The role of visuospatial abilities and the level of expertise in memorising soccer animations

Dynamic visualisations are commonly used to improve athletes' performance in sports. However, their instructional effectiveness according to learners' characteristics remains unclear. This study investigates the effect of visuospatial abilities (VSA) and the level of expertise on memorising an animated soccer scene. Participants (N = 96) first performed a control test to assess their level of VSA, followed then by the main test which consisted in recalling and reconstructing a displayed scene. Results indicated a main effect of the level of expertise and the level of VSA on memorisation performance. A significant interaction between these two factors was also found. Findings suggest that both VSA and the level of expertise must be considered to optimise the memorisation of dynamic visualisations in team sports.