Effects of Versatile Kinesthetic Experiences on Balance Ability and Interpersonal Relationships

The study aimed to investigate the effects of kinesthetic experiences on balance ability (using exercise balls for gymnastics) and on interpersonal relationships by comparing two different learning methods. Participants learning gymnastics during physical education classes at university were randomly allocated to a kinesthetic-experiential learning (KEL) group (n = 20) or a model-mastery learning (MML) group (n = 22). Both groups practiced a balancing exercise on an exercise ball. In the KEL group, participants were asked to pay attention to the sensations of their body on the ball in a variety of movements, whereas the MML group was asked to reproduce the instructions of the ideal model provided by an instructor. The results showed that the participants in the KEL group had longer balancing time on the exercise ball, higher self-evaluation scores, and higher interpersonal relationship scores than those in the MML group, although the objective evaluations of postural stability were better in the MML group than in the KEL group. These findings suggest that methods that provide learners with versatile kinesthetic experiences through a variety of movements are more effective for enhancing balance ability and interpersonal relationships.