The Comparison of Visual Skills between Expert and Novice Basketball Referees

This study aims to draw a comparison of Visual skills and Decision-Making accuracy between expert and novice Basketball referees. 38 male referees took part in the research and were divided into two groups of experts and novices (Each group consisting of 19 people). Participants took part in a video test and their decision-making accuracy was registered through a clip test. In another part of this research peripheral vision skill, vergence, speed of eye saccadic movement and facility of accommodation in both groups were evaluated. In order to analyze data, Independent t-test and multivariate logistic regression used. Results showed that there is a significant difference between the two groups in their decision-making accuracy, facility of accommodation and speed of eye saccadic movement but there is no significant difference in their vergence and peripheral vision skill. And also results of multivariate logistic regression analysis with stepwise method showed that speed of eye saccadic movement and facility of accommodation were significant variables for research criteria (decision making skill) respectively. Expert referees may be able to extract more relevant decision-making information from the same visual field as compared to the novice referees that will help to make more accurate decisions. Speed of eye saccadic movement and facility of accommodation had important role in extracting information from visual field.