ABSTRACT
In order to perform an interceptive task such as catching a ball, an actor can either predict where and when the ball can be intercepted, as has been suggested by many authors, or can continuously tune the movement to information specifying the required lateral hand velocity. The availability of an environmental structure could facilitate the perception of (the rate of change of) these angles. Structure could be absent (NS), static (SS), laterally oscillating (OS), or rotating in depth (RS). The hole in the center of the racquet could be one of four diameters. Under the different environmental structure conditions (SS, OS, RS), a piece of board painted black (63 × 100 cm) covered with 17 phosphorescent points was presented to participants. Comparisons between the static, oscillating, and rotating conditions showed that environmental structure, specifying a permanent feature of the environment, is used in interceptive tasks.
