Expertise effects in cutaneous wind perception

Abstract

We examined whether expertise effects are present in cutaneous wind perception. To this end, we presented wind stimuli consisting of different wind directions and speeds in a wind simulator. The wind simulator generated wind stimuli from 16 directions and with three speeds by means of eight automotive wind fans. Participants were asked to judge cutaneously perceived wind directions and speeds without having access to any visual or auditory information. Expert sailors (n = 6), trained to make the most effective use of wind characteristics, were compared to less-skilled sailors (n = 6) and to a group of nonsailors (n = 6). The results indicated that expert sailors outperformed nonsailors in perceiving wind direction (i.e., smaller mean signed errors) when presented with low wind speeds. This suggests that expert sailors are more sensitive in picking up differences in wind direction, particularly when confronted with low wind speeds that demand higher sensitivity.

Fight without sight: The contribution of vision to judo performance

“…Expertise effects have been reported for other sensory modalities as well. Musicians for example excel in auditory perceptual skills (Koelsch, Schr€ oger, & Tervaniemi, 1999), wine judges are known for their refined olfactory perception (Parr, Heatherbell, & White, 2002) and expert sailors distinguish themselves from beginners by their level of cutaneous wind perception (Pluijms, Cañal-Bruland, Bergmann Tiest, Mulder, & Savelsbergh, 2015). However to truly understand the vast perceptual capabilities as well as limitations of both the able-bodied and the sensory impaired, researchers will need to acknowledge the multisensory nature of perception and study how optimal combinations of sensory information facilitate expert performance.…”

Buoy as a Tool in Teaching Basic Elements of Sailing

“…The biggest problem for basic sailing school attendants is spatial disorientation, mostly increased by undeveloped sense for wind direction. It is known that wind cannot be seen, but must be sensed, and this problem is bigger when the wind is weak (Pluijms et al, 2015), as is the case with our examinees and most beginners.…”

Factors Related to the Performance of Elite Young Sailors in a Regatta: Spatial Orientation, Age and Experience

“…The influence of experience on performance has been demonstrated both in the general literature [ 36 , 37 ] and the literature specific to navigation [ 5 , 42 , 43 ]. It is likely that the most expert sailors have a greater orientation, which is demonstrated in a better analysis of the positions of the buoys in the racecourse and the route chosen to approach them [ 55 ], as well as their ability to obtain the most relevant information on the racecourse and thus be able to execute efficient motor actions according to the characteristics of the situation [ 56 , 57 , 58 ]. The most experienced sailors were placed in a better position with respect to their rivals to obtain a more favorable wind and reduce the number of maneuvers they had to perform when exceeding the buoy.…”

“…The most experienced sailors were placed in a better position with respect to their rivals to obtain a more favorable wind and reduce the number of maneuvers they had to perform when exceeding the buoy. This tangent point seems to be critical when it comes to rounding on the windward buoy, and a bad choice would make the maneuvers come forward or backward with respect to the maneuvers performed by their opponents, with expert sailors reacting differently compared to inexperienced sailors [ 55 ]. Another aspect related to the spatial orientation is the perception of the wind direction and the orientation that the boat has with respect to this, which is key when differentiating between expert sailors and beginners [ 59 ].…”