Influence of background patterns of coincidence-anticipation performance.

15 boys and 15 girls, 6 yr. old, participated in a study assessing the influence of visual background patterns and object speed on coincidence-anticipation. The Bassin Anticipation Timer, utilizing light-emitting diodes in the lighted runway and pushbutton, was used to determine the subjects' accuracy of anticipation of the dynamic target light. The two object speeds were 1.45 and 2.90 kilometers per hour, and the two background conditions were a solid black background and red vertical stripes on a black background. Absolute and constant temporal errors were recorded for a total of 24 trials utilizing a random order of 6 replications of the 4 conditions. Analysis of variance indicated only speed of the object, and not visual background patterns, influenced coincidence-anticipation performance.