Study of short-term visual memory and spatial perception of karateka

Purpose: to investigate the peculiarities of short-term visual memory and spatial perception of karateka. Material and Methods. The following methods were used in the study: analysis of scientific and methodological information and Internet sources; generalization of best practices; psychophysiological testing; methods of mathematical statistics. The study involved 27 karateka aged 10,41±2,04 years with one year of training experience. To measure psychophysiological abilities we used specialized tests for mobile devices running iPadOS, developed and implemented by the departments of martial arts, informatics and biomechanics of the Kharkiv State Academy of Physical Culture. Results: according to the results of the correlation analysis, it was found that there is a statistically significant correlation between the age of athletes and the indicators of the studied psychophysiological parameters. Thus, the coefficient of short-term visual memory (CTSM, r=0,67) and the indicator of spatial perception (reaction time for the whole test, r=0,60) have statistically significant interrelations with age. It was also noted that the percentage of errors decreases with increasing age of athletes. The correlation analysis revealed interrelations between the tests. There was a statistically significant correlation between the reaction time in the «Spatial Perception» test and the percentage of errors in the fifth, most difficult stage of the «Short-Term Memory» test (r=0,63). On the basis of the cluster analysis the group of karateka (n=27) is divided into two subgroups of 8-10 and 11-13 years old, 13, 14 sportsmen respectively. According to the analysis of differences in measurement results between sportsmen of 8-10 years old and sportsmen of 11-13 years old it was determined that there are statistically significant differences (p<0,05) in such indicators as the coefficient of short-term visual memory, percentage of errors and duration of the test. The largest percentage of errors in the «Short-Term Memory» test was recorded at the fifth stage both in sportsmen of 8-10 years old and sportsmen of 11-13 years old. The number of mistakes of sportsmen of 11-13 years old is 1,8 times less than that of sportsmen of 8-10 years old, that testifies to the greater number of correct reactions and accuracy of their motor actions. Concerning the differences of results of the estimation of the level of spatial perception between sportsmen of 8-10 years old and sportsmen of 11-13 years old there was a statistically significant improvement (p<0,05) of reaction time and statistically significant decrease (p<0,05) of test duration. The percentage of mistakes in sportsmen of 11-13 years old is less than in sportsmen of 8-10 years old, but these differences are not statistically significant (p>0,05). The analysis of dynamics of changes of reaction time at performance of a test task of the application «Spatial Perception» showed that the greatest values were fixed on the fourth stage, both in a group of 8-10 years old and in a group of 11-13 years old. This suggests that older athletes are better at differentiating 3D objects when there are interfering visual stimuli. Conclusions. The results of the research testify to the peculiarities of the manifestation of psychophysiological indicators, namely their relationship with the age of the studied sportsmen. Indicators of short-term visual memory and spatial perception of sportsmen of 11-13 years old have statistically significant (p<0,05) differences from indicators of sportsmen of 8-10 years old. Due to the fact that the athletes who took part in the study have the same training experience (1 year), the improvement of psychophysiological indicators of older athletes is associated with a more perfect interaction of their sensory and motor mechanisms of movement control.