# Influence of Mouse Grip Type on Flicking and Tracking Tasks Performance
## 4 Discussion  
The main objective of the present study was to analyze the influences of three types of mouse grips (palm grip, claw grip, and fingertip grip) on video game performance by analyzing kinematic and scoring variables in two different tasks (flicking and tracking). In FPS video games, two aiming techniques (Aim Flicking and Aim Tracking) stand out as the most important. However, to the best of our knowledge, no previous research has analyzed the effect of the mouse grip type on gaming performance. Based on the results achieved here, while trajectory parameters were affected, no differences were found in performance in any of the aiming techniques. Nonetheless, interesting correlations between the Score, Reaction Time, and Total Distance in flicking tasks were observed. Concerning the Score, the type of mouse grip did not affect the flicking (\(p>0.358\)) or tracking task (\(p>0.212\)). However, in esports, a good reaction capacity is essential, since fast response times offer a fundamental advantage to performance [5]. Accordingly, an extremely high correlation (r = \(-0.911\)) between the Score and Reaction Time was observed in this study, indicating that participants with a better Reaction Time achieved a better Score. Furthermore, a very high correlation (r = 0.724) between the Score and Total Distance was also detected, which could have been due to the relationship between the Total Distance and the number of targets hit in the task: the more targets shot, the greater the distance travelled by the mouse cursor. Meanwhile, the non-difference in the Score in the tracking task suggested that the type of mouse grip is not a factor that influences the tracking performance of a moving target. Moreover, for the Trajectory variable, although significant differences were observed between the claw grip (71.46 \(\pm\) 4.62%) and the fingertip grip (77.21 \(\pm\) 5.38%), the effect size observed was small. Regarding the tracking task, some of the factors that may influence this kind of task are the type of response, the sensitivity of the mouse, and the start procedure, while the grip type seems not to be considered a determining factor [19]. This idea is in agreement with the results of the present study, suggesting that in video games belonging to the Hero Shooter genre, such as Overwatch, Quake, or Apex Legends, where Aim Tracking predominates, the use of a specific mouse grip will not give any advantage. Regarding kinematics, in the flicking task, our results showed significant differences (\(p<0.05\)) in the Minimum Cursor Trajectory between the claw grip (140.37 \(\pm\) 10.68 px) and the fingertip grip (106.57 \(\pm\) 20.07 px), and also between the claw grip and the palm grip (103.11 \(\pm\) 17.58 px). These differences between the claw and palm grips were also found in the Average Cursor Trajectory (445.82 \(\pm\) 38.55 px vs. 370.66 \(\pm\) 23.06 px). The Minimum \begin{table}
\begin{tabular}{l l l l l} \hline \hline
**Parameter** & **Mouse Grip Type** & **Mean (SD)** & **F** & \(p\)**-Value** \\ \hline \multirow{3}{*}{Score (n)} & Palm Grip & 1412.78 (321.15) & & \\  & Claw Grip & 1606.70 (242.68) & 1.684 & 0.212 \\ \cline{1-1}  & Fingertip Grip & 1671.97 (148.42) & & \\ \cline{1-1} \cline{2-5}  & Palm Grip & 0.027 (0.004) & & \\ (m/s) & Claw Grip & 0.025 (0.003) & 0.669 & 0.525 \\ \cline{1-1}  & Fingertip Grip & 0.025 (0.002) & & \\ \cline{1-1} \cline{2-5}  & Palm Grip & 5.32\({}^{-4}\) (8.26\({}^{-5}\)) & & \\ (m/s\({}^{2}\)) & Claw Grip & 4.92\({}^{-4}\) (4.96\({}^{-5}\)) & 0.846 & 0.446 \\ \cline{1-1} \cline{2-5}  & Fingertip Grip & 4.90\({}^{-4}\) (4.29\({}^{-5}\)) & & \\ \cline{1-1} \cline{2-5}  & Palm Grip & 135.55 (24.25) & & \\ (mm) & Claw Grip & 127.18 (16.42) & 0.532 & 0.596 \\ \cline{1-1} \cline{2-5}  & Fingertip Grip & 125.12 (11.54) & & \\ \hline \hline \end{tabular}
\end{table} 
Table 2: Score and kinematic variables in the tracking task according to the mouse grip type.