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. 2022 Jun 14:10:e13541.
doi: 10.7717/peerj.13541. eCollection 2022.

The relationship between the accuracy of curling athletes' duration judgment and delivery performance

Minjia Song  1 , Qiwei Zhao  2 , Chunhua Du  1 , Chenglin Zhou  2 , Ruitao Li  1
Affiliations

The relationship between the accuracy of curling athletes' duration judgment and delivery performance

Minjia Song et al. PeerJ. .

Abstract

Objective: Time perception is a critical point for curling athletes to have in order to successfully complete interactions between themselves and their environment. Exploring the relationship between the accuracy of duration judgment and curling athletes' performance is helpful to reveal the influencing factors on their performance and to provide a reference for the training of athletes' delivery performance.

Methods: Thirty curling athletes and 30 non-athletes were recruited as participants. Using 3D modeling technology, curling videos of different situations were presented to the participants as stimulus information, and the participants were required to complete the duration judgment task. The neural activation of the participants during the entire process of duration judgment was recorded using electroencephalogram (EEG) equipment. The performance of the 30 curlers participating in the experiment was measured. Variance analyses were conducted on the collected behavioral and EEG data, and correlation and regression analyseswere conducted between behavioral data and delivery performance.

Results: The accuracy of the distance judgment of curlers was higher than that of non-curlers (P < 0.05). In the stimulus video presentation stage, the power in the alpha band of curlers was higher than that of non-athletes (P < 0.05). In the task decision stage, the power in the alpha band of curlers was higher than that of non-athletes (P < 0.05), and the power in the theta band was higher than that of non-athletes (P < 0.05). There was a correlation between the accuracy of the curlers' perception of specific situational time intervals and the accuracy of delivery (P < 0.05). Regression analysis results were y = 3.422 + 1.415x.

Conclusion: The accuracy of curling athletes' duration judgment is high in a specific situation. There is a correlation between the accuracy of duration judgment and delivery performance in a specific situation: the higher the accuracy of specific duration perception, the higher the performance accuracy of delivery. The cognitive strategies adopted by curlers differ from those adopted by non-athletes in the completion of duration judgment. Specifically, in a specific situation, fewer attention resources are utilized in the stimulus presentation and decision-making stages, while more memory resources are utilized in the decision-making stage to ensure higher accuracy of interval judgment. This study provides a new idea for exploring the causes of curling athletes' excellent technical performance and provides a reference for future curling research on competition training practice. Given the limitations of mobile EEG devices in this study, future studies can measure neural activity during actual delivery preparation and execution in an environment of high ecological validity to obtain more direct evidence.

Keywords: Delivery performance; Duration judgment; Neural efficiency; Sports experience.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare there are no competing interests.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1. The experimental program.
Figure 2
Figure 2. The behavioral result of duration judgment.
Three asterisks (***) denote p < 0.001.
Figure 3
Figure 3. Alpha frequency power value and spectrum energy in T1 time window.
The bar graph of alpha frequency power value in T1 time window is on the left side of the picture. The alpha spectrum energy diagram of T1 time window is on the right of the picture. An asterisk (*) denotes p < 0.05, three asterisks (***) denote p < 0.001.
Figure 4
Figure 4. Alpha frequency power value and spectrum energy in T2 time window.
The bar graph of alpha frequency power value in T2 time window is on the left side of the picture. The alpha spectrum energy diagram of T2 time window is on the right of the picture. Three asterisks (***) denote p < 0.001.
Figure 5
Figure 5. Theta frequency power value and spectrum energy in T2 time window.
The bar graph of theta frequency power value in T2 time window is on the left side of the picture. The theta spectrum energy diagram of T2 time window is on the right of the picture. Three asterisks (***) denote p < 0.001.
Figure 6
Figure 6. The relationship between accuracy of duration judgment and delivering performance.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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