Effects of chromatic targets on a throwing task for subjects referred for learning disability.

Summary.-The purpose of the study was to determine the effects of chromatic and achromatic targets on performing a throwing task for subjects referred for learning disability. 20 boys referred to the Perceptual Motor Development Center prxticed under achromatic or chromatic target conditions. After 5 practice bouts, each subject immediately performed on the opposite condition. When subjects were aware of chromatic and achromatic target alternatives, chromatic targets facilitated performance. The effect of color and the conditions under which it facilitates or inhibits the performance of motor skill have not been resolved. Dwyer (1) and Morris (2) reported that chromatic conditions favorably affect performance. But Nakshian (3) and Shick (4) found no differences. Since optimal environmenral conditions are necessary for teaching children with learning disabilities, this study invest~gated the effect of color on a throwing task for boys referred for learning disability. Twenty-four boys, aged 9 to 11 yr., referred as learning disabled by Louisiana Competent Authority Evaluation Teams, were divided into age categories and randomly assigned to chromatic and achromatic practice treatments. While some boys had visual perception disabilities, the case reports indicared that none had diagnosed color-perception difficulties. Three subjects from the chromatic and one from the achromatic practice groups resigned from the Center during the study. Subjects threw bean bags from a distance of 18 ft. at either chromatic or achromatic 4-ft. x 4-ft. targets. The chromatic target was divided into five circles painted orange, white, yellow, green, and red. The achromatic target was white except for black dividing lines. Practice was conducted once a week over a 5-wk. period. Each practice bout included a warm-up and 10 throws. Subjects were told their score at the end of each practice session and were encouraged ro "break your record" prior to succeeding practice. Verbal praise or mechanical error information was not given and only the examiner was present. Subjects were naive about target differences until all practice bouts ended. After the final practice bout, each subject immediately performed on the opposite target condition. A two-factor mixed analysis of variance with repeared measures found no differences between groups after any of the five practice bouts. Learning did occur between practice bouts 1 and 5 (F4.n = 2.91, p < .05). The analysis of variance for the final bout under opposite conditions indicated that the inclusion or deletion of color affected performance (F,,, = 9.24, p < .01). Table 1 presents means and standard deviations for practice and final bouts. The achromatic practice group showed a sharp increase in score when performing on chromatic target. This was a striking contrast to the chromatic practice group who scored markedly lower on achromatic targets. The basic finding of this study is in agreement with Morris (2) who found that elementary-aged subjects performed a catching task better when balls were chromatic rather than achromatic. As the practic data indicated, the subjects performed somewhat similarly