Differences in Peripheral Perception between Athletes and Nonathletes

In team games, due to the great number of stimuli, perceptive skills have a cardinal significance, especially in players’ anticipation and decision-making processes. The aim of this study was to compare peripheral per-ception of handball players (n=16) and nonathletes (n=16) of the same age. A comparative analysis involves abilities connected with general visual functions – such as the field of vision (hardware system) and reac-tion time to visual stimuli (software system). Peripheral perception was examined using the peripheral perception test included in the Vienna Test System (Schuhfried, Austria). The results show that the examined groups did not differ in regards to visual functions connected with the peripheral field of vision and the correctness of stimuli recognition. Handball play-ers had a significantly shorter response time to stimuli appearing in the peripheral field of vision compared to nonathletes.