Amateurs exhibit greater psychomotor efficiency than novices: evidence from EEG during a visuomotor task
Abstract
Introduction: The goal of this study was to examine the neural activities, which contribute to performance efficiency in the early stages of motor skill learning, such as amateur versus novice. To achieve this goal, electroencephalography (EEG) was employed to compare the differences in EEG power that can be used to assess neural excitability between amateur and novice golfers during a visuomotor task (i.e., golf putting task).
Methods: 16 amateurs (9 females, 7 males, mean age = 20.81 ± 1.83; an intermediate skill level with an average handicap of 33 ± 5.68 and 3.81 ± 1.83 years of experience) and 16 novice golfers (9 females, 7 males, mean age = 22.25 ± 1.61; no prior experience in golf or formal training) were asked to perform a golf putting task while their EEG was recorded. During the warm-up session, each participant determined their individual putting distance, targeting a 40-60% success rate. Once established, participants were asked to perform 10 putts per block across 6 blocks in the experimental session.
Results: The results of the study indicated that amateur golfers demonstrated: (1) higher Fz Theta power, (2) higher Fz, Pz, T7, T8 Alpha 2 power, (3) higher Mu 2 power, and (4) higher SMR power compared with novices during motor preparation. These findings suggest that amateur golfers exhibited reduced motor programming (as indicated by higher Alpha 2 power at Fz and Mu 2 power), reduced verbal-analytical engagement (higher T7 Alpha 2 power), reduced conscious…
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