The Effect of Quiet Eye Training on Decision ‎Making, Gaze Behavior and Tennis Service ‎Skill Learning

Abstract

Introduction and Purpose: the current study was to ‎examine the effect of quiet eye training on decision making, gaze behavior and ‎tennis service skill learning.‎Methods: In this semi-experimental study, which was performed with a pre-test-‎post-test design with a 14-day follow-up period, 30 novices male tennis players of ‎Isfahan House with an age range of 20 to 30 were selected and those located in ‎quiet eye training and control groups. In the pre-test phase, the participants ‎performed 12 tennis services, which also measured the participants' gaze behavior ‎during the operation. Participants' service was also recorded by GoPro camera to ‎measure decision making. In addition, participants' performance was recorded by ‎the researcher. Then, the experimental group performed the desired exercises for 8 ‎weeks, 3 sessions per week and 30 minutes per session. During this period, the ‎control group performed their daily activities. At the end of 24 practice sessions, the ‎post-test phase, and two weeks after the last session, the retention phase was ‎performed as the pre-test phase. Data were analyzed by repeated measures analysis ‎of variance.‎Results: The results showed that quiet eye training have a significant effect on ‎improving decision making, increasing the length of the quiet eye period and ‎increasing the performance of the tennis service (P <0.05).‎Conclusion: The results of this study support the pre programming hypothesis that ‎the importance of planning and choosing the correct answer.‎

Keywords

• gaze training
• quiet eye
• decision making
• pre programming hypothesis
• tennis