The role of attention in one-handed catching

Graduation date: 1989The present study investigated the contribution of\ud attention to one-handed catching success. A group of\ud skilled (N = 8) and non-skilled (N = 10) subjects were\ud compared in their ability to process secondary task\ud information while executing a primary one-handed catching\ud task. On 40% of the trials, a secondary visual stimulus\ud (SVS) was presented in the peripheral visual field at\ud predetermined times during the flight of the ball. On\ud these trials, the subject was required to first complete\ud the one-handed catch and then immediately throw the ball\ud at a stationary target. Non-skilled subjects made\ud significantly more catching errors under both normal\ud viewing and dual-task processing situations. The\ud differences were due to errors of positioning rather than grasping. Positioning of the hand appears to require\ud visual attention regardless of skill level as both skill\ud groups experienced increased difficulty processing\ud secondary task information as the ball approached the\ud catching hand. The results are discussed within the\ud framework of Neumann's (1987) functional view of\ud attention