Quiet eye facilitates processing complex information in elite table tennis players

Abstract

ABSTRACT Quiet Eye (QE) is the final fixation before a sports movement (e.g., a tennis stroke). To test whether QE can facilitate processing complex information, 12 elite table tennis players (M age = 14.66 years, M experience = 7.33 years) hit 100 balls, either on the entire opponent’s half (simple condition) or on narrow spots on the table (complex condition). We found that hit balls were preceded by longer QE than missed balls (p = .035, η²p = .34). Moreover, in the complex condition athletes extended the duration of QE more for scoring a hit, compared to the simple condition (p = .005, η²p = .52). Finally, athletes increased the duration of QE more after a missed than after a hit ball (p = .059, η2p = .38). This study shows that QE sustains performance in a dynamic sport, by helping athletes to process complex information, and by facilitating their recovery after missed shots.