Estimations of the Passing Height of Approaching Objects

Limited optical cues associated with ball flight were inadequate to estimate the vertical passing distance of approaching balls. These results suggest that these optical cues either must be integrated with contextual and kinematic cues or must be of larger amplitude to contribute to estimates of vertical passing distance.

To intercept or avoid approaching objects, individuals must estimate both when and where the object will arrive. The purpose of this experiment was to determine whether individuals could estimate the vertical passing height of a ball approaching at different linear speeds when vertical angular retinal image velocity and cues for time to contact were minimized.

Twenty participants stood 40 feet from a pitching machine that projected tennis balls toward observers at six random speeds from 56 to 80 mph. The flight of the balls was stopped after 9 feet. The actual passing height ranged from about 35 (lowest speed) to 136 cm (highest speed). Observers indicated the height at which they expected the balls to arrive. Overall, the height estimates increased as ball speed increased (means, 121 ± 13 cm [lowest speed] and 131 ± 10 cm [highest speed]). However, only at the higher speeds were the absolute height estimates close to the actual height of the ball. At the higher ball speeds, estimates for participants with some experience in baseball or softball were more accurate (86.4% correct at the highest speed) than estimates for participants with no experience.

Overall, estimates of vertical passing distance were inaccurate particularly at the lower speeds. Underestimates of vertical drop at lower speeds may have resulted from overestimates of ball speeds. At short exposure durations, optical cues associated with ball flight were inadequate for predictions of vertical passing distance at all speeds for the no-experience group and at lower speeds for the experienced group.