Differences between simple and choice reaction time among young karate athletes in relation to gender and level of training

Abstract

Compared to adults, children have longer simple reaction time (SRT) and choice reaction time (CRT) to simple and choice visual stimuli. Based on the available data, it can be concluded that this occurrence could be due to correlation between age and the information processing speed. Other factors may have an impact, too, such as the shorter attention span which children may have. Some studies indicate that karate favors the development of cognitive functions, including the RT. Therefore, the aim of the current study was to determine whether there is a difference in simple and choice reaction time between boys and girls of preadolescent and early adolescent age on the basic and premastery level of karate training. Testing involved 78 participants divided into four subgroups, in accordance with the gender and the level of training, using a custom designed RT measuring software, developed in LabVIEW 2012 software package. A two-way analysis of variance (Two-way ANOVA) confirmed no differences between boys’ and girls’ SRT scores, while the significant differences were found at the mastery criterion subsample level. When it comes to CRT, the differences were found at the boys’ subsample level, as well as between genders on the basic level of training. It cannot be stated with absolute certainty whether the acquired differences are the result of karate training, some other physiological and cognitive phenomena or the maturation process. Consequently, the futher research should involve a broader sample – the population of the physically inactive, as well as the children involved in other sports.

U poređenju sa odraslima, deca imaju sporije prosto (PVR) i izborno (IVR) vreme reakcije (VR) na prostu i izbornu vizuelnu draž. Na osnovu podataka iz dostupne literature, može se zaključiti da bi razlog mogla biti povezanost godina starosti sa brzinom obrade informacija, ali i da drugi faktori, poput slabije pažnje, na primer, mogu imati uticaja. Neka istraživanja pokazuju da karate favorizuje razvoj kognitivnih funkcija, uključujući i VR. Stoga je cilj ove studije bio da utvrdi da li između dečaka i devojčica preadolescentskog i ranog adolescentskog uzrasta, na učeničkom i predmajstorskom stepenu obuke u karateu, postoje razlike za prosto i izborno vreme reakcije. Testirano je 78 ispitanika podeljenih u četiri subgrupe, u odnosu na pol i stepen obučenosti, primenom posebno dizajniranog softvera za merenje VR, razvijenog u programskom paketu LabVIEW 2012. Dvofaktorskom analizom varijanse (Two-way ANOVA) utvrđeno je da nema razlika između rezultata dečaka i devojčica ostvarenih za PVR, ali da su one značajne na nivou subuzoraka po kriterijumu majstorstva. Kada je u pitanju IVR, razlike su utvrđene na nivou subuzorka dečaka, kao i između polova na učeničkom nivou obuke. Ne može se sa sigurnošću tvrditi da li su dobijene razlike posledica treninga ili nekih drugih fiziološko-kognitivnih fenomena, odnosno procesa sazrevanja. Stoga bi buduća istraživanja morala da obuhvate širi uzorak - populaciju neaktivne, kao i dece uključene u druge sportove.