Purpose: Compare the depth perception (absolute and relative discrimination of distance error) between taekwondo contestants and colleges students. Method: Fifteen male subjects from Group-A taekwondo contestants of National Taiwan Sport University and another 15 male college students from different university were recruited respectively. The measurement of absolute and relative discrimination of distance (4, 1.5 and 1 meter) error was modified based on Melcher and Lund's (1992) method. Repeated measures analysis of variance (ANOVA) was used and the significance level (α) was 0.05. Results: Three ways repeated measures ANOVA reveals that only 2 way interaction between group and distance (F (2, 56)=8.65, partial eta square=0.24, p=.001), and the main effect of absolute vs. relative discrimination (F (1, 28)=78.47, partial eta square=0.74, p=.000) reached statistically significant. Regardless of the group (taekwondo contestants vs. college students), distance (4, 1.5, 1 meter), the error of depth discrimination was significantly smaller in relative distance (8.16±7.02cm) than that in absolute distance (20.52±12.47cm) (p<.0001). Regardless absolute or relative distance, group-A taekwondo contestants showed significant smaller depth discrimination at 4 meters (11.47±7.22cm) than college students (20.52±12.47cm) did (p<.0001). However, there was no significant difference in depth discrimination at 1 meter and 1.5 meters between Group-A taekwondo contestants and college students (p>.05). Conclusion: Group-A taekwondo contestants had better depth discrimination at 4 meters than college students did. Our results provide the direction for coaches and researchers of Taekwondo to design and plan their training program using the parameters of depth discrimination in the future.
Purpose: Compare the depth perception (absolute and relative discrimination of distance error) between taekwondo contestants and colleges students. Method: Fifteen male subjects from Group-A taekwondo contestants of National Taiwan Sport University and another 15 male college students from different university were recruited respectively. The measurement of absolute and relative discrimination of distance (4, 1.5 and 1 meter) error was modified based on Melcher and Lund's (1992) method. Repeated measures analysis of variance (ANOVA) was used and the significance level (α) was 0.05. Results: Three ways repeated measures ANOVA reveals that only 2 way interaction between group and distance (F (2, 56)=8.65, partial eta square=0.24, p=.001), and the main effect of absolute vs. relative discrimination (F (1, 28)=78.47, partial eta square=0.74, p=.000) reached statistically significant. Regardless of the group (taekwondo contestants vs. college students), distance (4, 1.5, 1 meter), the error of depth discrimination was significantly smaller in relative distance (8.16±7.02cm) than that in absolute distance (20.52±12.47cm) (p<.0001). Regardless absolute or relative distance, group-A taekwondo contestants showed significant smaller depth discrimination at 4 meters (11.47±7.22cm) than college students (20.52±12.47cm) did (p<.0001). However, there was no significant difference in depth discrimination at 1 meter and 1.5 meters between Group-A taekwondo contestants and college students (p>.05). Conclusion: Group-A taekwondo contestants had better depth discrimination at 4 meters than college students did. Our results provide the direction for coaches and researchers of Taekwondo to design and plan their training program using the parameters of depth discrimination in the future.