Changzhu Qi

Perception of motion-in-depth is essential to guide and modify the hitting action in interceptive-dominated sports (e.g., tennis). The purpose of this research was to investigate the effect of tennis expertise on motion-in-depth perception at different cognition processes by two event-related potential (ERP) studies. Specifically, the study explored differences in behavior and electroencephalogram (EEG) characteristics between tennis experts and novices under two different task conditions. Seventeen skilled tennis players (average professional experience: 10.76 ± 2.56 years) and 17 age-matched novices participated in two experiments. Cortical activity (P1, N1, P2, and the later component) and task performance (reaction time, accuracy rate, and error value) were recorded when participants completed a direction-identifying task (Experiment 1) and a prediction-motion task (Experiment 2) while perceiving motion-in-depth. Results demonstrated that P1 latency in the expert group was significantly shorter than the novice group in experiment 1; and in experiment 2, the expert group showed shorter P1 latency than the novice group under the TTC1 (actual time-to-collision is 400 ms) condition. The results indicate that the effect of tennis expertise on motion-in-depth perception was primarily manifested as early visual attentional investment in the features of objects. Experts have the rapid inbibition of invalid attention.

The present study tested the intrinsic ERP features of the effects of acute psychological stress on speed perception. A mental arithmetic task was used to induce acute psychological stress, and the light spot task was used to evaluate speed perception. Compared with judgments in the constant speed and uniform acceleration motion, judgments in the uniform deceleration motion were made more quickly and with higher accuracy; attention control was higher and peaked later; and there was longer N2 peak latency, larger N2 peak amplitude, and lower mean amplitude of the late negative slow wave (SW). Under stress, the reaction time was significantly shorter. The N2 peak amplitude and SW mean amplitude were significantly higher, attention control was higher and appeared earlier, and there was a greater investment of cognitive resources. The type of movement and evoked stress also interacted to predict behavioral and ERP measures. Under acute stress, judgments made in the uniform deceleration motion condition elicited lower N2 peak latency, higher attention control, and later peak attention. The results suggest that judgments of the speed of decelerating motion require a lower investment of cognitive resources than judgments of other kinds of motion, especially under acute stress. These findings are best interpreted in terms of the interaction of arousal and attention.

Tennis experts need to extract effective visual information from a sphere in high-speed motion, in which motion-in-depth perception plays an important role. The purpose of the current study was to investigate the impact of sphere speed and tennis expertise on motion-in-depth perception by using the expert–novice task paradigm along with event-related potential (ERP) technology. The study also explored differences in behavior and electroencephalogram (EEG) characteristics between tennis experts and novices. Results show that faster sphere movement led to shorter response times and a lower accuracy rate. The P1 component in the occipital–temporal region showed that the expert group activated earlier and were stronger when the sphere was far away. The latent period of P2 in the occipital region was significantly shorter in the expert group in comparison to the novice group. Faster speed led to the induction of increased P300 volatility and a significant increase in latency. The findings of the current study show that the speed of the sphere movement affects the invocation and allocation of cognitive resources in the process of motion-in-depth perception, irrespective of whether the athletes were experts or novices. There is a special effect in the process of motion-in-depth perception for experts, mainly because attention resources are invested earlier in experts rather than novices.

The aim of this study was to determine the relationship between the built environment and moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) among adolescents aged 14–16 years. This study used a cross-lagged panel analysis to investigate the relationship between the urban built environment and adolescents’ MVPA in Shanghai, China. A total of 517 adolescents (275 boys and 242 girls) aged 14–17 years were recruited in Shanghai, China. Geographic information system technology was used to collect data on the built environment variables of the residential areas assessed. ActiGraphGT3X+ was used to monitor the physical activity of the adolescents at two time points (T1 and T2) spanning 2 years. The correlations between the T1 and T2 built environment variables were significant (r = 0.54–0.65, p < 0.05), and the T2 built environment was significantly better than the T1 built environment. The correlation between the T1 and T2 MVPA was significant (r = 0.28–0.56, p < 0.05), and the T2 weekend MVPA was higher than the T1 weekend MVPA. The T1 built environment could not predict the T2 weekday MVPA (β = 0.17, p > 0.05), but it positively predicted the T2 weekend MVPA (β = 0.24, p < 0.05). In conclusion, the urban built environment significantly affected weekend MVPA among adolescents.

The present study explored the intrinsic event-related potential (ERP) features of the effects of acute psychological stress on the processing of motion-in-depth perception using a dual-task paradigm. After a mental arithmetic task was used to induce acute psychological stress, a collision task was used to evaluate motion-in-depth perception. The error value and average amplitude of late slow waves (SW) were significantly larger for the earlier colliding spheres' than for the later colliding spheres. The P1 peak latency in the left occipital region was significantly shorter than that of the right occipital region in the motion-in-depth perception task. Compared to the control condition, the estimated value of residual time-to-collision and error value were significantly reduced, and the N1 peak amplitude and the SW averaged amplitude were significantly increased in the stress condition. Longer motion-in-depth time improved discrimination accuracy and decreased the investment of cognitive resources. Acute psychological stress increased behavioral performance and enhanced attention resources on the motion-in-depth perception task together with greater investment of cognitive resources.