Comparison of Visual Search Behavior and Decision-making Accuracy in Expert and Novice Fencing Referees

SIGNIFICANCE Perceptual-cognitive skills are the capacity of athletes to identify task-relevant information in the environment and integrate information with the knowledge available for decision making or controlling motor responses. Gaze behavior is one performance-related perceptual skill and a key factor affecting expertise affecting referee performance. PURPOSE The aim of this study was to compare visual search behavior and decision-making accuracy of expert and novice fencing referees. METHOD Twenty-eight referees were divided into expert (n = 14) and novice (n = 14) groups. Participants were fitted with mobile eye trackers and participated in tests that consisted of five blocks of 10 video clips. Videos are provided annually by the World Fencing Federation for referee testing. RESULTS The results showed a significant difference between the two groups in terms of the accuracy of decision making, number, duration, and location of fixations. Expert referees had higher decision-making accuracy compared with novice referees. Expert referees had fewer fixations than did novice referees. Fixations of expert referees were longer than those of novice referees, and the locations of fixations of expert and novice referees were different. CONCLUSIONS According to the results of this study, it can be concluded that the difference in visual search behavior of expert and novice referees was one of the factors contributing to better decision making of expert referees.