Using spatial occlusion to explore the control strategies used in rapid interceptive actions: Predictive or...

Area of Science:

• Motor control
• Human movement science
• Sports science

Background:

• Interceptive actions demand precise spatial-temporal coordination between perception and motor control.
• The underlying control strategy (predictive vs. prospective) for successful interception remains debated.
• Ice hockey goaltending presents a rapid interceptive timing task crucial for performance.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the control strategies employed by elite ice hockey goaltenders during rapid puck interception.
• To examine the impact of removing predictive visual information on goaltender gaze and motor responses.
• To determine the role of prospective control and quiet eye behavior in successful saves.

Main Methods:

• Elite ice hockey goaltenders performed a rapid interceptive timing task.
• Predictive visual information from the shooter was progressively removed.
• Gaze behavior (quiet eye) and motor responses were analyzed.
• The use of prospective reversal strategy was quantified.

Main Results:

• Goaltenders employed a prospective reversal strategy in 22.8% of glove saves.
• Successful use of the prospective reversal strategy led to higher save rates (11/18 reversals saved).
• Quiet eye (final fixation before movement) was consistently observed and linked to both strategies.

Conclusions:

• Elite goaltenders utilize prospective control, including reversal strategies, to adapt to changing visual information during interception.
• The quiet eye phenomenon is a critical component of successful interceptive actions in goaltending.
• Optimizing quiet eye location and duration is key for enhancing interception success.