control) formed by volunteers from a university club cricket team. The independent variable was a four-week training programme. The dependent variables were coincident anticipation timing and performance on a cricket batting test. Subjects were pre- and post-tested with retention tests occurring after a set period of “no training” following the post-tests. Differences between groups were compared using Kruskal-Wallis ANOVA by Ranks Tests. Differences within each group were compared using multiple Mann-Whitney U-Tests. No significant improvements were observed in the experimental group‟s coincident anticipation timing and batting performance. Although neither coincident anticipation timing nor batting performance significantly improved, further research into the use of Vickers‟ (2007) Model to enhance sport performance is recommended.
AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die doel van hierdie studie was om die uitwerking van ʼn perseptueel-motoriese opleidingsprogram op die samevallende vooruittydsberekening (“coincident anticipation timing”) en kolfprestasie van universiteitsklubkrieketspelers te bepaal. Die klem van die intervensieprogram het op die ontwikkeling van spelers se visuele aandag en konsentrasie geval. Die opleidingsessies is volgens Vickers (2007) se drieledige model vir besluitnemingsopleiding saamgestel. Die studie het ʼn eksperimentele ontwerp van herhaalde metings op drie groepe (eksperimenteel, plasebo en kontrole) van ʼn universiteitsklubkrieketspan toegepas. Die onafhanklike veranderlike was ʼn vier weke lange opleidingsprogram. Die afhanklike veranderlikes was samevallende vooruittydsberekening, en prestasie in ʼn krieketkolftoets. Proefpersone het voor en net ná die opleiding toetse ondergaan, sowel as behoudtoetse drie weke ná die na-opleidingstoetse. Verskille tussen groepe is met behulp van rangtoetse uit Kruskal-Wallis se variansie-analisemodel (ANOVA) bepaal, terwyl verskille binne groepe met veelvuldige Mann-Whitney-U-toetse vergelyk is. Geen beduidende verbetering is in die eksperimentele groep se samevallende vooruittydsberekening of kolfprestasie waargeneem nie. Hoewel nóg samevallende vooruittydsberekening nóg kolfprestasie aansienlik verbeter het, word verdere navorsing oor die gebruik van Vickers (2007) se model vir die verbetering van sportprestasie aanbeveel.

Thesis (M Sport Sc (Sport Science))--University of Stellenbosch, 2010.
ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The purpose of this study was to determine the impact of participation in a small group-based perceptual-motor training programme on the gross motor and visual-motor integration skills of children who show signs of Developmental Coordination Disorder (DCD). Two physical education teachers selected 22 children for assessment as potential participants for this study. The Movement ABC (M-ABC) was then administered to this group and the eight children who scored the lowest were invited to volunteer for this study. These children all volunteered and then completed the assessment of their visual-motor integration skills as measured by the Developmental Test of Visual Perception (DTVP-2). The study followed an evaluative case study design in which changes in the gross motor and visual-motor integration skills of each participant were reported and interpreted individually. The six-week intervention programme was focused on developing the perceptual-motor link between throwing, catching and balancing skills with challenges to visual skills development, especially eye-hand coordination. A comparison of pre-test, post-test and retention test scores in the M-ABC revealed that the programme had a positive effect on six of the children. The results for the seventh child were inconsistent on each test occasion, leading to the conclusion that he may have a co-morbid disorder related to attention. Improvements in static balance were noted and some children also experienced improvements in their ball skills (aiming and coincident timing) which brings the researcher to the conclusion that the programme was effective for gross motor development. DTVP-2 results showed improvements in eye-hand coordination in five of the seven children. According to the VMI quotient score, only one child improved, one deteriorated and the rest showed no change which brings the researcher to the conclusion that the intervention programme was not effective for visual-motor integration.
AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die doel van die studie was om die impak te bepaal van deelname in „n klein-groep gebaseerde perseptueel-motoriese oefenprogram op die groot motoriese en visueel-motoriese integrasievaardighede van kinders met tekens van die Ontwikkelingskoördinasie-afwyking (DCD). Twee Lewensoriëntering-onderwysers het 22 kinders geïdentifiseer vir assessering as potensiële deelnemers aan die studie. Hierdie groep het die Beweging-ABC toets (M-ABC) ondergaan en die agt deelnemers met die laagste uitslae is uitgenooi om aan die studie deel te neem. Hierdie agt kinders het ingestem en daarna is die assessering voltooi deur hulle visueel-motoriese integrasievaardighede te meet deur middel van die Ontwikkelingstoets vir Visuele Persepsie (DTVP-2). Die studie het „n evaluerende gevallestudie-ontwerp gevolg waarin die veranderings tussen die groot motoriese en visueel-motoriese integrasievaardighede van elke deelnemer individueel geïnterpreteer en gerapporteer is. Die ses week-intervensieprogram het gefokus op die ontwikkeling van die perseptueel-motoriese skakel tussen gooi-, vang- en balans-vaardighede met uitdagings vir die ontwikkeling van visuele vaardighede, veral oog-hand koördinasie. „n Vergelyking tussen die voor-, na- en opvolgtoetse van die M-ABC se toetstellings het getoon dat die program „n positiewe effek op ses van die kinders se groot motoriese vaardighede gehad het. Die uitslag van die sewende kind was teenstrydig tydens elke toetsgeleentheid en dit het gelei tot die gevolgtrekking dat hy moontlik aan „n addisionele afwyking mag ly wat verband hou met „n aandagprobleem. Verbeterings in statiese balans is waargeneem en sommige kinders het ook „n verbetering in balvaardighede getoon (akkuraatheid en reaksietyd). Volgens die DTVP-2 resultate was daar verbeterings in oog-hand koördinasie by vyf van die sewe kinders. Volgens die VMI-kwosiënttelling het slegs een kind verbeter, een het versleg en die ander vyf het geen verandering getoon nie. Die navorser kom dus tot die gevolgtrekking dat die intervensieprogram nie effektief is vir visueel-motoriese integrasie nie.

The challenges of backlogs experienced amongst Grade R-learners, results in learners not being school and learning ready when entering Grade 1. Obstacles for example are insufficient stimulation, under developed perception, and poor gross and fine motor skills, require early intervention and ought to receive attention in Grade R. From the socialecological perspective and taking into consideration the great amount of learners in South Africa originating from deprived environments, the study is focused in the domain of the Social Deprivation Theory. The bio-ecological context within which learners find themselves, influence the cognitive and perceptual development of every learner. Epistemologically the study focuses on the similarity between Critical Theory and Interpretivism. Critical Theory highlights the meaning of experience as manifested in relation to social circumstances and developmental background. Interpretivism in this study focuses on the meaning which individuals attach to their experiences in the spotlight and results in greater understanding and insight of the researched phenomenon. Circumstances of deprivation occur worldwide, even in developed countries like United States of America (USA) and England. Already for decades in USA young children gain in their development through intervention in early childhood (Ludwig & Phillips, 2007). Duncan and Brooks-Gunn (2000) identified a relation between child poverty/deprivation and poor school performance in the USA. Research in England (Thompson, 2000) shows that the impact of social neglect of children have serious consequences. The National Education Policy Act (Pandor, 2008; SA DvO, 1997:2) uses Early Childhood Development (ECD) as an umbrella term which refers to the development processes whereby children physically, intellectually, emotionally, spiritually, morally and socially grow and develop from birth to the age of nine years (SA, DoE, 1995, White paper 5,). The kind of education learners receive in Grade R is crucial to their further development in the education system (Van Zyl, Le Roux & Janse van Rensburg 2011, DvO, 1997:2). Learners lacking an adequate foundation may experience difficulties throughout their school career. In South Africa there is concern as to the standard of education and training, manifesting in a low pass rate on Grade 12-level. This study is undertaken to determine the current shortages in the South African educational system which may hinder the learning potential of Grade R-learners. An attempt is made to determine which handicaps/backlogs Grade R-learners experience, which fits the framework of the deprivation theory, which can undermine learner readiness. This study determine whether intervention by means of a perceptual-motor skills programme can enhance the school readiness of pre-school learners. Finally to determine which shortages/ backlogs exists in the perceptual-motor skills of Grade R nlearners from deprived backgrounds in South Africa. Guidelines for a perceptual-motor intervention program was developed through this study. A combination of quantitative and qualitative data-analysis is used in this study (Onwuegbuzie, Johnson en Collins, 2009). The dissertation is compiled in article format. In the first article of the study, the issues of teacher development and support mechanisms and equipment at primary schools and kindergartens are explored. Qualitative and phenomenological research was undertaken and information was gathered by means of questionnaires directed at teachers. In the following article the school readiness of 48 Grade R-learners from deprived backgrounds were tested. The research participants came from similar sosio-economic background, from quintile one and two schools. Seeing that those were the only primary schools with Grade R classes in that area, they were identified on behalf of their availability. In this study the data was analysed and descriptive statistics (means, averages, standard deviations, minimum and maximum values, percentages) and t-tests were used to determine variations in terms of perceptual motor skill development and learning readiness. An experimental group of 21 Grade R learners followed a 10 week long perceptual-motor skills intervention programme. In the follow-up school readiness test (article 3), results indicated that the intervention showed a positive response with regards to the school readiness of the Grade R learners. Drawing to a conclusion (article 4), the intervention programme is critically discussed and recommendations were made to all those concerned with Grade R teaching (teachers, principals, Departments of Education). The conclusion according to the results of the research shows that the intervention had a positive effect on the school and learning readiness of this group of Grade R learners.
Thesis (PhD (Curriculum Development Innovation and Evaluation))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2012

Several researchers have reported that the perceptual-motor skills of today’s children are not optimally developed. Furthermore, childhood obesity has increased worldwide and is a cause for concern due to the effect that it has on the present and future public health of children. Childhood obesity has a bearing on a rise in chronic paediatric diseases and an increase in hypertension, as well as on motor and physical deficits. In spite of the inadequate perceptual-motor development that is reported, few studies have been reported that examine the effect of school-based movement development programmes to improve the motor proficiency of school beginners. Firstly, in this thesis, an attempt was made to establish a general profile of the motor proficiency of Grade 1 learners in the North West Province of South Africa, and to determine possible gender and racial differences. Secondly, the relationship between the body composition and blood pressure of Grade 1 learners was examined. Thirdly, the relationship between the body composition and motor, physical and object control skills of these learners was examined. The fourth objective was to determine the effect of school-based movement development programmes on the perceptual-motor proficiency of Grade 1 learners. For objectives one to three, data were collected by means of a stratified randomised sample of 816 Grade 1 learners (419 boys, 397 girls) with a mean age of 6,78 years (+ 0,49) who participated in the NW-CHILD study. The short form of the “Bruininks-Oseretsky Test of Motor Proficiency-2” (Bruininks & Bruininks, 2005), which consists of eight subcomponents, was used to determine the learners’ motor proficiency and the “Test of Gross Motor Development-2” was used to determine the learners’ object control skills. Stature, body mass, skinfolds (subscapular, triceps and calf) and waist circumference were measured according to standard kinantropometric protocols. International cut-off points for body mass index (BMI) were used to classify learners in normal, overweight or obese categories. Blood pressure was measured by means of an Omron 705CP-II. With regard to objective 1, it appeared from the results, which were analysed with descriptive statistics and ttesting, and by making use of the Statistica computer program, that Grade 1 learners exhibit below average (49,63%) to average (48,16%) motor proficiency. The poorest skills exhibited by the learners were in strength, fine motor integration and fine motor precision. The motor proficiency of the boys was mostly average (63,96%) as opposed to that of the girls, which was largely classified as below average (64,74%), although the girls’ manual dexterity and bilateral co-ordination was significantly better compared to the boys. The motor proficiency of most of the white children was average (69,27%), compared to 58,73% of the black children, whose motor proficiency was below average. White children performed significantly better in fine motor precision, fine motor integration, manual dexterity, bilateral co-ordination, upper limb co-ordination and strength skills, and black children in balancing and running speed and agility skills. Concerning objective 2, it appeared from the results, which were analysed with descriptive statistics, the Spearman correlation coefficients and one-way analysis of variance, that the overall incidence of prehypertension and hypertension was 8,5% and 24,9% respectively. Both systolic and diastolic blood pressure exhibited a significant relationship with BMI, body fat percentage and waist circumference. Boys and girls exhibited the same incidence of hypertension. A higher percentage of the black children were hypertensive compared to the white children, although the difference in the blood pressure of the groups was not significant. A high percentage of children of normal weight also exhibited high levels of blood pressure. As far as objective 3 is concerned, it appeared from the results, which were analysed with descriptive statistics, Spearman correlation coefficients and one-way analysis of variance, that 1 out of every 10 learners (11,64%) was overweight (7,84%) or obese (3,80%). Fine motor precision, balance, running speed, agility and strength exhibited a significant relationship with body mass index (p<0.05), while no clear relationship was found between object control skills, upper limb co-ordination and body mass index. For objective 4, two schools were selected from the total sample in one urban area, which consisted of 75 learners (school 1=40 and school 2=35) who had a mean age of 6,66 years (+ 0,24) and who participated in two different perceptual-motor movement development programmes. The perceptual-motor movement development programme of School 1 was based on a process-oriented approach, as opposed to the programme of School 2, which was based on a product-oriented approach. Motor proficiency was measured by making use of the short form of the “Bruininks-Oseretsky Test of Motor Proficiency-2”. The results, which were analysed with descriptive statistics, independent t-testing and a covariance of analysis, showed that both movement development programmes contributed to significant improvements in some of the motor proficiency subcomponents. However, the process-oriented movement programme contributed to a greater extent to improvement on an individual level, which was attributed to the improved underlying neurological processes of motor proficiency and bilateral integration that underwent improvement as a result, while the level of motor proficiency mastery of the product-oriented movement development programme remained unchanged. On the grounds of the above results it is advised that educators, such as the Physical Education teachers who work with Grade 1 learners, take note of the possible deficits with regard to motor proficiency, overweight and obesity, and implement suitable intervention programmes, taking into consideration the gender and racial specific differences that were found in this study. The measuring of blood pressure for basic screening purposes is important in the child population and interventions that include physical activity are advised to reduce the potential cardiovascular complications of obesity amongst children. It could also be recommended that school-based movement development programmes, which are presented by specialists, be implemented in order to improve the motor proficiency of Grade 1 learners and to also contribute to the improvement of the skills of learners with perceptual-motor and physical proficiency problems.
Thesis (PhD (Human Movement Sciences))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2013

The concept of invariant relative timing has typically been associated with the concept of a generalized motor program. The present study approaches the phenomenon of invariant relative timing from the perspective of learning. The underlying question of concern for this study is "What is learned?". The specific question addressed by the present study is whether relative timing is one of the essential properties of movement that is learned during skill acquisition. In the present experiment, subjects were given extensive practice in learning to visually track and reproduce a criterion waveform using a joystick control for their response. In order to test whether subjects learn the relative timing of a movement, they were transferred to waveforms which were identical to the criterion in terms of relative timing, but different in terms of absolute timing. Measurements were taken on all waveforms in two conditions: 1) in a pursuit tracking condition where subjects were temporally constrained by the stimulus, and 2) in a reproduction condition where subjects' timing was not constrained. Pursuit tracking performance was evaluated using three dependent measures: RMS error, lead-lag index, and variability. Performance in the reproduction condition was subjected to three analyses: 1) an harmonic analysis, which described each response waveform in terms of its phase, frequency, amplitude, and period; 2)proportional interval durations; and 3) proportional interval displacements. The outcome from both conditions gives support to the idea that the invariant relative timing of movement is one of the aspects of a movement that humans learn.
Education, Faculty of
Curriculum and Pedagogy (EDCP), Department of
Graduate

While it is well established that expert performers can pick up and utilise postural cues to anticipate more effectively than less-skilled counterparts, the role of contextual information in expert anticipation has received relatively little research attention. The aims of this thesis were to highlight the importance of contextual information in anticipation, identify specific sources of contextual information that impact anticipation, and examine how this information is used. In five studies, skilled and less-skilled tennis players were presented with videos or animations of the same open play rallies. The animations omitted postural information, constraining participants to anticipate based on contextual information alone. First, participants anticipated more accurately than chance in both display conditions. Skilled participants were more accurate than less-skilled participants, with the difference being greater in the video condition. Second, gaze data and retrospective verbal reports were collected when viewing the animations. Skilled participants displayed different gaze behaviour and more thoroughly evaluated the presented information than less-skilled participants. Third, animations were manipulated to depict or omit potential sources of contextual information. The preceding shot sequence was shown to be a useful source of contextual information, particularly for skilled participants. Additionally, player positioning could be used to anticipate highly accurately in absence of any other information. Finally, the option generation strategies underpinning expert anticipation were examined. Participants generated fewer options when postural cues were available compared with when constrained to the use of contextual information alone. Moreover, skilled participants generated more task-relevant and fewer task-irrelevant options than less-skilled participants. Collectively, these findings increase understanding of the role of contextual information in expert anticipation and further highlight the complex nature of perceptual-cognitive expertise.

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of easy listening popular music on the learning of a perceptual motor task by elementary school aged children. Specifically, forty nine grade four children were analyzed on learning five variables of a dribbling task either with or without background music.
The students' social behaviour for the nonmusic and music groups was also observed and analyzed. Finally, the subjects completed a written questionnaire which helped determine their personal preferences with respect to learning with background music.
A Group (2) by Trial (2) by Dribbling Variables (5) ANOVA with repeated measures on Trial was conducted on the dribbling performance scores. Results showed that there was no significant difference between the nonmusic and the music groups on these dribbling performances for four out of the five dribble variables. However, scores of the music group increased more than those of the nonmusic group for three of the five variables. Subjects in the music group demonstrated a more desirable social behaviour than the subjects in the nonmusic group. In addition, the subjects' responses to the questionnaire showed that an overwhelming number of subjects in both groups preferred to have background music played during activity. Therefore, background music may have an important place in the learning environment in terms of behaviour and attitude, which might ultimately enhance learning.

Bimanual movement is integral to daily function. As such, it is important to understand factors that influence bimanual performance. Playing the piano was employed to examine bimanual movement. Additionally, the weather prediction task was administered as a measure of non-declarative learning. Sex influenced motor performance. Males tended to perform asymmetrical movements with less skill than females. Age affected motor performance. Older adults were less proficient, but improved similarly with practice as young adults. Further, older adults exhibited differential deterioration of bimanual movement. Feedback and music training affected motor performance. Females performed bimanual movement less proficiently with auditory feedback. Individuals with music training performed bimanual movements relative to unimanual movements better with feedback. Music training moderated age-related differential deterioration of bimanual movements. Older adults performed significantly worse than young adults on the weather prediction task. In addition, the weather prediction task correlated with motor measures in a sample including older adults.
xii, 159 leaves : ill. ; 29 cm

In this thesis, specific practice conditions were examined for skill acquisition and transfer of perceptual-cognitive-motor processes underlying dynamic and complex performance. The availability of visual and cognitive processes during practice was modulated to examine contribution of each process to the skill acquisition using a novel computer-based task where participants were required to select and execute decisions to move a cursor to a target whilst avoiding random moving objects. Results demonstrated that practice with necessary information and processes improved the task performance, whereas limiting the underlying processes attenuated skill acquisition. Subsequently, the underlying processes were examined by measuring eye movements and condition-action pairs. Successful skill acquisition was underpinned by the modified visual search and decision making processes through practice. However, limiting necessary sensory information and decoupling cognitive processing during practice developed specific sensorimotor behaviour that did not lead to successful task performance. These results provided an insight of the skill acquisition by suggesting that when a task requires the acquisition of perceptual-cognitive-motor processes to be successful, integration of these processes would be necessary, whereas decoupling of these processes would limit skill acquisition. Moreover, transfer of acquired processes was examined between two tasks. Both tasks required the acquisition of similar perceptual-cognitive processes in order to select successful cursor trajectories, but the main goal differed between tasks. In addition, for both tasks a yoked condition aimed to limit cognitive processes to investigate the role of transfer-appropriate processing in skill acquisition. Results showed positive transfer indicating that practice on another task improved performance on the other task, whereas limiting cognitive processes attenuated the skill acquisition and transfer. Transfer would be maximised when the underlying processes between practice and transfer domain are similar or matched, whereas the transfer would be attenuated when the necessary processes are decoupled during practice. The overall findings extend the research in perceptual-cognitive-motor processes and have several theoretical and applied implications.

This thesis aimed to enhance understanding of the nature of knowledge bases possessed by elite sports performers which underpin perceptual-cognitive and decision making skills. Two main theories were considered; Active Control of Thought (ACT*) and Representational Redescription (RR). The purpose of Study 1 was to examine the anticipatory ability of elite and non-elite players in football and hockey. The results indicated that elite players in both sports were quicker and more accurate in their expectation of pass destination. Study 2 aimed to understand the extent to which knowledge is transferable. The results indicated that elite players’ knowledge is relatively domain specific although some elements of underlying task strategy may transfer. The objective of Study 3 was to explore the means by which elite and non-elite players in football and hockey identify and differentiate between possible decisions. Results showed elite players’ rationale was based on deeper theoretical principles whilst non-experts utilised relatively superficial information and naïve theories. Study 4 focussed on problem representations of elite and non-elite football players. Results revealed elite players’ representations were more pertinent, connected and articulated in a more effective manner. Overall, the findings from the current thesis provide advanced understanding of the knowledge bases responsible for perceptual-cognitive and decision making skill, and such understanding may assist attempts to enhance athletes’ performance and support future research.

Aim: The aim of the present study was to examine the outcome of repetitive-part training and dual-task training in the acquisition of dribbling technique and decision making in prepubescent novice soccer players. Method: Twenty four preschool pupils, with an age of 6.2 ± 0.4 years (mean ± SD) and with no previous experience of partaking in any organized team or ball sport participated in the study. The participants were tested (pre test) for initial performance level of dribbling technique and decision making and were then divided into two balanced experimental groups. The repetitive-part group underwent four weeks of part-task training (isolated dribbling-technique training) which were followed by four weeks of dual-task training (simultaneous training of dribbling technique and decision making). The dual-task group underwent eight weeks of dual-task training. The outcome in acquisition of dribbling technique and decision making was examined after four (mid test) and eight (post test) weeks of training. Both training regimes were followed by four weeks of non-training and thereafter a test (retention test) of the retention effects was carried out. Effect sizes (d) of the acquisition within each group and of the difference in performance and acquisition between the two groups were evaluated based on Cohen's effect size criteria (|d| > 0.2, small effect; |d| > 0.5, moderate effect; |d| > 0.8, large effect). Results: Between the pre and mid test, both groups showed large improvements in dribbling technique. The corresponding improvement was small in the repetitive-part group and moderate in the dual-task group between the mid and post test. There were large differences between the groups' decision-making performances at the mid, post, and retention test where the dual-task group was superior to the repetitive-part group. The dual task group showed large improvements of decision making between the pre and mid test. Between the mid and post test, the corresponding effect was large within the repetitive-part group and moderate in the dual-task group. The improvement of the dual-task group's decision making between the pre and mid test was greater than the corresponding improvement showed by the repetitive-part group, between the mid and post test. This difference produced a moderate effect size. Conclusions: These findings challenge conventional repetitive-part training regimes and, with references to previous research, emphasize the importance of dual-task training for skill acquisition in prepubescent novice soccer players.

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Coordena??o de Aperfei?oamento de Pessoal de N?vel Superior - CAPES
Considering the importance of the inclusion of the visually impaired regarding issues investigated by Psychology, this research had the objective of continuing a process of building a battery to assess cognitive abilities of visually impaired children. The instrument, consisting of four subtests (verbal reasoning, logical, numerical and memory) which belong to the Intelligence Assessment Battery for Visually Impaired Children (PAIC-DV) and the scale of Teacher?s Perception of Visually Impaired Children?s Intelligence (EPIC-DV), was the target of a series of studies aiming for the investigation of its psychometric qualities. Different samples were used to achieve these goals: 195 children, with 30 visually impaired (type: acquired n = 8; congenital n = 12; degree: low vision n = 23; blindness n = 7) aged between seven and 12 years (M = 9.76; DP = 1.81) and 165 normal vision children, aged between seven and 12 years (M = 11.57; DP = 0.41); 15 teachers, with 10 specialized in service to the visually impaired and 5 regular education teachers, which responded to scale evaluating each of the 195 children. The results of the PAIC-DV pointed to psychometric suitability of the instrument?s factorial structure, inside a model with second-order factor (General Intelligence) and three specific factors related to the subtests Verbal Reasoning, Logical and Numeric (the Memory subtest was not inserted in the analysis). Significant differences were also found related to total scores of each subtest within the group, and normal vision children showed better results in all subtests when compared to children with visual impairment. Significant positive correlations were found in moderate magnitude and weak for most of the results in the comparison between PAIC-DV and BPR-5, as well as between the PAIC-DV and school grades and levels of internal consistency amongst 0.85 and 0.88 for each factor, indicating good precision of the instrument. EPIC-DV results showed content evidence validity through the analysis of judges and construct validity evidence by means of a model with second-order factor (General Intelligence) and four specific factors related to the subtests Verbal Reasoning, Logical, Numerical and Memory. Significant differences were found regarding the performance subtests at all, with the exception of numerical reasoning. The evaluations carried out by the teachers showed better performance of children with visual impairment in all factors (with the exception of numerical reasoning), compared to the evaluations carried out for normal vision children. Regarding the type of disability, a significant difference was found only for verbal reasoning, with better performance of children with congenital deficiency and, in relation to the degree, no significant differences were found for any factor. Considering school grades, few correlations and low magnitude have been found. The reliability, by means of internal consistency ranged from 0.94 to 0.97 for each factor, indicating good accuracy of the instrument. Supplementary analysis made through the investigation of convergent validity evidence, used the BPR-5 that indicated significant negative correlations and weak magnitude from the PAIC-DV with Logical Reasoning and Numerical Reasoning, as well as of the total score of the EPIC-DV with Numerical Reasoning test. Finally, congruence analysis was applied concerning the instruments that structure the battery, whose results indicated significant correlations as moderate positive and weak among the instruments, indicating the possibility that both are used as complements when assessing cognitive aspects of children with visual impairment. We conclude that the studies developed with the instruments brought relevant data about the importance of a specific intelligence assessment instrument for children with visual impairment, and studies with larger samples can enrich and contribute to the expansion in use of the built instrument.
Teniendo en cuenta la importancia de la inclusi?n de la discapacidad visual en las cuestiones investigadas por la psicolog?a, esta investigaci?n tuvo como objetivo continuar con el proceso de construcci?n de una bater?a de pruebas para evaluar las capacidades cognitivas de los ni?os con discapacidad visual. El instrumento consta de cuatro pruebas de rendimiento (razonamiento verbal, l?gico, num?rico y memoria) que pertenece a la Bater?a de Evaluaci?n de Inteligencia para ni?os con discapacidad visual (PAIC-DV) y la Escala de Percepci?n de Maestros acerca de la inteligencia de ni?os con discapacidad visual (EPIC -DV), que fue objeto de una serie de estudios para investigar sus cualidades psicom?tricas. Diferentes muestras se utilizaron para alcanzar estas metas: 195 ni?os, 30 discapacitados visuales (tipo: Adquirida n = 8; cong?nita n = 12; grado: baja visi?n n = 23; ceguera n = 7) con edades comprendidas entre siete y 12 a?os ( M = 9.76, SD = 1.81) y 165 ni?os videntes, con edades comprendidas entre siete y 12 a?os (M = 11,57, SD = 0,41); 15 profesores, 10 especializados en el servicio a personas con discapacidad visual y 5 maestros de escuelas regulares, que respondieron a la escala de evaluaci?n de cada uno de los 195 ni?os. Los resultados de la PAIC-DV se?alaron adecuaci?n psicom?trica de la estructura factorial del instrumento dentro de un modelo con un factor de segundo orden (inteligencia general) y tres factores espec?ficos relacionados con las pruebas de razonamiento verbal, l?gico y num?rico (prueba memoria no fue insertado en el an?lisis). Tambi?n se encontraron diferencias significativas en relaci?n al total de cada prueba en relaci?n con el grupo. Los ni?os con visi?n han obtenido mejores resultados en todas las pruebas en comparaci?n con los ni?os con discapacidad visual. En cuanto al tipo de discapacidad, no se encontraron diferencias significativas, y s?lo la prueba de la memoria mostr? diferencias significativas a favor de los ni?os con baja visi?n. Se encontraron correlaciones significativas positivas de magnitud moderada y baja para la mayor?a de los resultados en comparaci?n entre PAIC-DV y BPR-5, as? como entre PAIC-DV y los a?os escolares. Los ?ndices de consistencia interna estuvieron entre 0,85 y 0,88 para cada factor, lo que indica buen instrumento de precisi?n. Los resultados de EPIC-DV mostraron evidencia de la validez de contenido, a trav?s del an?lisis de los jueces y validez de contenido de pruebas por medio de un modelo con un factor de segundo orden (inteligencia general) y cuatro factores espec?ficos relacionados con las pruebas razonamiento verbal, l?gico, num?rico y la memoria. No se encontraron diferencias significativas con respecto al rendimiento en todas las pruebas, excepto por el razonamiento num?rico. La evaluaci?n hecha por los profesores indicaron un mejor rendimiento de los ni?os con discapacidad visual en todos los factores (excepto para el razonamiento num?rico), en comparaci?n con las evaluaciones para los ni?os videntes. En cuanto al tipo de discapacidad, no se encontraron diferencias significativas, s?lo para el razonamiento verbal, con un mejor rendimiento de los ni?os con discapacidad cong?nita y en relaci?n al grado, no hubo diferencias significativas para cualquier factor. En cuanto a los a?os escolares, se encontraron pocas correlaciones y baja magnitud. La precisi?n a trav?s de la consistencia interna vari? de 0,94 a la 0,97 para cada factor, lo que indica buen instrumento de precisi?n. Posterior an?lisis de investigaci?n de validez convergente con la BPR-5 ha indicado correlaciones significativas negativas y de baja magnitud de PAIC-DV con el Razonamiento L?gico y el factor de Razonamiento Num?rico, as? como el total de la EPIC -DV con la prueba de Razonamiento Num?rico. Por ?ltimo, se realiz? un an?lisis de congruencia entre los instrumentos que componen la bater?a y la escala. Los resultados mostraron correlaciones significativas moderadas y d?biles positivas entre los instrumentos de forma que indique la posibilidad de que ambos se utilizan de manera complementaria en la evaluaci?n cognitiva de los ni?os con discapacidades visual. Se concluye que los estudios llevados a cabo con el instrumento trajeron datos relevantes sobre la importancia de un instrumento espec?fico para evaluar la inteligencia de los ni?os con discapacidad visual y que los estudios con muestras m?s grandes pueden enriquecer y contribuir a la expansi?n del uso del instrumento construido.
Considerando a necessidade da inclus?o do deficiente visual nas quest?es investigadas pela Psicologia, bem como a garantia de igualdade nas avalia??es psicol?gicas realizadas, essa pesquisa teve como objetivo a continua??o do processo de constru??o de uma bateria de testes para avalia??o das habilidades cognitivas de crian?as deficientes visuais. O instrumento, composto por quatro subtestes de execu??o (racioc?nio verbal, l?gico, num?rico e mem?ria) pertencentes ? Provas de Avalia??o da Intelig?ncia para Crian?as Deficientes Visuais (PAIC- DV) e pela Escala de Percep??o de Professores da Intelig?ncia de Crian?as deficientes visuais (EPIC-DV), foi alvo de uma s?rie de estudos visando a investiga??o das suas qualidades psicom?tricas. Diferentes amostras foram utilizadas para alcan?ar esses objetivos: 195 crian?as, sendo 30 deficientes visuais (tipo: adquirida n= 8; cong?nita n=12; grau: baixa vis?o n= 23; cegueira n= 7) com idades entre sete e 12 anos (M= 9,76; DP= 1,81) e 165 crian?as normovisuais, com idades entre sete e 12 anos (M= 11,57; DP= 0,41); 15 professores, sendo 10 especializados no atendimento a deficientes visuais e 5 professores de ensino regular, os quais responderam a escala avaliando cada uma das 195 crian?as, assim como um grupo de ju?zes especialistas na ?rea de avalia??o psicol?gica. Os resultados do conjunto PAIC-DV apontaram adequa??o psicom?trica da estrutura fatorial do instrumento, dentro de um modelo com fator de segunda ordem (intelig?ncia geral) e tr?s fatores espec?ficos relacionados aos subtestes Racioc?nio Verbal, L?gico e Num?rico. Foram encontradas diferen?as significativas em rela??o ao total de acertos de cada subteste em rela??o a grupo (crian?as normovisuais apresentaram melhores resultados em todos os subtestes em compara??o com as crian?as com defici?ncia visual), o mesmo n?o ocorrendo em rela??o ao tipo de defici?ncia (somente o subteste de Mem?ria apresentou diferen?as significativas a favor das crian?as com baixa vis?o). Foram encontradas correla??es significativas positivas de magnitude moderada e fraca para a maioria dos resultados na compara??o entre PAIC-DV e BPR-5, bem como entre o conjunto PAIC-DV e as notas escolares, tomados como crit?rio externo. ?ndices de consist?ncia interna entre 0,85 e 0,88 foram encontrados para cada fator, indicando boa precis?o do instrumento. Os resultados da EPIC-DV, por sua vez, apresentaram evid?ncias de validade de conte?do, por meio da an?lise de ju?zes e evid?ncias de validade de construto por meio de um modelo com fator de segunda ordem (intelig?ncia geral) e quatro fatores espec?ficos relacionados aos subtestes Racioc?nio Verbal, L?gico, Num?rico e Mem?ria. Diferen?as significativas em rela??o ao desempenho em todos os subtestes, com exce??o do racioc?nio num?rico, a favor das crian?as com defici?ncia visual em todos os fatores (com exce??o do racioc?nio num?rico). Em rela??o ao tipo de defici?ncia, diferen?a significativa foi encontrada apenas para o racioc?nio verbal, com melhor desempenho das crian?as com defici?ncia cong?nita e, em rela??o ao grau, n?o foram encontradas diferen?as significativas para nenhum fator. Em rela??o ?s notas escolares, poucas correla??es e de baixa magnitude foram encontradas. A precis?o, por meio da consist?ncia interna variou entre 0,94 e 0,97 para cada fator, indicando boa precis?o do instrumento. An?lise complementar, por meio da investiga??o de evid?ncias de validade convergente, usando-se a Bateria de Provas de Racioc?nio 5 indicou correla??es significativas negativas e de magnitude fraca da PAIC-DV com o fator Racioc?nio L?gico e Racioc?nio Num?rico, bem como do Total da EPIC-DV com a prova de Racioc?nio Num?rico. Por fim, foi realizada an?lise de congru?ncia entre os instrumentos que comp?em a bateria, cujos resultados indicaram correla??es significativas positivas moderadas e fracas entre os instrumentos, de modo a indicar a possibilidade de que ambos sejam usados de forma complementar na avalia??o cognitiva de crian?as com defici?ncia visual. Conclui-se que os estudos desenvolvidos com o instrumental trouxeram dados relevantes quanto ? import?ncia de um instrumento espec?fico de avalia??o da intelig?ncia para crian?as com defici?ncia visual e que, estudos com amostras maiores podem enriquecer e contribuir para a expans?o do uso do instrumento constru?do.

Down syndrome (DS) is the most common genetic cause of mental challenge in individuals and is associated with many ocular disorders. One of these anomalies which is frequently present in this population is reduced accommodation and many studies have reported this. Accommodation is the ability of the crystalline lens in the eye to focus for objects at different distances. Prescribing bifocals could potentially help in correcting the resultant inaccurate focus, although this modality of treatment is not very commonly practiced. The impact of bifocals on reading and literacy skills (academic skills) as well as visual-perceptual skills in individuals with DS has not been studied previously. The aim of this study was to investigate the impact of bifocals on the educational attainment of children and young adults with DS who have reduced accommodation and monitor their performance longitudinally. This is the first time that the impact of bifocal provision on the functional performance of children and young adults with DS has been studied. Also for the first time in children with DS, frequent measures of performance have been used to control for progression with time before and after bifocal prescription. A battery of tests comprising early literacy and visual-perceptual skills was administered before and after bifocal prescription. Accommodation and printing skills were also measured periodically. It was expected that the prescription of bifocals would help to improve near visual acuity and that the improved near acuity would result in educational achievements at school. Compliance with spectacle wear and school reports were also considered. A longitudinal observational study design was utilized with each child acting as his/her own control. Fourteen children and teenagers aged 8-18 with DS were recruited and underwent a basic optometric exam including measurement of their accommodative ability and a cycloplegic refraction. Seventy nine percent required a change in their spectacle prescription and were prescribed single vision (SV) lenses. One hundred percent had reduced accommodation both before and after new SV glasses were prescribed. Distance visual acuity did not significantly improve with SV lenses (p>0.05) but near visual acuity showed a significant improvement (p-=0.015) from 0.64±0.25 logMAR to 0.54±0.20 logMAR. A high prevalence of high refractive errors, including both hyperopia and myopia, was observed t andnear visual acuity even with a habitual correctionwas reduced compared to distance VA. A full battery of reading and visual-perceptual tests was administered with SV lenses. Thereafter the participants were followed for 6 months and monthly subtests (probes) of literacy skills and printing tasks were administered. These “probes” acted as immediate indicators of the child’s performance with his/her correction and change in performance over this time period was monitored. Over the 6 months the participants showed no noteworthy progression in their literacy skills. The group of participants performed at an age-equivalent between 3-10 years. The quality of printing formation in this population has been studied for the first time and showed no significant change over time. It was observed that some aspects of visual-perceptual and early literacy skills could be measured in all the participants. Chronological age and receptive vocabulary were significantly correlated with visual motor integration and Word Identification. Eighty five percent of the participants were prescribed bifocals with additions ranging from +1.00D to +3.50D at the 6th month after the provision of SV lenses. Post-bifocal measures of visual acuity, accommodation, visual-perceptual and early literacy skills were taken 1-2 weeks, and finally 5 months, after bifocal correction. Throughout the pre- and post-bifocal period, verbal compliance with spectacle wear was assessed through school and parental reports. The mean near logMAR VA improved with bifocals (p=0.007) compared to SV lenses. Accommodative accuracy improved with bifocals (less accommodative lag) compared to SV lenses (p=0.002) but there was no change in the accommodation exerted through the distance portion of the lens compared to SV lenses (p=0.423). There was a main effect of bifocals on sight words (p=0.013), Word Identification (p=0.047), and 2 out of 3 tests of visual perception (p<0.05). It was observed that bifocals have a positive impact on the children’s visual and school performance and this was supported by reports of improved performance in school for nine out of eleven individuals who were prescribed bifocals. The children adapted to bifocals more readily than the SV glasses, wearing them for the majority of their waking time. All the sessions of early literacy and visual-perceptual skills administered throughout the duration of the study were videotaped and were then analyzed by a naïve examiner. The time taken to perform each task was calculated and compared between the main single vision and bifocal visits. There was a significant decrease in the completion times on the test battery with bifocals for Word Identification (p=0.0015) and the Dolch sight words (p=0.048). All participants who completed the monthly probes took less time to complete the Dolch sight words (p= 0.025) and the number writing task (p=0.001) with bifocals. Similar results were not observed for the visual-perceptual tests. Performance in the monthly probes was compared before and after bifocal prescription in terms of the average raw scores and time taken. The rate of improvement in performance with bifocals was calculated by plotting the test scores against time and determing the regression lines. There was an overall significant improvement in the monthly probe scores of Word Identification (p=0.050), Dolch sight words (p=0.025) and the number test (p=0.023) with bifocals. The rate of progression in scores increased with bifocals for the Word Identification (p=0.008). Evidence of improved and faster performance with bifocals on some literacy skills was seen. It was concluded that bifocals, which result in improved near focusing, help individuals with DS to maximize their educational potential. It is suggested that more children and teenagers with DS will benefit from bifocal prescription, as they were observed to improve near visual acuity and enable better focusing for near. This thesis has provided a comprehensive analysis of the some tests of literacy, visual- perceptual and early printing skills before and after a bifocal prescription in a group of children and teenagers with Down syndrome. This is the first study to longitudinally monitor the educational impact of bifocals in a population with Down syndrome. Furthermore, the quality of printing formation in this population is a previously unstudied area and was studied longitudinally prior to and after bifocal intervention. The impact of bifocals on printing skills is also discussed. Another novel approach was that all the literacy, writing and visual-perceptual tasks sessions were videotaped to calculate the time taken to complete each task pre- and post-bifocals. This thesis is an addition to the existing literature on bifocal prescription in Down syndrome populations. From the findings in this thesis, the following recommendations are made in order to improve the standard of clinical eye care in this population. Measurement of accommodation should be considered a routine test in the clinical ocular examination for young individuals with DS, now that it is known that many of them present with accommodative deficits. When accommodation is found to be reduced, prescription of bifocals is indicated and should also become the standard of care in this population.

博士
中華大學
科技管理博士學位學程
104
This study is to explore the relationship of the movement perceptual learning in different environments, perception is the mutual relationship of messages and actions between the human body and the external environment. Each sport has its specific perceptual skills. In the movement training programs, athletes has gradually combined with assistive technology to assist in the training, and the use of programming and 3D software to conduct several training mode software within a single window. The purpose of this study was, through the analysis of movement orientation deviation and in virtual 3D scenes and real environment to conduct the learning for aerobics, to explore how the 3D environment with / without scene would affect these eight orientation deviations (2X8) and analyze which orientation has the best relationships for learning effect, and have a comparison with the real situation, to discover the differences between the perception and the environment. The method of this study is divided into two experiments, the first experiment used Virtools Dev3.0 software as a platform for development tools, and adapting 3D graphics technology to perform for the design and development. The quasi-experimental study was used, and by purposive sampling, students from one of Taiwan Taipei high schools were selected as a total of 256 participants (102 males and 154 females). Eight types of orientation deviations of 3D vision learning platform with / without scene were designed and used, after the experiment, a linkert continuous five-point grading scale tests were conducted to assess the effectiveness, application of SPSS V21.0 statistical software and followed by the two-factor variance analysis (ANOVA) ; The second experiment was to do research through the real-context situation. One hundred twenty-eight participants was drawn from the previous experiment were proceeded for the test, and as the result showed that the straight-forward orientation of face each other had the best result. Lastly, the results from virtual 3D scene would be then compared with the real situation. The results of first experiment indicate environment part among the 95% confidence interval lower bound and upper bound dimension, those without sence was most significant, and orientation part indicate the most significant was the rear-right corner at 45 degrees with a standard error of 0.124. Interaction between perspective and environment: The most significant was the rear-right corner at 45 degrees with a standard error of 0.169. The results of second experiment indicate standing face to face in front in a real environment is the best orientation.The result of comparison can be used to investigate the effectiveness of advanced movement visual skills, including physical coordination, peripheral vision and dynamic visual acuity measurement. Combined with the concept of Ecological Approach, so that we know that highest connected environmental variety and human adaptation, In other words, the eyes and the brain can absorb the message, but also due to the key.The concluded that there are different in motor learning be to in virtual scene and real-context. This research has its value and foundation for further developments, and it can provide a combination of " persistence of vision" for athletes for a more comprehensive perceptual training. In the Future, a further experiment could be carried out on the "dizziness" caused by 3D scenes and it can stimulate learners' creativity, and enhance their abilities of a sense of direction, imagination and rigor.

碩士
國立臺灣大學
職能治療研究所
107
Introduction: In hemiplegic cerebral palsy (CP), the most common type of CP, unilateral motor disability is caused by a non-progressive lesion of the immature brain. The performances of visual spatial attention (VSA) and visual perceptual skills (VPS) have often been reported to be impaired in children with hemiplegic CP, and they require comprehensive investigation. Objective: The aims of this study were (1) to compare the performances of VSA and VPS between children with hemiplegic CP and typically developing children (TDC) in Taiwan, as well as to compare the performances of VSA between the contralesional and ipsilesional fields in children with hemiplegic CP; (2) to examine the relationships of VSA and VPS in children with hemiplegic CP and TDC; and (3) to investigate the performance differences of VSA and VPS between children with left and right hemiplegic CP. Methods: Thirty children with hemiplegic CP (15 males and 15 females, mean age 9 y 7 mo ± 2y 0 mo) and 30 TDC (9 males and 21 females, mean age 8 y 6 mo ± 1y 9 mo) were recruited in this current study. In the CP group, 15 children with left hemiplegic CP (mean age 10 y 5 mo ± 1 y 11 mo) and 15 children with right hemiplegic CP (mean age 8 y 9 mo ± 1y 10 mo). VSA and VPS were measured with the Random Visual Stimuli Detection Task (RVSDT) and the Computerized Visual Perceptual Skills Assessment (CVPSA), respectively. Each participant was assessed with the RVSDT and CVPSA within one week. Results: Significant differences were found between the CP and TD groups in VSA and VPS, as analyzed by one-way mixed analysis of covariance (ANCOVA). In the CP group, there was no significant difference in VSA between dominant and non-dominant field as analyzed by paired t-test. The correlation of VSA and VP in the CP and TD group was analyzed by pearson’s correlation test. In the CP group, moderate to high correlations between the miss rates of VSA and total visual perceptual scores were observed (Peripheral Non-dominant r = -.66, p < .001; All peripheral r = -.66, p < .001), while the miss rates of VSA did not reach a moderate relation to total visual perceptual scores in the TD group. In the TD group, moderate to high correlations between the reaction times of VSA and total visual perceptual scores were found (Peripheral Non-dominant r = -.66, p < .001; All peripheral r = -.63, p < .001), while the relationship between the reaction times and total visual perceptual scores was relatively low in the CP group. Performance on visual spatial attention and visual perceptual skills did not differ between children with left hemiplegic CP and those with right hemiplegic CP as analyzed by ANCOVA. Conclusion: This study demonstrates that children with hemiplegic CP have difficulties in VSA and VPS. Children with hemiplegic CP seem not to perceive visual stimuli in both contralesional and ipsilesional space. The VSA problems appear to be accompanied by VPS impairment in this population. In addition, VSA and VPS might not be lateralized in children with hemiplegic CP, for children with right and left hemiplegia performed at equal levels. This study highlights the importance of considering both VSA and VPS in this population. Specialized and tailored treatments should be provided for both right and left hemiplegic CP.

In gymnastics, the performance is evaluated by a subjective rating, whereby one of the biggest problems is the validity and reliability of judgment. The process of observing and evaluating complex motor skills such as those found in gymnastics is located in the cyclical interaction between perception and action, raising the key question, how the quantifiable movement execution is related to the perceived movement quality. Therefore, the thesis aimed at a first step to kinematically analyze selected prototypical gymnastics skills to investigate at a second step the underlying perceptual-cognitive mechanism when observing and evaluating those skills. In the analysis of kinematics, it was focused on the classification and structuring of temporal-spatial continuous kinematic movement patterns and their relationship to the perceived movement quality. In the investigation of the perceptual-cognitive mechanism, it was focused on how skill kinematics are related to the perceived movement quality. Furthermore, the gaze pattern was evaluated and examined during the observation. Five consecutive studies were conducted to achieve those objectives. It was shown that complex gymnastics skills can be kinematically structured into prototypical movement patterns, which differ concerning certain variant and invariant kinematic characteristics. The results of a model-based approach to predict perceived movement quality out of the kinematics of gymnastics skills showed a significant relationship between the predicted score and the true score. Overall, the models worked best for the vault skill, which was the shortest skill with the least spatial variability. Out of all models, the neural network approach showed the best results. Furthermore, it was found, that the similarity of the kinematics of gymnastics skills did not correlate with the similarity of the perceived movement quality. During the evaluation, the gaze pattern was influenced by the manipulation of the amount of non-kinematic information. This was especially the case for the last skill. Expertise seemingly influenced the perceptual-cognitive mechanism partially, but no clear pattern was visible. The results provided first insights on how gymnastics performances and the resulting judgment scores are related. The complexity of gymnastics skills and additionally, the similarity of the performance level in high elite sport is increasing. This challenge as well as the fast development of technologies leads to the occurrence of computer-based judging systems. Their reliability and validity, but also their challenges and opportunities in artistic gymnastics should be further investigated.