Scores on Field Independence and Performance in Snooker

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to compare the scores on the Group Embedded Figures Test, a measure of field dependence, for 25 male intermediate-level snooker players with scores of 25 intermediate-level sportsmen engaged in soccer, rugby, field hockey, and tennis and to examine the relation between scores on field dependence and performance on a snooker decision-making test. All the snooker players also took a test of decision making in snooker. The snooker players scored significantly more field independent than the sports-science majors on the Group Embedded Figures Test. A Pearson correlation of 0.78 was obtained between scores on the Group Embedded Figures Test and the decision-making test. As there may be an association between scores on field dependence and decision making in snooker, further research should examine sports like lawn bowls and pool where decisions are made in a static environment.