Abstract:The present study used the theory of affordance (Gibson, 1979/1986) to investigate the perception of individuals' affordances for gap cross ability when they were unrestricted, and the effect of hip flexibility on perceiving the distance of gap-crossing. Sixteen female undergraduate students (aged 19-23 years) with good hip flexibility (n=8) and with poor hip flexibility (n=8) were voluntarily participated in this study. All the subjects were required to judge their maximal and optimal crossing distances, and then their actual maximal and optimal crossing distance and anthropometric parameters were measured. The collected data were analyzed by mixed design three-way ANOVA (Flexibility factor × Task condition × Motion ability). The two-way and three-way interactions were not significant in this study. The Flexibility effect was significant which indicates the perceived and actual distance of the good flexibility group (mean=85.01 cm) were farther than that of the poor flexibility group (mean=74.74 cm). The Task condition was not significant, indicating that the perceived and actual distances were not distinguishable. However the Motion ability was significant which means the maximal crossing distance and the optimal crossing distance was different. Furthermore, Pearson product-moment correlation showed that the perceived maximal crossing distance significantly related with the left hip joint flexion. From this data we concluded that the perception of maximal crossing distance related to hip flexibility. People are able to differentiate two different abilities and perceive the relations between themselves and the environment.
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