Research Progress on the Application of Occlusion Paradigms in Sports Action Prediction

Haiyang Xie; Yingzi Ge

doi:10.6918/IJOSSER.202602_9(2).0013

Authors

Haiyang Xie
Yingzi Ge

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.6918/IJOSSER.202602_9(2).0013

Keywords:

Action Prediction, Temporal Occlusion, Spatial Occlusion

Abstract

In high-speed interceptive sports, athletes are required to judge ball trajectories and execute motor actions within extremely short time windows due to inherent physiological delays. This paper reviews the application and primary findings of temporal and spatial occlusion paradigms in the research of sport action prediction. Temporal occlusion studies reveal that expert athletes demonstrate superior capability in utilizing early kinematic cues for anticipation compared to novices, and this perceptual-cognitive skill can be significantly improved through specific training interventions. Spatial occlusion research supports the "proximal-to-distal" information pickup hypothesis, indicating that experts rely more on proximal cues (such as the trunk and hips) and global movement patterns rather than isolated distal features, which enables them to effectively detect deceptive movements. Furthermore, combined spatiotemporal occlusion paradigms highlight the strict temporal sequencing of visual cue extraction and the adaptive mechanisms of perception-action coupling. Future research directions should integrate virtual reality (VR) and neuroimaging technologies to investigate the underlying neural mechanisms within more ecologically valid and open competitive environments.

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