Investigating the differences in peripheral visual perception in ballplayers and non-ballplayers: emphasis on the maturational perspective

Peripheral visual perception is a concept of cognitive-perceptual processes, which, although it is referred to in the ballfields, has not yet been studied in the non-ballfields and the examination of gender differences is also a challenge to be addressed. So, the purpose of this study was to examine the peripheral visual perception of ballplayers and non-ballplayers. The samples of this study were randomly selected from the young girls and boys (average and standard deviation 26±4.5 age) in ball fields (14) and non-ball fields (16) of the Faculty of Physical Education of the University of Tehran. All subjects had complete visual acuity and the consent form of the research. The instrument of Vienna was used to measure peripheral visual. The statistical results of MANOVA test showed that there is no significant difference in the peripheral visual perception between ballplayers and non-ballplayers in girls and boys (P≤0.05). In general, this research showed that the type of exercise (ball and non-ball) and gender cannot be a factor in the superiority of peripheral perception, and although the importance of peripheral perceptual skill in ball exercises has been shown in research, this skill is also very important in non-ball exercises.