Intercepting Moving Objects during Self-Motion: Effects of Environmental Changes

• Published in: Research quarterly for exercise and sport 1999-12, Vol.70 (4), p.349-360
• Main Authors: Lenoir, Matthieu, Savelsbergh, Geert J. P., Musch, Eliane, Thiery, Evert, Uyttenhove, Jozef, Janssens, Melissa
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Accuracy; Analysis of Variance; Environment; Field Dependence-Independence; Humans; interceptive timing; Locomotion - physiology; Motion; Motion Perception - physiology; Motor ability; Movement; Psychomotor Performance - physiology; Sensory perception; Space life sciences; Space Perception - physiology; temporal information; texture; Time Factors; Velocity; Visual Perception - physiology
• ISSN: 0270-1367; 2168-3824
• DOI: 10.1080/02701367.1999.10608055

The purpose of this study was to examine the role of background texture on an interception task during self-motion. Twenty-six participants modulated tricycle speed along one arm of a V-shaped track so as to intercept a ball approaching horizontally on the other arm of the V. Either a plain or a textured background (consisting of contrasting vertical stripes) was used. Velocity modulations occurred so as to keep the angle β between the direction of heading and the line head-ball constant (constant bearing angle, or CBA strategy), indicating that this observer-environment relation might regulate the approach phase. In the textured condition, participants initially drove faster than predicted by the CBA model and compensated by slowing down in the second half. This is in line with the texture-induced overestimation of the ball velocity and implies that absolute velocity information is also used.